The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-04
POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE,

Mr.. Douglas in Illinois, have asserted that he
courted an alliance With the Republicans last
winter, and that he equested Frank P. Blair to
write letter to the editor of the Missouri Dem.
ocrat, to prevent any further attacks upon him
from that quarter. Mr.. Douglas, upon being
questioned as to the matter, couldn't remember
Of any such occurrence. Mr.. Blair, therefore,
writes letter upon the subject, in which he
remarks:
"After what has been said, however, it is
just and proper to myself to say that the letter
which was written by me to Mr.. B. Gra,z
Brown, of the Missouri Democrat, and which
has been the basis of the assaults made on me
by Mr. Douglass partisans, for violating an al
legged confidence, was scritten in strict dccordace
10Th the wishes Of Judge Douglas himself. In
fact, deemed it to be the single object of the
interview to which I was invited, to mitigate,
through me, the hostility of the radical Demo-
cratic press of St. Louis towards him. / wrote
for this purpose, believing it to be his desire,
and had no agency whatever in giving cur
reney to the rumors about the contents OF that
letter which have found their way into the news.
papers. The blackgusrdism of the newspapers
in the interest of Mr.. Douglas on this account
compels me to make this explanation, and is
the only occasion of my writing word on the
subject.
81 have said was invited to this interview
by Judge Douglas. say 80 to repel the idea
that sought any interview with him upon po-
liticsl subjects. The invitation and message
came through the Hon. Schuyler Colfax, of
Indiana, and has never to my knowledge been
treated as q private matter. take the occa
sion to say that neither the message sent me,
fhoto la, Ia
Douglas and myself, prepared me for hearing
of bis calling for three cheers over the defeat
of the emancipationists of Missouri, and my
own defeat by the Pro Slavery Lecompton Blu.
chanan Democracy Of Missouri"
He said in his speech:
at is still more unfortunate that there is q
third party in the fed-I mean the Americans
| always feel embarrassed, fellow citizens, in
undertaking to refer to them for any purpose.
l have read their platforms and declarations of
principle and l must say, that excepting SO
far as they design to impose new restraints upon
the naturalization of foreigners, do not under
stand them, at least in any practical sense. In
all other respects it seems to me they do not
themselves understand very distinctly what they
mean, or what they intend to do. They appear
to have no fixed standard of faith by which
their own orthodoxy may be tested Notwith.
standing this radical defect, land it is q very
radical one--for what is any party worth with
out clear and well defined purposes p they have
two clements of responsibility lat, the high
character of some of their leading ,r>an. Eli
more ana Urittenden, I0r example y and ID,
their steady opposition to political Republican
ism. But it were far better that they should
disperse-better for themselves, for us, and for
the country at large. Why will they not be
persuaded to make themselves more respectable
by joining US, or add to the responsibility of
the Republican Party by going over to it ?
Either alternative would be preferable to dis
tinct organization. Triangular contests are al
ways Improbable; and the American party
ought to have too much selfrespect to stand, as
they do, like the Westchester cow boys of the
Revolution, between the two principal CEN
bstants, wsging piratical warfare against
BOTH"
Shrewd advice this, though coming from q
political opponent.
The Washington correspondent of the N. ?.
Tribune says:
"Vice President Breckinridge's qualified
support of Douglas is received with much dis
satisfaction by the Administration, and will
tend to revive the former alienation with Presi.
dent Buchanan. Mr. Breckenridge was unre-
served in deprecating Douglass course last
winter, and went 80 far a. to involve separa-
ton of all relations but those of cold formality
This fact furnishes proof that Douglas must
have conceded something from his original po-
sition. The President Ands difficulty in getting
q successor to Governor Denver, of Kansas, who
positively refuses to withdraw his resignation,
though earnestly solicited by the President to
do So"