The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-07-05
Stephen A. Douglas-sketohe by a


a correspondent of the Boston Jour.
nal, writing from st. Louis, Missouri,
gives this interesting portrait Of the lit
tie Illinois Senator:
Judge Douglas, the author of the Ne
braska bill, is not to be envied in his
triumph. Fortunately the triumph Of
politicians often places a barren scep.
tire" in their grasp. If the people were
as corrupt and INSCRIPTIONS as he is, the
game he began, with the Presidency for
the stake, might end in his winning that
object of ambitious hopes. But be has
ovcrlcnpt himself. Strangely as the tide
of parties changes, setting at defiance
the calculations Of the shrowdcst, it will
never turn to bear Douglas to the White
House at Washington. lie has been
left high and dry, and rival politicians
and the honest people will be careful to
leave him there.
To those of US who knew Douglas in
former days, when he passed from bis
mechanical pursuits, through a brief in
tcrval of superficial study, into the prac-
tico of law, his present conspicuous posi-
ton and professions to influence are
amazing. | remember him when he was
a little spare man, " %loaiing" about the
square Of ono of the towns of Illinois,
sitting on the dry goods boxes in front Of
the stores, in the Yankee occupation Of
whittling-or seated with an idle circle
before some hotel. His attainmonts then
were of the most limited order arc
though he has gained in ~rotundity of per.
son, there are few who knew him sixteen
years ago, who believe that he is in any
sense entitled to the name of an cnlirht.
onod statesman, or that he even yet has
attained the sphere of a gcntlcman's cdu.
cation. His elevation to tho Senate
must have astoundcd even himself. For
neither in character, in personal dignity,
nor education. was lie fitted for the soci-
city of the American Senate. And by
no Legislature in the land save that ofIo-
cofoco Illinois, would Douglas have been
deemed possessed of the requisite qua.
liiications for the noblcst official rank in
all the world. Ilo is by nature a vulgar
man, and by habit a profanc one and all
his tastes compel him to be an unprinci.
pied demagogue. Such is his reputation
in Jacksonville and Springfield, Illinois,
where his career commenced. and where
| knew him when not even his warmest
friend could. even in the widest dream,
have imagined that he was one day to be
a Representative in Congress, much less
a United States Senator. And since
then he has proved himself without a
conscience. without principle, or Chris
tian morality. l happened to hear his
speech in this city on tho eve of the last
Presidential election, and | only repeat
the words Of a true blue Democrat, who
stood by me when the speech was utter
cd, when | say, it was the speech of "a
low, pot house politician,' unworthy of a
Scnator-without dignity, Or statesman.
like views, or MISUNDERSTANDING in
its appeals to the meanest prejudices of
a Locofoco rabblo, ~slanderous upon the
Wings, and disgusting to every Wing
and Democrat present who had seen
Webster, Calhoun, Clay, Buchanan, Cass.
Or Wright, and who felt with wonder the
contrast presented by Douglas between
himself and them. The Nebraska bill
is his bantling, and odious and corrupt
as it is, it does not dishonor its sire.