The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-22
PARTY ORGANIZATIONS SENATOR
DOUGLAS.
7b hs Editors Of he Union /:

cannot but admire the amty anu WSor Win Wuich
the Union is paalyyng the atrcidal of Stephen A.
Douglas who is using the power given him by the dem
ocratic party to divide and overthrow it, And while
have admired the force of your blows upon the disn-
gushe recrean have been pleased with the discretion
you have shown in separating him from the honest men
whom he had sedueed into cooperation with him
do not how the Union, faithful sentinel and
organ of the democratic party could have treated Sena
tor Douglas with less foearance than 1t has shown him
for what has been his II will not say crime
against his partyf Indulge while take brief re-
view of it, And in the first place. let me promise that,
next to its great principles, the perfect organization OF
the democratic party has been the right Of Its sue
The basis of this organization is the fundamental
principle which government acts the right of the
majority to govern and the duty of the minority toobey
In l successful party organizations is the duty and the
pleasure of all true in the minority to cheeriuy
quiesce in the clearyexpressed viii of the majority 1t
is in this spirit that all Of nominating conventions
held from the district up to the national 1t is on
this principle we act in legislative to nomi-
nate candidates for United States senators &c and IL is
the principle, also, that the of demo
cratic senators and representatives held at Washing
ton to nominate officers of the two houses and determine
their action upon important la all these party
meetings sound principle party fidelity and personal
honor require every member of the minority to acqni-
in the will of the majority And this duty Of ac-
quiescence is honoraby binding in local and ordinary
popular conventions il is douby binding upon the trust
cd representative of the people who his political dis
tinction and success to party favor and usage
Previous to the nomination of General Jackson for
President the democratic candidates for that Office have
been nominated by congressional the majority
of the democratic members binding the whole party to
the support of the nominee. So too, of the leading
measures of every strong democratic administration;
they have most always been agreed upon by the demo-
cratic members of Congress in caucusall true, unsesh
party readily yielding to the will of the majority
When such men Grundy, King, Buchanan, Wright,
Woodbury. Cass Polk, Cobb and their democratic cola
borer i'm Congress- and looked to as leaders
Mentors of the party, they consulted with demo
cratic Presidents and cabinets and caucused with demo-
cratic and representatives in order to determine
by the united cousels of ALL what best to be done
for the country and the party and they all promptly
acquesced and aided in carrying out the will OF the ma
ority 1t this prevailing conservative spirit that
promoted and secured harmony and union in the demo-
cratic party and insured its uniform success In the most
exciting and disorganizng party times
But how different from the noble and correct course OF
those honorcd and everthful party leaders and exem
plars has been that Of Senator Shea A. Douglas! Be-
he disappointed and mortified that Mr.. Bu
chanan bore off the hono of the Democratic National
Convention and dissatisfied with of the federal ap
pontmcnts in his State, which were not made ac-
cordlng to his recommendation neay all the federal
appointments in Illinois made on MIR. Douglass
reoommendaton-+-EDs UNION he went to Washington
at the first session of Congress under Mr. Buchanan adj
ministration Predetermined to assa it, Accordingly
the first day of the session. and to the utter surprise of
all his former political associates he opened the ball of
opposition and led the assault upon the Presidents first
message AS soon the message rcad and without
consulting any party but the republicans he and
denounced it at length and he continued to assa it
and the policy of the administration for months Instead
of meeting in and consulting with the democratic
members of Congress- he met and consulted with the op
position and helped them to carry out their plans to
cmbarass and defeat the administration in its most vital
party He united with the republicans in fac
tious opposition to the original Lecompton BILL and also
to the English Compromise BILL voting upon both bills,
for their motions to ADJOURN and arguing and support
ing their questions of order and Disorder raised to
kill time and stave off important party votes have
a vivid recollection of the painful spectacle Of
ing Senator Douglas brought into the Senate at night,
from sick bcd by arrangement Iof the republican
tors to help them sit out stave off the attempt of the
democratic majority to take the final vote the Kansas
question at that sitting and never shall forget, as he
into the Senate that memorable night looking like
Lucifer fallen, how cordially Wade and Hale and Will
son. and nearly the whole body of republican senator's
met and greeted the apostate, while not single demo
cratic senator approached him gave him sign of
ognton or fellowship; and this convinced me of
the full truth of the telegraphich despatch which had
some time before been sent from Washington to the New
York Tribune viz 'sThe republican held consul
taon last night ,cM Scator Douglas at he's hose ,tch
satisfactory 10 both parties.
1t may here be Observed that although the English
compromise bill adhered to the principle Of popular
eregnty in the people of the Territories contended
for by the administration and the democratic majority
in Congress- STILL 1t was designed to be- aud was in
fact concession to the honest democratic opponents of
the original Senate BILL inasmuch it gave the people
of Kansas opportunity in voting upon the amended
land ordinance altered by Congress- to reject the
stitution il they pleased This compromise bill gave
Senator Douglas in effect all he had professcdy
tended for and 1t understood and received by
the anti Lccompton democrats throughout the country.
But Senator Douglas opposed this conference bill of sub
mission violently he did the Senate bill of admission.
and he continued with the republicans in actous
opposition to ithc, proessed Simon pure democrat,
being unwilling to accept any terms of compromise with
the administration and the democratic majority in Con
gress which would not first meet with the approval and
support of his republican coadutors Senator Douglas
spoke and voted with the blackrepublican opposition
against the English BILL which framed and proposed
by democrats agreed TO unanimously by the demo-
cratic members Of the joint committee of confer
cncc voted for and passed by the democratic majority
in both branches of Congress, approved by the demo
cratic administration and sustained by the united demo-
cratic press and party of the whole country
1t has been alleged, in defence of Senator Douglass
opposition to the administration, that Mr.. Buchanan
undertook to set up nero party test on the Kansas
question: and it is asked what right Mr. Buchanan had
to do this any more than Mr. Douglas had Let see
the force of this suggestion The Cincinnati Convention
which nominated Mr.. Buchanan, adopted certain prin-
cipes rule of action for the democratic party ia its
administration of the government MIR. Buchanan
elected President and in order to act wisely for the
great interests of tho country and the party well
for his own fame, he called around him cabinet
posed of the ablest wises and most prominent of the
democratic statesmen from the various sections of the
Union Upon the administration organized devolved
the duty of carrying into practical effect the principles
adopted at the Cincinnati Conventions At the very hresh
old of his administration Mr. Buchanan that the Kan
question Of admission TO be the most prominent and
exciting party question Of the day The New Haven letter
afforded him the first fit occasion TO lay before tho
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