“And it is refreshing, strengthening to the mind and clearing to the eye, to see Douglas and to hear him talk about all these things.  He stands so clear, so pure of stock so to speak, amid all this variegated growth of political and social heresy.  The other day when I was in Springfield I looked him up.  Here he was talking of the Lovejoy matter, which led him into a cataloguing of the abolitionists, the anti-Masons, the Spiritualists, the Mormons, free lovers, old centralists, with the Whigs.  I think he is proud that he has no hobby in the way of an ideal or ism.  He seems unmagnetic to all such things.  If he does not look with suspicion upon the reformer and accuse him of masking some selfish purpose, he is likely to think that the reformer is something of a fool.  He gazes with an eagle’s eye over the whole of American activity; he sees the South interested in cotton, the North concerned with its growing factories.  Steam, iron, coal, and land figure in his deductions.  He sees the country rising to power on them.  And he sees men—­whatever their professions—­trying to advance their own interests.  Hence he laughs down these queer political and religious groups; and while he deplores the death of Lovejoy, he takes it as a matter of course; the wringing of the nose brings forth blood.  He is kindly and most loyal, fearless, clear-minded, and powerful; but he is unmoral.  He sees the play of life.  He sees the stronger getting more, Texas coming eventually to the United States, though blood be shed.  The drift of things is impelled by great forces of ancient and world-wide origin.  He believes with all his soul in the superiority of the white race, and that it must rule.  At the same time Democracy is the thing, but Democracy let loose only after the philosophical channels have been cut.  Notwithstanding his laughter at Mormonism, for example, he would not suppress it.  He would let it work out its own fate.  Free thought and free speech will kill it, or it will survive in spite of them because of its inherent strength, if at all.  All together Douglas is very admirable to me.  I think he is a genius; one of those human beings who was born old but who will always be young.  And here he is in a country that is changing and growing like a village crowd upon a stage.  Already Chicago has more than 4,000, and we are soon to have canals and railroads, thanks to Douglas more than to any other man in Illinois.  ‘The Great Northern Cross,’ a railroad, is soon to be built starting at Meredosia on the Illinois River and running to Jacksonville.

“As to my own affairs, dear grandmama, I have nothing to wish for in the way of material progress.  Upon my return from New Orleans, whither I went in order to think down an unfortunate love affair, I found that Zoe had run away.  I do not know where she is, and cannot learn by any means at my present command.  Though, if Douglas is nominated for Congress, I mean to go about with him through the state.  That will give me opportunity to search for her, particularly if we go to Chicago.  Do write when you can, as letters are especially welcome to me from you here in this somewhat lonely life.”