The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-01
THE ILLINOIS ELECTION AND THE FALSE ISSUE
tW ATTEMPTED TO BE MADE IN IT. ~

that any good democrat of that State should refuse
to vote for members of the Legislature who are In
favor Of Mr.. Douglas Why is it strange Did MIR.
Douglas retire from the last Congress- as he had always
done before, in good connexion with the democratic
party2 On the contrary, had he not fought the
democratic party during the whole session. Had
he not fought it in the Senate and in the House-on
the Lecompton BILL the Montgomery bill and finally
on the English bill? In cvery Of these hardfought
pitched battles did he not draw all the enemies of
derocracy black republicans and know-nothings, to
his standard and heading the combined column, did
he not stand for weeks and months holding democ-
racy defiance, heappg upon it all sorts Of abuse
charging it with outragng all the principles of free
govorament--supportng the fouIest frauds and seek
ing to fasten the vlest swndle ever pcrperatcd
reluctant and helpless people?
Now, all this and more he uttered day after day,
and the abolition papers and few democratic ones
repeated the foul accusations. During this pro-
tracted and bitter fight, vote after vote was taken
and recorded in both houses, showing as clear as
day that tenths of the democratic party thought
he was wrong wrong in denouncing his own party
friends--wrong in heading the columns of black
repubcanisrn and Acknowledgment in taking
course SO we'll calculated to keep alive that fatal
question which twas for the best interest of democ
racy and Of the nation should then be put to rest
forever.
AT last the day of final decision arrived the Eng
lish bill passed; democracy, at least ninetenths
of it, rejoiced the President, his cabinet, the mem
bers Of Congress, the democratic party, rejoced
But Stephen A. Douglas would not rejoice; Hale,
nor Trumbul nor Crittcnden nor Bell, of the Senate
would no. rejoice nor would Giddings and his abo
lition allies Of the House. Sad sorrowful but re
vengeful, Douglas and his allies returned from the
field Of battle, and soon thereafter Congress adj
journed.
Now, up to this moment, what good democrat ever
expected again to vote for Stephen A. Douglas,
less he should give full explanation and make
cession for conduct extraordinary? Many Of
his friends declared that although he had united with
the blackrepubicans on this one OCCASION yet he did
not mean to desert his old party but that party
having voted him down, and adopted its own policy
he, as good democrat, intended hereafter to ac
quiesce in that decision, and to abide by it. Such
was the opinion of his peculiar friends, who de-
clared that he would probably make known these
his intentions before Congress adjourned or, at all
events on opening his canvass in Illinois.
Now, how did matters stand when Mr. Douglas ar
rived in his own State ? He found two conventions
had been held by the democrats of that State-one
for Douglas, the other supporting the adnninistra
ton. Both had made nominations as they respec-
lively agreed, with the or the other. The Doug
las convention denounced Lecompton and declared
their undated confidence in Mr.. Douglas; the adj
ministraton convention declared for the English
bill finally passed, and their undated confidence
in James Buchanan. In the mean time the black-re-
publicans had held their convention and designated
Mr.. Lincoln as their senatorial candidate. In this
condition Of affairs, what was it the duty of Mr..
Douglas to have done reaching the State We dis
tncty answer that he ought to have redeemed the
surances Of his friends by explaining and defining
anew his true position? He ought to have said to
bis old constituents now divided and distracted,
Gentlemen, opposed the Lecompton constitutions
advocated different policy because believed it
to be right but my own party, by an overwhclm-
ing majority, decided against me. mean to abide
by that decision, to acquiesce in it, and to cooperate
with my party as fully hereafter have done "
If Stephen A. Douglas had done this much and this
only in his first speech at Chicago how surely would
all his enemies have made the speeches Of acqui-
essence in the English bill. When they had declared
this, then harmony would have been restored. Doug
las and his friends would have walked up on the
English platform, on which the administration
party stood, and by little effort the two
sets of candidates could have been reduced into one
But Mr.. Douglas would make no such speech He
would hold out no such oivc-branch. In his open
ing speech he denounced tho administration democ-
racy for supporting fraud and cwinde he still
eulogized the Montgomery amendment and poured
out his walls of wrath the English BILL for which
he knew nine tenths of the democrats in Congress-
had solemnly voted. Hero we pause to note tho
great fact which cannot be lost sight Of that when
am opportunity had been fairly offered to him he
would not say that he would abide by the English
bill. but he denounced it bitterly as he did when
standing up surrounded by all the enemies Of the
democratic pa. ty in the halls of Congress. We re-
peat that he would give no assurance that he would
abide by the settlement and decision made by his
own party and if he will not &c that, IN what does
he differ from the common enemyP Now, we ask
all candid and oil honorable men whether at the
time that Chicago speech made, looking to the
tone and temper of it, and especially to the denun-
,,o+;ona of II either the administration democratic