The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-02-24
Ottama fire. Traotr
OTTAWA, FEBRUARY "A. 1855.


Our neighbor ofthc Republican is such an
acute and memorable critic, that we always
write In fear and trembling, lest some incon-
sstcncy or flaw in our uhpretenaing lucu-
brations should be detected and held up to
the gaze of his delighted and astonishcd
readers. Thus with his usual acumen, by
placing disconnected sentences from differ.
cnt articles side by side, he has discovered
surprising inconsistency in our articles in
reference to the Senatorial election. In one
breath we arc made to threaten all sorts Df
vengeance on all democrats who failed to
vote for Shields. and in another to command
Judge Irumbull as "a good enough Demo
crat for us" So, to relieve the minds of his
readers from the distressing perplexity they
are doubtless placed in with rcfc4 ence to our
true position, it devolves upon us to clear
up the doubts so ingeniously raised.
We used the expression in reference to
Judge Trumbul with some important qualiii
cations, which, ifnot expressed, were certain
/ ly clearly implied from the tenor OF our ar.
| ticlc--and these amounted to full exception
of his anti Nebraska obliqutics aud the cir
cumstances Of his election as Senator. The
| course Of Judge Tr,imbull last summer, in
joining the enemy in the hue and cry against
Judge Douglas from confessedly no other
motives than Of personal hostility; and his
, course in lending himself to the wings and
abol,ioa.sts TO accomplish the defeat Of Gen
Shields, are offences which democrats Ger
tanly can neither overlook nor justify, and
will require many works ofrepentance on his
part before they will be forgiven
Aside from these, Judge T. is "a good
enough Democrat for U.S." As politician
he has always been Of the radical stripe--
generally rather in advance of his party, at
least since, as Judge Ford says, "he set up
for domsgoguc" lie took great pains
before the Legislature adjourned, to assure
the democrats that he was as much with
them on every question as ever he had been
and that they should never have cause to
find fault with his course in the L. ). Sen
| ate. lie also very pointcdly and emphati-
cally denies that he made any promises or
pledges whatever, 70 the wings and aboli-
! tionists in the legislature who voted for
him, or that he is under any sort Of obliga.
ton TO them. We confess we should have
more confidence in these rrotcstations,
which VIC know personally were abuHda ntly
aud freely made, ii the Chicago Tribune, and
kindred papers, did not claim that he made
as emphatic pl.dgcs on the Other side
however, are disposed to deal fairly
aud kindly with Judge Trumbull II he will
act openly and honorably with his party in
the L. s Senate vote his sentiments on the
Nebraska question, If that issue is ever again
! presented, but otherwise stand IN the demo.
I cratic lines and especially leave all abolition.
ism and sectional agitation and strife with
the Summers, Stewards, and Chascs, who
have made it their vocation, the democrats
Of Northern Illinois will have little occasion
to quarrel with him. But az lac and his pc.
culiar friends made Nebraska test against
Gen. Shields, while they exclaimed against
the justice Of making it a test against them
selves, they mus, handle that question very
gngcrly, and otherwise show very clear
record indeed, or our decided opinion Is
10. - LII he treated with as little mercy
rs they found il in their hearts to snow Gen
Shields.