Douglas returned to the subject of the Abolitionists apropos of this, because Miss Martineau had made herself much disliked by siding with them.  He began to talk of Horace Greeley who had helped the humbug Whigs into power in 1840 by his publication, The Log Cabin.  It was now merged in the weekly Tribune, in which all sorts of vagaries were exploited:  Fourierism, spiritualism, opposition to divorce and the theater, total abstinence, abolitionism, opposition to the annexation of Texas.  Douglas referred to a certain Robert Owen who had thought out a panacea for poverty, who had founded an ideal community at New Harmony, Indiana, which had proven to be not ideal and had failed.  Then there was a certain James Russell Lowell who was writing abolition poems and articles for the Pennsylvania Freeman and for the Anti-Slavery Standard.  Douglas classed all these agitators and dreamers together in his usual satirical way.  The ponderable move of national interests would crush their squeaks.  Here he made one of the most humorous classifications, separating Democrats and nation builders from the ragged and motley hordes of Fourierists, Spiritualists, Abolitionists, loco-focoes, barn-burners, anti-Masonics, Know-nothings, and Whigs.  He was inclined to think that the infidel belonged with these hybrid breeds.  Though he did not speak of God and had never joined any church, something of a matter-of-fact Deism was subsumed in his practical attitude.  The Democratic party stood alone against these disorderly elements.  Nationalism and the rule of the people were his lodestars.  He was the son of Jackson in the principle of no disunion, and he was the son of Jefferson in the principle of popular sovereignty.

The talk turned to Mr. Polk.  As he was a resident of Nashville, Mrs. Clayton, on that ground as well as for political agreement, was heartily devoted to him.  These two talked of Mr. Polk’s record as a Congressman from Tennessee and later as Governor of the state.  “Well,” said Douglas, “he is sound on the bank, he is against the tariff, he is in favor of annexing Texas and settling the matter of Oregon.  As usual the Whigs are vacillating, because their leader, Mr. Clay, is himself vacillating.”

What had all this to do with Dorothy and me?  We had happier things of which to think.  We could commune with each other undisturbed while Douglas and Mrs. Clayton settled Texas and Oregon.

The meal was over and Douglas arose to depart.  As I intended to marry Dorothy before leaving Nashville, if she would consent to do so, I was wondering what I should do about not returning to Chicago with Douglas.  Accordingly I asked him if I could see him the next morning.  He fixed the hour at ten o’clock, saying that a boat left for St. Louis at noon.  With plans thus vaguely left, so far as they affected both of us, he departed.  Mrs. Clayton said:  “Reverdy has told me so much of Douglas.  Now I have seen him, and he is all and more than I was led to believe.”