New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-02-02
DOUGLAS AND HIS SPEECH

Correspondence Of The n Y Tribune
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, Jan 81, 1851.
Senator Douglas of Illinois in the course of his Wit
operative speech of Monday, fully defined his position
on the negro question, be very elegantly phrases
it. lie is not only in favor of admitting Slavery into all
of the Territories of the United States from the Next
can to the British boundaries of Republic but he
boldly declares that he see no reason OF proprey
in restricting institutions by arbitrary lines of demar
cation This remark of applies as well TO States
as to territories and naturally led to infer that
be is in favor of admitting Slavery into the State which
he represents in the Senate. 1t is only arbitrary
line which separates Illinois from Kentucky and there
is nothing in the soil or climate of the former which
inerpOses obstacle TO the introduction of Slavery
Mr.. Douglas is himself large stakeholder and al
though he doubtless finds bis "negroes" more
profitable on his plantation in Mississippi than
thew would be in the vicinity of Chicago,
still lie is man OF wealth and his southern
aspirations would naturally lead him to adopt the lux
uIious habits of the Southern aristocracy whe make
a point of honor TO surround themselves with half
dozen or more idle domestic servants. to fan them
"vhen they sleep, and treuble when they wake
There was a time when to be Mississippi STAKEHOLDER
was regarded as Sufficient evidence of soundness
in Northern man with Southern feelings bat this
is progressive age and the SOgtbrons In their e1ac
tons of their Northern allies are progressive
people. Several Northern men, in order to secure
southern support for the Presidency have bowed very
low and made very strong dissertations OF their deyo
ton TO Southern rights but none have yet gone tar
enoueh-not one Of them las yet been rewarded with
the prize for which they sacrificed all the moral and
political principles in which they were educated One
after another We have seen them set aside by the un-
grateful South, with the Indifference and contempt
with which Turkish satrap would turn from faded
or superannuated beauty. We earn Senator Douglas
therefore that the South cannot fully trust him until
he either abandons the Free Soil state IL which be lives
or, what would be better, break, down the artificial
barrier which excludes the peculiar institution from
its fertile soil
The coarse assault of Douglas upon Chase, Sumner
Giddnes. Smith and others who signed the address
which SO much excited bis ire is easily explained All
of those gentlemen are known "a be opposed to dueng
some Of them are members of the Peace Society and
they each of them represent constituencies VINO hoa
the practice of redressng personal grievances by an
appeal to arms as barbarous and criminal. Ii was
therefore with perfect safety that he could assal with
personalities men entertaining such views But the
address had been signed by one such uan as Cassils
NJ CLAY Mr.. Douglas is not the man to have apphed
coarse epthets to its authors Ia all his Con Eesson
al career lie has never been known to apply such terms
to Southern opponent very remarkable iact which
can ouly be explained the above theory
Mr.. Douglas advocates the repeal of the Missouri
restriction on tie broad ground that Slavery is as good
az Free9ou-that wrong is as good Us right, and that
nv neorl. have as much right establish the one In
sttutiop "a the other Cen Cas- tried the virtues OF
tlis doctrine in ls4s and found it did not work we'll
II did uotpay The friends Of Slavery were not salts
fed with the simple admission that Slavery Is as good
as Freedom-tbey contend that il is better-that II Is
tie natural and heavenly appointed order oil society
and msrect Of uusoundness all who fall short OF this
background Nj Calhoun and all the ultra pro-slayery
mart, in ls43 fpurned the Nicholson Letter, as Free
Soil in dscuise-as IN attempt 10 institute system oil
=. squatter Sovereignty" which would efectuaAy e1
clude Slavery They denied the right OF the first
fifty or hundred thousand men who happen TO squat
on the public lsnds to make State Constitution ex
Gliding Slavery from the territory. They demanded
some stronger guaranty than that Of merely making
Slavery equal in rights and privileges to freedom
Senator Dogglas may therefore make little Southern
popularity on the present occasion, but he viii fail to
secure that thorough and confidence which are es
sentia in Presidential candidate.
But Mr. Dougas ia not the only man who has acquired
areputat on for chvalry in the same cheap way-at
the EXPENSE of Ouskers and Peace yleu Its the usual