The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1854-06-17
For the Evansville Journal
A. H. SANDERS, ESQ.,:

A. H. SANDERS, ESQ.,:
A few days since friend Of mine handeo
me a speech of Douglas, in the Senate, May
9Th, 1854, purporting to be "a vindicatlon cf
his character and OF his position on the Me-
braska bill," with apparent enthusiasm touch
ing its merits. + could not avoid feeling
great regret, that men possessing christian
ity, and who make choice Of the free States
as their residence, could advocate such prirf-
ciples. After having read and re-read the
speech above alluded to with great care,
confess | cannot find single instance where
he has INDICATED the principles Of the Ne
braska bill or Of himself in introducing it.
find it merely attempting to vindicate the
correctness Of his correspondence with some
of his constituents, and a war against GER
tain Ministers of the Gospel, for their oppo-
siton TO slavery and its advocates; and also
for their using the pulpit" as q place from
which TO abuse hin for the course he had
taken. We must bear in mind that their
Divine Master used any place as pulpit that
best answered his purpose of giving insiruc-
tion--the "wilderness," the "ship," the
"mount," and even the Jewish Synagogue.
He (Douglss) complains that they used the
" ords "raitors,'' "!iars," covenant break
ers." He should more Justly complain Of his
own heart that allowed him to act so TO de-
serve those eplthets. Why did their Divine
Master pronounce too. upon the hypocrilical
Scribes and Pharisees!-saying, 'Wo unto
you Scri5es and Pharsees, hypocrits! for We
are like unto whited sepulchres, which in
deed appear beautiful outward, but are within
/ full of dead mems bones. and of all unclca n
ness" And again-"Ye serpents, We gene
ration of vipers, how can we escape the
damnation of hell!" And in another place
we are informed "that he made a scourge of
small cords and drove them out of the tenn
ple." Drove Who'll Why, the money changers,
and those that sold doves; men Who were not
guilty Of one hundredih part the crime, as a
man who advocates the extension of slavery
We are told that the principles Of the Ne
braska bill grow out of the principles of the
compromise; certainly not SO as to effect
past covenants.
Douglas and his associates may possibly
have talent. but we frequently find that "the
more knowledge the more knavery." So
vas there talent displayed in the snen-i-- =
Critic nden, of Marshall aud Of w oife' IN me
| Ward case. b,, this was in the men not IN
the cause. A nd what was the matter OF fact
when they had finished their sophistry, when
the Court had .nnceu Its Partially, aud the
: :"e oo Cleared the criminaI-the very
same as when they commenced. The iomen-
led Mr.. Butler was a murdered man and
MATT. +. WARD THE MURDERER. Aud so
in the case of Douglas and the Nebraska
bill; the extension of slavery is still depreca-
ted as paramount evil, even more than be-
fore that bill was introduced, and the viola.
ton Of solemn treaties and covenants still
remains delestabls.
There is principle too, Cor rather want
OF principle) connected with the Nebraska
bill that is overlooked, especially by its
founders and supporters. The fugitive slave
law was considered part of, and dependent
on, the compro mise. IT was introduced by
the ingenuity of Webster to satisfy the South,
in lieu of the compromise (proper) to satisfy
the North, but they were both inseparabiy
considered as general compromise between
the North an / South. At the time of the
agitation amongst abolitionists against the
fugitive slave law, and also anon gst the dis
unionists against the compromise, some OF
the Southern States acted honorably. Ten
nessee in particular, in the speeches of some
OF its politicians, (the Hon. Andrew Ewing,
amongst the rest), pledged then selves to
maintain the COR promise, but that the North
|
North not having disturbed the fugitive slave
law, but having maintained it even by force
OF arms, may they not now justly reply, "we
Will still maintain the fugitive slave law, but
the compromises OF 1920 and 80 MUST NOT
BE DISTURBED" Most singular it is that the
fugitive slave law is still continued as an i'm
portant clause in the Nebraska bill. Blu,
thIsls not reciprocity of action nor inter
est. Cut loose the ties that make the one
binding, and you sever both. Where then,
would ask, would be their Nebraska bill, or
the legal tenure of slavery.
As well might they eDdeavor to grasp in
their arms and restran the overlooking flood,
as to restrain the influence of such proceed.
ings upon those "sons of servitude and toll
That such an issue may be averted, NAV
God of his infinite wisdom and goodness
grant. E..
CENTRE TOWNSHIP, June IL, 1854.