Plymouth weekly banner. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1856, 1856-09-04

true elements of greatness. but an abun-
dance of cunning, sometimes succeed by
we'll timed dexterity in placing them
selves IN a position ostensibly elevated
aud famous. The temple Of Fame has
good many Of these rocks roosting up
on IFS lofty pinnacles. Among them is
Stephen A. Douglas. Like Erostratus,
who burned the temple Of Ephesus in
order that his name might find place in
history, so the little lllinoisan has Sc.
cured a page in the annals Of the Ameri-
can Republic, and his name and career
are destined to be interviewer, as one
Of the dark threads, in the tissue of our
history. Beginning life as an adven-
turous lawyer-one Of that class Of La W.
yers whose dispositions naturally incline
them to undertake desperate cases. and
who therefore soon become famous in
the defense of crimina,s-he acquired a
training in the science of trickery which
placed him at the head of that class of
legal gentry. and endowed him with q
talent at artifce, which transferred into
the halls of legislation, has established
for him the indispensable claim OF being
the greatest sophist Of his age. He has
naturally no great intellectual or moral
abilities, such as mark some men as in.
voluntary candidates for honorable STA
tions, whom a discriminating people
draw reluctantly forth and elevate to
merited but unsought honors: but on
the springs OF his own shrewdness he
jumped from obscurity TO the stump. and
from the stump. like spider in the dark,
he has crawled all the way up the pillar
OF fame and is now weaving his web at
the top. Any one at all familiar with
II linois politics. for the last ten years.
need not be informed that the movements
of Douglas during that time have sGor-
ded, perhaps, the most finished and per-
feet specimen of the demagogue art
which modern times can display. Wiry,
watchful. intriguing. he has uniformly
outwitted at their own game oil dishon-
est Office seekers who have opposed him;
while by virtue of his tact in the use
and misuse Of language, and bis unequal
ed skill in special pleading, he has been
able 10 retain many Memorable and cam
did men in his support.
In desperate eme rgencies. where even
many of his misled and corrupted friends
showed signs of a waning interest in his
success; his tactics have never beer at
fault. and in the demon Rum, he has
found always sure and faithful ely
1t is we'll known that in 1852 when he
offered himself to the Legislature Of Ill.
inois. for reelection to the u. S. Senate,
so wearied had many Of his own friends
become of his ever present Services"
that the chances Of his election were re-
garded as very doubtful. Leaving his
post at Washington and hurrying TO the
Illinois capitol, he so effectually tapped
che brandy casks OF Springfield, as to
make that quiet and moral little city for
three days the scene of the loosest Bach.
annalian revelry; and SO thoroughly did
drunkenness do its work in the Capitol
building, that Ii was afterwards found
necessary to remove the carpeting and
furniture, and replenish it with new
He was of course elected, but he was
elected by the steam power OF alcohol.
And the. Kansas Nebraska Bill. with all
lis concomitant evils. may be regarded
as the legitimate and appropriate off,
spring of drunken revel.
A physical constitution capable OF
great endurance; mind ssgacious BY M.
ture and willy by education; an unbend-
ing will; habits of indefatiguble indus
try; an unbounded and depraved ambi-
ton. and an utter disregard FOR truth.
are elements of character, which. when
combined, must constitute a danger
Gus man; one whom it is not safe to
trust with power. We believe we do no
iojus.ice to Mr.. Douglas in attributing TO
him the possession of the above traits
in about as great perfection as has ever
fallen to the lot of any one man. Such
is the personsge who stands forth in the
national legislature as the acknowledged
leader and champion of the slave power.
The elimination Of his career is in per-
feet keeping with every stage Of its pro-
gress. Stephen A. Douglas has been
consistent. He never in his life pro-
fessed to be good man, and he has new
er had the reputation. in this respect. oil
being what he did not profess. let those
who belierc in virtue, Who believe in
public morals. who believe in freedom,
who believe in truth, be as bold and con.
| sistent in the defense of what they be-