Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-11-19
Illinois Electioa-.stephen Arnold
Douglass.


Douglass.
The recent canvass in Illinois has given
ri.s to many specula,ions both before and
since election. The singular position OF
Judge Douglass in that canvass has gwen
his name a peculiar prominence. IL was a
severe CONTEST. hard f.ht Defeat would
have rrc.traied the Little Giant and been
his political death This fact he well nm.
der.iood. hence the p,ricc, desperation with
which 30 Tough, from the beginning to the
end Of the campaign. IL occupied a sin.
rular position. DC entered the field ri,ted
against The Administration upon the L.
compton question. The organ Of the Prof..
dent was down upon him, ard followed
him with IT, opposition step ly step IN tie
ssbt. Notwithstanding this. Douglass pro-
f,ssed a determination TO stick to the old
democratic party and follow is des,inies 70
the end.
l,isuscle.s 20 deny that Douglass had
many sympa,hirsr. in the republican party,
and the result in Illinois was determined by
republican votes. Had the whole repuhli'
can strength gone in Tor Lincoln as !, ought
IN have done. Douglass would have bccn De-
iea,sI. We have thu. FROM the les, Of au'
thoritv. Notwithstanding this. Douglas,
failed Of securing the popular vote OF The
State. 4 majority is against him, and had
IL not been fgr the unjust arportionment Of
the State i would have operated in his over.
throw An uuius, appornonmcn,. repub-
lican yoie-. and majority Of the Democrat
&c Senaiors holding over. - these three
Gauss combined, saved Douglass.
Politicians now are engaged in various
spcculaiions as to the future effect OF this
Douglas, triumph. How will q, operate
upon the democratic party, and how upon
the republican organization in the mex,
Presidential election. MANY suppose il en-.
SURF. the nomination Of Douglas at the
Charleston Convention in lSi0. I, may he
-. but We have serious doubts about il. In
the frs, place il should be horne in mind
that the southern wing Of the pro-sla.
very democracy i controlled by the Gre.
eater.-such men a. EI.Gov. Brown. JET.
ierson Davis. senator Slidell. Rober; Toomb.
AMI Lawrence VI. Keitt. These men and
their frc-eatins associates control the party
in the south. and the south will control the
nomination. 1, may be asked how they can
DO IL, the south beng minority in the ma.
tional convention? We answer. BY the ',so-
thirds rui., which enables the minority 10
control the maprity. I, was the operation
ofihi. rule that defeated Van Buren, in lsIs,
II wa. ir.t adopted and has been worked
into a precedent for the express purpose OF
giving the south the power in national con.
yentious will the fre-eaters nominate
Douca.s2 (for the whole question resolves
itself into ihis These ultra, pro-slavery
politicians ssrrsfly desire dissolution Of
the Union. II j. for this more than any
any other ohcc, that they are laboring ;
hence there is no backing down on their
rart,-no surrendering Of southern ianati-
eism Tor the sake OF policy. This class Of
men from their limos, souls abhor the
Douglass doctrine Of .quatier sovereignty.
They have always denied aud ridieuled IL.
and against IL declared An eternal war.
Now It Douglass gets the Charleston nomi-
nation. be has got to abandon and repudi.
ate this doctrine, and take his position upon
platform expressly denying it. Will
Douglass tread back? Ills honesty never
wall prevent his doing il. neither will fear
OF Inconsistency on his part. As polite
Ian. Judge Douglass Is most ungratefully
interruptions. lie has no conscientious
scruples that will prevent bis doing any
thing which he thinks will advance bis own
personal interests or crafty his iuordinate
ambition. Nothing Of this sor, will prevent
his turning a thousand political sumuersei'
before lS6O. Unless he will consent to g
upon an aHii-squatier sovereignty platform,
he stands no chance at all. There is one
thing tia, may prevent his doing il. As
sagAsiOus politician he may conclude that
an act Of this kind would ruin bis prospect:
in the free States, and end in his defeat be-
fore the people. hut should the hre-eater'
he overpOwered in tia, convention and
Douglass as candidate be mounted upon
hi. favori,e squa,ter sovereignty nag. would
thi, carry him successfully over the course
We believe not. With Douglass or any
other man upon this platform, the hre-ea,
ers will JOh. We have already said tA,,
viii rot yield to policy. They will not d.