James Rood Doolittle. even impunged the sincerity of his motives. These strictures are all unfair, unjust and untrue. They do violence to the memory of a truly great and worthy man. The fact is, that Mr. Doolittle's carefully thought out views of public affairs, his lofty notions of right and justice to all men and between man and man, his inherent hatred of all forms of wrong and oppression, in brief, his well-developed moral nature, made him think that the single word to govern his con duct, both in private life and public station was duty. And having satisfied himself upon that point the rest was easy. He was not vacillating, or dishonest or insincere. His private correspondence, to much of which the writer has had access, amply establishes that. But the limits of this article forbid the re production of it. One of Mr. Uoolittle's neighbors has justly said that "he stood high among the first in the land as a statesman. His acquaintance with public men was very extensive, and his opinion with reference to public measures was often sought and had great weight in the deliberations of the lead ing men at Washington. . . . While some orators may have been more magnetic, few were more pleasing and convincing. His great abilities were needed and used at a critical period of our nation's history, and he stood a bulwark against secession and slavery, and in favor of liberty and union, and his name will be enrolled among the list of illustrious men who saved this great re public." A gentleman who was very close to Mr. Doolittle when making his campaigns, who worked with him while he was a member of the Republican party, and who was very fa
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miliar with his entire public and professional life, gives this very moderate and just esti mate of Mr. Doolittle. "The career of exSenator Doolittle has been an extraordinary one. He was long prominent in the affairs of the State and nation. The general sum ming up of his labors cannot be otherwise than emphatically in his favor. He was earn est and enthusiastic in whatever he under took. It may be that his zeal sometimes got the better of his judgment. He will be' sin cerely mourned by all those at all familiar with his valuable services to our State. It will always be difficult to fill the places 'ol such as he. He has gone down to his grave with the respect and kind remembrance of all who knew him. The epoch of his life work will ever be interesting to the historian. The name of James R. Doolittle will be hon ored by the people of Wisconsin as long as time, shall last." What more need be said? Mr. Doolittle was above reproach in both private life and when occupying official station. His habits were exemplary in every particular. He loved his home and was fond of home life. The church attracted him and it found in him a faithful member to the last. He loved his profession and never hesitated to extol its virtues on proper occasions. His call to greater duties as a national legislator had the effect to divide his love for it, for a time. But he never forsook it. And it is only just to his memory to say that the legal profes sion found no worthier friend, no abler advo cate of its aims and possibilities, than was James R. Doolittle. A truer patriot, a better man, it would be difficult to find during his time.
