The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-12-23
Mt0oleburp Resistr
WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER %. 1867.
Mr.. Douglas and the Kansas
Question,
M / d d l. j. b u R Y


We have received from Mr. Douglas
his speech in the Senate, 90 that part OF
the message. which relates TO Kansas
and intend TO pub l,b part if not the
whole of it. We regret our inability to
do il this week /, is hut little to say
that it is great eech,-probsbly it is
the greatest effor, Of his life Mr.
Douglas is unYucstonably gres. man
when he is wrong he has shown himself
to be greater, when he is right
We are not disposed tn srsgersts the
difference, which has lately arisen in
the democratic party, much less to hope
that M. Douglas is inolining toward
the republicans, Nor do we Apprehend
that these differences of opinion argue
81 much Of danger to the party as the
spirit manifested in maintaining them
We understand one faction of the party
to affirm that it is not essential tina, the
work Of Constitutional Convention Of
Territory, which it proposed for the
fundamental law Of ths future state,
shall be submitted to the people, but
that it is competent for such Convention
to act with sovereign power. IN the
present instance. the action Of the lie.
compton Convention is sustained on
the ground of expediency, it being per.
fectiy evidcn. that otherwise their work
will be rejected. Our readers need not
to be told that this is entirely opposed
to the spirit Of the popular sovereignty
doctrine, and in this rests the great al
vantage of Mr. Douglas, and those who
act with him. They assert that the a.
doption is a sovereign act, and that all
sovereignty is vested in the people d..
reotly, and that the people of Kansas
had right TO vote,-not only upon the
slavery question, but, upon every qnes
ton involved in the proposed constitu
ton IL is apparent 1t Il glance that
Mr.. Douglas occupies very high vantage
ground and a psrusal OF his speech
showss that he was conscious of his 10.
sition aud knew how to make the most
of it,
The facts us thus stated, do not to our
mind imply an irreparable sehism,
though Mr.. Douglas has declared his
willingness to cut himself loose from the
party, rather than drift any further in
the direction it is now taking. We ven.
ture 10 predict that it will not be nee
esssry. His present position not only
has the merit Of eonsistencylwith his an.
teeedents, but We believe has been taken
with deliberation and with political sa.
gacity, which few men in the country
and perhaps noue beside him in his par,
iy possess that he viii sustain himself
with corresponding ability, and that il
any ara to be read out Of the party IL
will be ihnse who psrsistsnlly oppos.
him. AL
In this late demonstration OF the Sen.
ator from H., we see no evidence a.
some do. particularly his opponents in
that party. of an inclination toward "a.
publiesnism but rather wo believe his
well advised object tn be the 50 walton
OF his own party, and ultimately through
u as his chief end his own elevation.
NO sensible man eau refuse to believe
that Douglas is The leader Of his party
and the only man in il who possesses 10
an eminent degree the qua!ities, which
beft the leader of such u party. Fear.
lsssness, energy, perspicaeity, uuserupa.
lusnsss and ambition, are found 10 him
in rare eombination, and IL is no, az siust
the. probability II his success that be
dares lie take the course be has taken,