Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-08-26
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

yesterday before IL O'Clock, but failed 70 reach
Washington in time for our edition Of that day.
VALrNrIA, ureland,) Aug IS.
] send my warmest cong rafulations on the sue
cess of the Atlantic Telegraph, sad God be
praised. SAMUEL GuRNKY.
CYRus w. FIELD, New York
fMr. Quincy is Chairman of the Atlantic Tele-
graph Company
The CONTEST IN ILLINOIS WAKES fercer mo-
mentarily. The policy of Senator Douglas is
to create in the distant Democratic mind the
impression that, if he is defeated, q Ito the Ma
tional Democracy, moro obnoxious man (Mr.
Lincoln) must be elected in his stead. He
himself insists on the alternative Of Mr. L..
election, and he only. Were he sincerely
anxious for continued Democratic party as
tendency in Illinois, and for that only, he
would prove that anxiety by at once giving way
for some gentleman on whom all those claiming
Identification with the Democracy can cordially
unite, as they cannot unite on him, proclaim
ing, as he does, from every stump he mounts,
that the Democratic majority of Congress and
the Democratic National Administration are
traitors to the cause of free principles. Such
is the position-stripped of all the sophistry
and false pretences with which he essays to con-
ceal it from the true Democracy of Tlinois-he
now occupies. A position in which his success
becomes far more Objectionable and dangerous
to the Democratic party than that of Mr.. Lin
coin, who, if elected, can merely vote against
its measures in issue with the Republican
party, without being able to influence any por-
ton of the Democracy to sympathize with him
as against their own party.
If reelected, Mr.. Douglas will, of course,
carry out his sinister opposition policy of the
last session, wherein he labored far more siren
uously and effectively in behalf of the policy
supported by the Republican party, than either
Mr.. Seward, Mr.. Wilson, or Mr.. Hale, his late
confidential advisers and political associates.
He avows, everywhere, in effect, that he designs
persevering in that policy to the bitter end, if
the Democracy of Illinois give him victory.
Mr.. Lincoln can do no more and, besides, can
not possibly influence any one not an avowed
bitter enemy of the Democracy at this time. If
he beats Lincoln, however, he can, and will, do
infinitely more mischief to the Democratic
party cause than his competitor for the Sena-
torship can possibly do; for be will be a nucleus
around which every sinister and disappointed
ofdee-seeker, nominally Democrat, will rally,
under the pretence that there is more than mere
pretence in his claim to continued Identification
with the Democracy, while he and his revenge
full followers are availing themselves of every
passing opportunity to strike it death blows
The duration of bis present pretence of Democ-
+ acy is simply question of time. He cannot
continue longer in nominal connection with the
party while struggling to defeat its main pur-
Isas.,s, than Martin Van Buren, did while refrain
ing from avowing his opposition, though mani
testify working to compass the overthrow of the
ALI rersember how Indignantly Van Buren,,
Preston hsng, ct al. disavowed the purpose of
breaking with the Democracy at first, and that
many New York Democrats were deceived by
their false pretencss into following them, step
by step, until they found themselves members
Of the Republican party without comprehend
ing precisely how they got into such political
company. Who fails to comprehend that Mr..
Douglas is following precisely in the footsteps
Of Martin Van Buren,? That is to say, is en-
deavoring to build up an opposition to the
Democratic party, while claiming to be better
Democrat than those who sustain his late par
tvs organization and measures.
H.,
stripped him of one of the masks be is in the
habit of DOMINIC in his current canvass of
the pretence that he has always favored the
doctrine Of the absolute Necessity for the refer
ence of organic law back from those commits
stoned by the people to make it, to the people
themselves. That alleged position of his his
current hobby. Lincoln shows from the record
that when Mr.. Toombs sought olsy it down as
d fundamental p rinciple, he was actually de-
teated in his purpose by no other than Mr.
Douglas himself-the truth of which is as noto-
rious to all here familiar with the details of the
course Of Mr.. Douglas upon the Kansas ques-
ton from its inception to this time, as that the
sun will rise tomorrow. Thus Mr. Lincoln
proves that he is at this time merely playing
the demagogue upon the question. Wecare not
whether that fact be made apparent by q Re-
publican or a Democrat, it is most important to
the cause Of truth and justice that the fact
should be knOwn-a general knowledge of that
fact being likely to operate to warn homes
Democrats from sacrificing their connection
with their party in order to sustain him.
The aspersions Of Mr.. Douglas upon Mr..
Wendell and the editors of the Union only
serve to make more glazing the fact of his de-
sertion of the Democratic party and its cause.
Up 70 the moment he turned traitor to the
Democracy, Wendell had been his most de-
voted adherent. He was Wendell's candidate
for the Presidency in 1856, and he labored
strenuously to compass Wendell's election to
be the House printer, when, according to his
recent declaration, w. owed his success to
corrupt bargain with the Republicans. If that
be true, as it is equally true that he was Wen
delrs chief managing man in that contest, it
only goes to prove that kis e1pertness in
making. corrupt bargains with the Republi-
cans, in which he proved himself 50 efficient
last winter, was the result of his previous ex-
perience In the practice; for it is utterly i'm
possible, In view of their relations at the time,
that Wendell could have taken any important
step to secure opposition votes for the public
printing of which Douglas was not cognizant-
which he did not advise, or to which be did not
consent. This is little point in the hitherto