Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-12-24
A Question of Common Honesty.


A Question of Common Honesty.
Admitting the ability and boldness with
which Senator Douglas presents and main
tains his opposition to the Lecompton Kan.
sas Constitution, it still is impossible fol
one to see wherein lies the great credit
awarded that Senator for his position.-
Reducing the question to the simple bust
ness standard adopted between man and
man in everyday life, it is merely a matter
of common honesty; it is merely ques-
ton as TO whether party to con-
tract shall carry out and redeem its prom
ise, or violate its word, snap. his fingers in
the face of his betrayed friend and coolly
tell that friend to "help himself" The
Democratic party, at the National Con
vention at Cincinnati, on every political
stump during the campaign, in the inaugu-
raj of Mr.. Buchanan, in the Presidents in
structions to Gov. Walker and in the pro-
clamation of Walker to the people Of
Kansas, proclaimed and promised that the
people of Kansas should have chance to
vote Yea or Nay, on any constitution to
be formed for that State. That was the
bargain, reduced to plain, common-sense
English, under which Mr.. Buchanan was
elected President, and such were the prom
ises reiterated after that election Now,
the President, his cabinet, and the mass of
his party propose to repudiate that con-
tract, propose TO violate their word of hon.
or as solemnly pledged as ever mans word
of honor was. Senator Douglas says, that
they may do so if they please, but as for
him he will stick to his pledge. That is
all there is of the question and the same
matter of good faith might come up every
hour in the day between business men, and
he who attempted to forfeit his word would
be secuted out of respectable business cir
cles, while the man who stood to his word
would not dream that he was entitled to
any particular credit. ~
But again, should it appear that not on
ly did honor demand a fulfillment of the
agreement, but that self interest dictated
such course, the man then who would
forfeit his word, would not only be pro-
nounced base, but also a fool, Now such
is precisely the position of Mr.. Douglas
By supporting the Lecompton Constitu-
ton he not only forfeits his claim to be-
ing man of honor, but he commits GER
tain political suicide. We have no reason
to question the integrity of Mr.. Douglas
upon the matter; we have no reason to
doubt that if self-interest was out of the
question, he still would prove true to his
pledges, but yet, as honor and selfpreser-
vation both point out one way of political
travel we cannot sing very loud peans to
Mr.. Douglas for having the good sense to
travel that road.
In one point of view, however, we GER
tainly award to Senator Douglas the merit,
at least, of great boldness. Every man
who has been attached to political party,
can appreciate the nerve, yea, the moral
firmness requisite to break away from par
ty ties, and We certainly do him but naked
Justice when we say that his boarding the
lion of the party in his very den at Wash
ington, shows boldness to be admired,
and courage to be commended in these
days of party subservency and slavisness.
Nothing save want of space has prevent
ed US from publishing Mr.. Douglas speech
in full, and we are by no means certain that
it would not be more acceptable to our
readers than any other matter, but we do
not like to fillsour columns with speeches.
Cieueland Herald.