The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-12-31

H- 1t may appear somewhat strange to
the uninitiated that Judge Douglas, from lin
nois, should so strenuously oppose the action
of the Kansas Convention in leaving only the
question of slavery to be decided by the
people, and even that in such a manner that
they cannot exclude slavery from the State,
and that the two Senators from Indiana, an
adjoining State, should as strenuously sustain
that action and stand by Mr.. Buchanan and
the administration.
In looking for the motives which actuate
ambitious politicians, he who should take it
for granted that they are governed solely by
the reasons which they ayow for their action,
10 their public speeches, would greatly deceive
himself Public men, and especially those
who have Interior objects to accomplish, and
are looking to the attainment Of higher sta
tions, have private as well as public reasons
for what they do. We do not pretend to q
sagacity sufficiently keen to detect the secret
causes moving these Senators; but let US sup
pose that Judge Douglas should have per-
ceived that the people Of Illinois had imbibed
some free-soilish notions that the public mind
of that State had become impressed with the
idea that strenuous efforts had been made to
establish slavery in Kansas that the Consti-
tutional Convention had been willing instru-
ment in the hauds Of those who were thus en-
deavoring to make slavery one Of the domestic
institutions Of that State, against the known
wishes Of large majority of "the actual in
habitants thereof" and suppose also, that the
people Of Illinois looked upon the action of the
late Convention as fraudulent and yiolatiye Of
the organic law of Kansas; and suppose fur
ther, that Mr.. Douglas term in the Senate was
drawing to close, and he was DESTROYS of
being reelected to that distinguished station,
would he not very naturally be anxious to
pursue course in accordance with the public
sentiment Of the people Of his State, if he
could do 50 consistently with his own views of
public duty? We should conclude that he
would; and we see nothing very strange there
fore, in his taking the attitude he has assumed;
any other, under the circumstances, would un-
doubtedly have made shipwreck of his political
prospects, and thrown him up, high and dry,
upon the sands Of Cape Disappointment.
So much for Judge Douglas course. Now
let MS suppose that certain prominent mem
Der Of the Cabinet, from the South, should be
an aspirant for the Presidential nomination in
1860; of course the Vice President would be
taken from one Of the free States, in case the
said aspirant from the South should obtain the
nomination; and if that aspirant were from q
Southeastern State, it would be quite proper
to select the individual to run on the ticket
with him from the Northwest; and who more
likely to be selected than the senior Senator
from Indiana, especially as he is friend, per-
sonal and political, Of the member Of the
Cabinet referred tor
If then, the possibility or probability Of the
happening Of such an event as the nomination
of the two gentlemen named, should have en-.
tered the mind of either or both Of them, il
would be quite natural that they should desire
now to harmonic with each other in their po
litical views and action; and it would not ex
cite very great establishment that looking al
the Kansas embroglio through the same spec
tacles of expectation, they should both see thu
action of the late Convention in the same
light
That the people both of Indiana and Illinois
take the same view of the Kansas fraud, W,
cannot for moment doubt The election 0
the two Senators from the former State tool
place but lately, and is contested-if thei
seats were now within the gift or refusal of tn,
people, we cannot but think they would fint
that the line of their duty led them in very
different direction from that which they ar,
now travelling But we are to remember tina
it is the Senate that has to decide upon the lie
gality Of that election, and that a majority 0
that body adhere to the administration insteat
of coinciding with Judge Douglas Thus W,
perceive that there are surface-currents ant
deep sea currents in politics; and we know
that ambitious men are often more inhuence'
by currents and reasons unseen than by thos
that are upon the surface and apparent to all
In plain English--it is whispered that Mr.
Cobb, Of Georgia, is candidate for the Presi
Dental chair, and that the friends Of Senate
Bright favor his aspirations with the under
standing that the latter is to be placed on tn
ticket with him for the Vice Presidency. Thi
is said TO be one of the causes why Mr.. Brigb
and his colleague, Mr.. Fitch, sustain the ad
ministration in its course upon the Kansa
question. Another reason given is, that it
in the power Of the administration Senators
declare their election illegal and void, and thei
seats vacant; in which event il is not no'
probable they could be reelected. Their onl
chance, therefore, Of remaining in the Senai
is, to sustain the administration.
DEATH or "MIss CourTs. Englis
lady whose prosecutions Of Mario attracted |
much attention in Paris last yesr--whose be
at the Italiens was made with sliding pan
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