Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-11-20


Judgment, is pretty near up to the proper mark.
It accords the Senator full credit for just about
what he is, viz: Gan active, adroit, and intrep-
id party politician: but neither shining states
man nor truthful man."
Every one we think, who has watched tn
course of the Illinois Senator with ordinary at
tention, will concede the business of this follow
ing paragraph:
With respect to the value of slavery as pc.
litical element, AR. Douglas never held sound
doctrine, In his practice, he has always mani
tested his willingness to go as far with the South
| in giving political andparty aid to the spread of
slavery, as prudence would permit. His election
to the Senate for another term is a condition
precedent to his ability torender further service
of the same kind; and the South, in the person
of alate implacable fre-eater, now sobered down
Unto judiclous and venerable father confessor,
generously pronounces full absolution for all
those offenses which he was forced to commit
in order to render his calling and election sure
Concerning the man himself, the Commercial
remarks that
His strongest motive is personal ambition, and
that not of the highest kind-ambition, not for
greatness, but for power; not for usefulness, but
for Office. He wants to be President of the
United States and wants the influence, the wor-
ship that will accompany it; and this end, ire
spective of the moral quality of the means
which he employs, he is received to pursue and
secure.
As to whether the bent of the election in
Illinois has given Mr.. Douglas passport to
nomination for the White House, the CONNER
eial considers by no means certainty.
That he has increased his fame as working
politician thereby, is probable; but the question
may be reasonably asked, whether such increase
has rendered him more or less fit, in the ewes
of the people, for the Office of President; and
/ there are, to say the least, as many reasons in
favor of the latter opinion, as of the former
The popular idea of the Presidential man is
real greatness, not adventitious notoriety; and
in the place where the one is found, they are not
very likely to look for the other.
What importance, then, onghtt to attach to the
Senator's reelection Of he should be elected,
as we suppose he willy? To what does it
amountP
We take it, that it is simply re election to
the Senate of the United States, and nothing
more.
And why it amounts to nothing more is ac-
counted for thus:
That was, perhaps, due to him from consider
atoms of a temporary character, rs between
himself and the administration. His recent
course had been in the right direction, and had
drawn upon him the enmity of the government
and his success is the popular judgment upon
that direction of things. But when he is looked
upon in the light of a candidate for the Presi-
dency, new elements come into the calculation
In that aspect of the case, we find ameng men
a constant inclination to remember that of the
recent troubles, Mr. Douglas was the author
and that designedly-with view thereby to
make himself, at some time, the Presidential
candidate of the slavery-extensionists. The
defeats and disasters which have overtaken the
/ cir cir
unfortunate measure, are all chargeable, and
are being charged upon him; so that the prestige
which he has secured by his triumph-if tri-
umph 1T be-in Illinois, is more than counter
balanced by the losses which the party has in
Icurred, IN consequence of his acts, throughout
all the larger States of the North. He could
readily be forgiven for reading lesson to Mr..
| Buchanan; but to reduce the Democratic party
to minority in Congress is an offense for which
labsolution will not so readily be pronounced.
The feeling with great many of the leaders
and intelligent men of the party in the northern
section of the Union is, that they have had
enough of Mr.. Douglas-that his ambition has
been too grasping and unscrupulous-that his
leadership has been unfortunate-that he has
forced the party to the acceptance of doctrines
and the adoption of measures abhorrent to the
popular sense of right-tht he has misled and
sacrificed many better men than himself; and
that he has been permitted to rise as high as is
advisable.
His prospects before the Charleston conven-
tan are condensed thus:
Close observation will discover that all the aid
which he has rendered to the extensionist party
has been in appearance only; while, in fact, his
measures have served to render them odious in
the sight of nearly the whole American people
His claim, therefore, to the gratitude of either
section of the Union is not of any startling va
lidity.
And finally, suppose he should get the nomi-
nation,
1t would be a thing to be regretted for the
people of the United States to be required at the
next presidential election to choose between Mr..
Seward and Mr.. Douglas; andRit is to lie hoped
that circumstances willinterpose to prevent such
an unwelcome alternative. And there is room
for such circumstances to arise. The election
is yeta good way off, and, for such as they,
these gentlemen are out rather prematurely.-
There is room for many killing frost between
now and the fall of 1860.
TuE St. Anthony (Aiin.) Republican gives an
account ola terrific" explosion at a steam saw
mill near that place, about week ago Itsays,
tive best illustrate the force of the explosion
by saying that ono of the boilers, thirty feet in
length, nearly three feet IN diameter, and weigh
L.