The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-12-14

SENATOR DoUGLAs.-The speech of Mr..
Douglass upon.the Kansas Lccompton, Con-
stitution, is said by the Washington cores
pondents ofthe New York, papers, to have
been very able and effective; it is admitted
to have been his greatest speech. at is ad-
mired by all sides for its compact force and
plain, solid strength. lie disSected and ey-
posed with mastery skill the manifold alb
surdities Of the Lecempton plants ineon-
sisteney with reason, and with right, with
justice, honor or fairness, with the profess
sions of the Democratic party, and with the
principles of popular sovereignty, all of
which demanded unequivocally that the
whole Constitution should be submitted in
good faith to the people of Kansas.
although his language was corteous, the
manner OF Senator Douglas was bold, haugh-
ty defiant-the manner Of man who had
deliberately assumed perilous position, ard
had made up his mind to brave the conse
quences. His closing declaration given with
great energy, that if the Administration and
the Democratic party persisted in the course
| they were now pursuing upon the Kansas
question, he should be compelled, by every
consideration OF honor, good faith and con-
sistency, to separate himself from them, was
greeted with round of applause by the
crowded galleries"
Mr.. Bigler's reply is represented to have
been lame, laundering and impotent. Iii.
defeat was so signal as to excite the commits
seration Of the audience. The contest be.
tween them was almost painful to behold
1t was the spectacle of a weak man strug
Cling unavailingly in the grasp OF a strong
man.
"In the course Of the debate Mr.. Bigler al
ludcd to a private conference CT Democrats
Senators year or two ago at the house O
Mr.. Douglas, at which it was determined b,
them, that for certain considerations tn
Kansas Constitution, when framed, shoul
not be submitted to the Popular vote. ii
insinuated ratcr than charged, that the Sena
tor from Illinois, influenced by the aforesai
: certain considerations" had assented to tn
agreement that the Constitution should NO
be submitted to the people.
"Mr. Douglas haughtlly and peremp.oril
deried il. Mr.. Bigler hesitated. At thi
moment, Mr.. Hale OF New Hampshire, rose
and in his blandest and most insinuatIn
manner, addressed the Pennsylvania Senator
remarking that he did not wish to interior
in the discussion, but, as an attentive an
jisinterested auditor, he would ask the Sen
ator to explain a phrase he had used, til
meaning of which did not seem to be quit
clear" f-l
) Mr.. Bigler innocently protested his readi
ness to afford any explanation in his power.
Il wish to know" said Mr.. Hale, "merel
for the sake of information, OF course, wha
was the exact nature of those consideration
to which the Senator so delicately and mys
teriously refers as influencing the Democrat
ic Senators in the matter of submitting til
Constitution ofKansas to the popular voter
|, In spite of the grave mood into which the,
had been thrown by Mr.. Douglass speech
even the Democratic Senators could not re
frain from laughing at the embarrassment
into which this question threw MIR. Biglcr.
After some hesitation he recovered pres
ence of mind, and faulteringly answered, ii
was the peculiar circumstances of the con
dition OF Kansas" Mr.. Hale, in mercy Z
the discomftted DICTATOR, did not press tn
matter further.