Washington sentinel., 1856-03-25

STEPHEN A. DOuGLAs.


The revolution in public opinion which has,
within the last year, taken place in Illinois,
must be conceded 10 be due to the noble stand
taken and maintained, against fearful odds, by
the distinguished political Cheifain whose
name heads this article, who with the gallant
| Richardson and their Democratic comrades
breasted the current of fanaticism, and turned
back its destroying waves.
The distinguished position which Mr.. Doug
las had occupied on the Committee on Terri.
tories which introduced the KansasN ebraska
bill, and in the debates which followed its in
PRODUCTION, had made him obnoxious to all
grades and classes Of the different isms with
which the non-slaveholding States are unfortu-
nately infested.
To these, aid and comfort were given by
journals, protesting to be Southern in feeling
and principle" which declared the repeal of
the SO called Missouri Compromise 10 be
" breach of faith to the North,n and predicted
that consequences the most disastrous would
result from such repeal.
Such a prediction coming from Southern
quarter, or quarter supposed to be Southern
in principle and feeling, was, in effect, step
taken towards the fulfilment of the prediction
The cry Of breach of faith to the North"
set foot by journals protesting Southern
sentiments was seized upon by the opponents
Of constitutional State Rights throughout the
North, and as tanaticism grew wilder, the cry
of TREASON to the North" took its place
Among the mildest of the epithets bestowed
upon Judge Douglas in Chicago, by the organs
of the different factions which compose the
opposition TO the Democracy was "THE TRAI-
TOR DOUGLAS"
ln stareing capitals his arrival at, or depar-
ture from the hotels, would be thus announced.
Rarely has it fallen to the lot of any public
man to be subjected to such gross and vulgar
vtuperatioh as has been Judge Douglas, and
rarely have that moral courage that reliance
upon the power Of truth, and that confidence
in the masses which are the indispensable
characteristics Of a Republican party leader
been so successfully ilustruted as in the late
Democratic victory in Chicago.
l
The city OF Chicago is the point where the
many headed opposition to the Democracy had
established its headquarters There Abolition
ism, counterfeit Democracy, Tor John Went
worthism,) and Know nothingism had COM
bned, and sent forth the one roar of anti
| Nebraska. All Of these combined have been
defeated by the Democracy in Chicago.
The Times by the following quotations from
the opposition journals, shows the true charac.
ter of the issue involved in the late election in
Chicago:
Democrat-'A A vote for Dyer is a vote for
| Douglas for President
Journal-'We coincide with COL Went
worth.
Press To elect Dyer is to endorse Doug.
las
| Tribune Elect Dyer, and the Nebraskals
will hail it all over the country as a vindication
by Chicago of their principles
Citizen Sherman is all right upon the
Douglas question:
"Zetung-'Dyeri is Douglass tool; elect him,
and you endorse the Kansas BILL
Mr.. Sherman's sole issue! 'NEBRAsKA
BILLl'n
4
Democracy uses this language:
We had to contend against everything
that was base and villainous. Banks were
opened, and money poured like water through
the hands of bribing men into the willing
palms of unprincipled voters. The Know
nothing organ and the German newspaper
| united hands to defeat the Democracy. The
name of Douglas was on the lips of every
ribald ruffian, and men wearing the cloth Of
| clergymen joined their voices eth the men
who named Douglas with the epithets of rillain,
rrDlian, STAKEHOLDER and MURDERER"
1t is mortifyirg to reflect that there are men
SO reckless and so lost to all sense of propriety
in the application Of undeserved epithets as are
the factions which oppose the Democracy in
Illinois. 1t gives us no pleasure to record such
violations Of decorum and Of decency.
To point moral, however, it is necessary to
state the fact
Judge Douglas, shows the character and extent
Of the efforts which have been made to de-
feat him in Illinois. His defeat, or that of the
Democracy in Illinois, would be hailed with de-
Il iEhh ~ NhS uOu1 VI hbOIltlOHlslS anu
Know-nothings in the non. .saveholding States.
He il called by them " the Father Of the Ne
braska iniquity."
Fairly, openly, without display OF false colors,
Judge Douglas met the enemy and routed
them in their strong hold.
Chicago is Democratic, and Illinois may be
safely counted for the Democracy in the Presi
dental contest by the usual majority, if a
proper standard-bearer be selected at Cincin.
natl.
/ What a sad contrast is there between New
| York and Illinois. In the former, by Execu-
tive interference, Dickinson was overpowered.
The custom.house as a milestone tied about
his neck, and the Buffalo platform bound to
the Democracy. The principles upon which
Franklin Pierce came into power we're praeti-
cally repudiated in New York, and disaster
and defeat naturally resulted.
The hold which the Democratic party has
upon the hearts of tho ,,ao,lA L.. L... -.