Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-28
THE oEyAss IN ILLINOIS.

The leaders of tie antagonist parties in Illinois
will no doubt welc ne the arrival Of the day (the
7th of November) which is to decide the present
political contest in flat State. AS the time draws
near the activity o, the disputants is increased
Among the most Distinguished debaters on one side
are Senators SHIELB and DOUGLAS, and on the
other Ex-senator BEEsE, Ex-Representative LIN
COLIN, and Judge TRJMBULL The following para
graph, copied from he Chicago Times of the Goth
instant, will give Thereafter but faint idea of the
fatigues of the canyss:
I" Judge DOUGLAS rturned to Chicago last evening.
He met at the carby committee appointed for that
purpose by the Cook 0unty Convention and escorted TO
his rooms at the Tremnt House He left this city four
weeks and since ten has made twenty speeches
at many diferentplaces and has travelled on his
route more than thusand miles. We regret to say
that his health in consequence Of the great physical ex
ertion he has made, saot good sit He returns
as undaunted in spri and buoyant In hope as man
confident of the rectitde Of his only be.
few days rest will, hope, restore him to his wonted
4 health"
Senator SHIELDS addressed an assemblage of his
constituents at Springfield on the 10th instant. In
the beginning of hi: speech, we learn from the
estate Register" he adverted to the beneficial
effect Of Congressional legislation during the last
few years upon the prosperity of Illinois-of the
immense grants of and she had received for rail
roads, the swamp ands given her, the appropria-
tions made for the improvement of Illinois river &C.
But the Nebraska eaciteu4nt, he said, had now
swallowed up every other, Ind upon this question
he gave his views at length He reminded his au-
ditory that
"There was one great mmentous fact which every
Of common sense shout understand and fully ap-
preciate-that there is moral division of this great
country moral line which separates it into two almost
equal parts On one sdebf this line slavery is inter
woven with the interests bnvctions and prejudices Of
the peoples on the othei the general convictions and
prejudces of the people IRE hostile to slavery The
highest perfection of sttesmanship, the strenuous
efforts Of the wise and gooave been used this
moral division from becong deep incurabe political
division. This the truggle of 1850 The nation
then found itself in possession of immense accession
of territory, won in successful war 1t was gained by
common effort and aemphatically, constitutonally,
and by every human rigk the common property of the
| nation"
He afterwards explained the doctrine of non-inter-
yenton, as recently advanced, and maintained that
the principle was right every where
1T allowed the people he said) to fix their con-
dition, manage their own affairs and work out their
own happiness in their own way gave equal chances
to equal States in the settlement and government Of
common territory. Kansas and Nebraska were free
now, and the people there would keep them Free The
establishment of slavery in these Territories was not
only improbable, but impossible, and it was always
wiser and better to let people work great good for
themselves than have tforced upon them by others
and this was the way in which freemen always do what
is great and good by their free and voluntary act
This principle of Intervention would not only keep
Kansas and Nebraska what they are now-free-but
would by its full and hr operation, if acquire the
Continent to the Istltnus Of Daren work with such
powerful force and effect that no man would
another slave Territory this Continent.
CATER saying much more on this head, Gen. SHIELDS
alluded to the danger of sectiona organizations
arraying section Of the Union in general senti-
ment Of hostility against the other. The Nebraska
Question he said, would soon settle ITSELF as in the
midst of this angry discussion Kansas would present
herself with free constitution and be admitted
free member of the Confederacy''
These views it will be perceived, are presented
with the wonted urbanity and frankness of the dis
tinguished Senator; but, as in all other efforts to
defend the Nebraska act at the North and West it
will be seen that large concessions had to be made
to the anti-slavery sentiment of the people ad-
dressed The South is left to take what consolation
it can from the assurance that not only Kansas and
Nebraska are to be free States, by virtue of the
principle of nintervention" but that the egiti
mate consequence of this policy will be to prevent
any other Slave Territory on this Continent, even
to the Isthmus Of Darien
| .