The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-12-23
UNMAsKED pEsPoTIsM.

rapid strides under the form of Democracy, and
in its name. The win Of the people, hitherto
gathered from the voice oftheir Representatives,
II is now assumed, comes fresh from the lipsof
a Precedent! The President speaks, and ms
words are the aggregate expression OF popular
sovereignty, and woe betide the honest wretch
who does utter a sentiment or q thought adj
verse to the Democratic doctrine which the
President thus promulgates! a Hat
4 Without pretending to controvert the justice,
and propriety Of recognizing the dicta Of the
President, as the true orthodox guide of all
modern Democrats we may be allowed to ques-
ton the lawfulness, or at least the equity Of
that rule, which requires that each and every
devotee to the faith Of modern Democracy, as,
thus expounded, should know, from day TO-
day, and from hour to hour, precisely what
views the promulgator Of Democratic doctrine
may entertain on all the complicated questions
which constitute the platform Of this great Dem
ocratic party. Ought not the President to
announce, at least once week, the true faith,
and if he fail to do it, ought not his subjects to
be pardoned If in sustaining the faith Of yester-
day, they denouncs tho faith Of to-day, in ad-.
vance ?asat
To Illustrate our enquiry, we cite 4 case
"A few weeks siace, the President, 70 lowing
the tenor of the Kansas Nebraska act Of 1874,
and the Cincinnati platform Of 1866, intrusted
Governor Walker, then going to Kansas, to see
that, when the proposed constitution to be
made for Kansas should be submitted to the
people for their adoption or rejection, q fair
opportunity should be given to all the bona
fide inhabitants Of that Territory" to vote upon
the same. Governor Walker, following his in
structions, promised that the opportunity to
vote freely upon the constitution should be
given them. .. 5
u In accordance with this, then Democratic
doctrine, the various candidates for the conven-
ton repeated these promises to the people
The Washington Union, as the great mouth
piece Of the lao giDer Of the Democratic party,
uttered praises in favor of this creed and all
the little fry Of mouth pieces said " Amen!"
Well, under this state Of facts, Governor Wise,
Of Virginia, who did not desire Senator Hun
ter's place, but only felt anrious that Senator
Hunter should "plum the track, " and not de-
viate from the Democratic faith, announced, as
the right hand man of the President that it
aoould be a palpa6ls fraud not to submit the
constitution Of Kansas in its entirety to the
resident inhabitants" of Kansas!
Now comes the question. Governor Wise
5;d not Ipo,xy x,,hay, ho do fb;c hold and ~
that time, orthodox declaration, that the Pres
ident had changed his mind but he had
changed it, though Governor Wise was igno-
rant of the fact-dnd nop Is Governor Wise a
Democrat? In deciding this point, various
matters are to be considered. 1st Governor
Wise has "no recantations to make" That
is understood. ID. Governor Wise lives one
hundred and twenty five miles from the Presi-
dent and was not bound to know, on the in
.stant, that the President had altered the faith
of the Democratic party.
But other cases might be cited That OF
Senator Douglas may be referred to. His is
even harder cure than that Of Governor Wise,
for the latter might have inferred, from his oon
experience, that parties and politicians do fire.
quently change their faith, whereas Judge
Douglas has been uniform and consistent adj
vocate of pretty much the same series Of meas
ures, and has controlled rather than followed
political events. Douglas honestly (snd if you
pleased obstinately) adhered to the principles
of the Kansas Nebraska act, which he errone-
ously supposed would undergo no change, al
least for four or five years. 1t was reasonableto
suppose they would last one term
Entertaining these views, he honestly and
openly avowed them at all times and places
down to the meeting of Congress-when, be.
holdl he finds that the President has suddenly
spturned and overthrown the main articles Of
the Democratic faith, and issued new polit
ical manuel forthe guidance Of the faithful
And now fokootb-.sAat9 Why, Senate,
Douglas is no Democrat And Governor Walk
err is no Democrat And nobody is a Demo
crat who dares to 6ea freeman, and vho re-
fuses to surrender conscience and eonsistenes
at the bidding of a tyrant PresidentU
We are not the political partizan Of Judg,
> Douglas. We do not agree with him in bis
notions of "alien suffrage" or Of "squatte'
sovereignty" But we admire the honest sturdy
! unbending Independence which he has mani
tested on the questions growing out of the LIE
compton Constitution. He is one Of the few
men Of the times who dares be consistent a
the hazard Of being ostracised. Heroes and
statesmen are made Of just such stgf. On.
sscA man as Stephen A. Douglas, is worth
more to the cause Of constitutional liberty, thar
ali the hirelings who suck their principles from
the Treasury!
One word as to the policy indicated in Tho
idea Of the President to take the Lecomptor
constitution, in order 10 setts the agitation %
slsoeryi Itis miserable and contemptol'
pretext The, only way to put an end to thi'
agitation is, TO permit the people Of Kdnsa
fairly and Independently, TO frame and sdop
their own constitution. To force upon then
the Lecompton Constitution, is to keep up tn
agitation, by inducing . civil war. And tha
is precisely what the agitators, North an