Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-10-02
DISCREPANCIES.

Benton proved false to the Democracy and the
South, and, as consequence of his detection, he
was repudiated by one and scorned and condemned
by the other Van Buren, did the same thing, and
friends. And so Of the other traitors to the cause
of Democracy. They all have died the death as .
penalty for their turpitude. The same fate should
be awarded to Douglas-the Democracy can survive
his loss, and the country can afford to spare him
from the councils of the nation. Perhaps if we
had more policy and less candor, or in other words
if we preferred men to principle regarding the
cess of the former as IF more importance than the
preservation of the latter, we would speak with
bated breath of the recusant senator from Illinois.
With men are nothing principles are everything,
The former are the creatures of day. strut their
brief hours upon the stage, and then pass away.
and as soon pass from the memory of man, while
the latter are the same yesterday, to day and to-
morrow, and as lasting as time itself. But, says
one. if Douglas is overwhelmed, the knell of the
Democratic party in the Northwest is already sound
edit could not Withstand his defeat Away with
al such idle assumptions. II the party that has
dominated this country for nearly sixty years has
become so weak not to be able to survive the loss
Of any man in her ranks, no matter how eminent in
talents and great in influence the time has come for
it to pass away.
When party arrives at that point in its career
where it cannot bestow the proper punishment upon
all traitors to its cause, is meet that it should qu.
city seek its grave and cumber the cath no longer
with its presence. We hold, however, that the De-
mocrac party has not yet reached that wretched,
contemplate position. 1t is able to lose the support
Of all such men Douglas in Chrstendom, possess
ing the will and the power to treat all such traitors
~ they deserved to be treated. Policy would die.
tate that Douglas be let alone but he never gain
our consent to pursue such policy at the expense
Of principle.
As between Douglas and Lincoln we take no part
in that contest If we detest the principles of the
one we abhor and execrate the doctrines OF the
other. We hope and trust that the Democracy of
Illinois will never he reduced to the humiliating al
tentative Of selecting between these two political
prObates. Rich in talent, strong in power, can the
Democracy of that State not concentrate upon some
honest, reliable man-a man like Judge Breeze for
instance, and send him to the Senate in lieu of
Douglas. Is Douglas the only Democrat in Illinois
that is fit to represent his party in Washington that
people shall ask the question, us no: Douglas a
safer man than Lincoln? Is he not the lesser Of the
two evils7" In the language of contemporary, the
Democracy Of the South has fallen into fathomless
abyss Of degradation when it raises an issue wheth-
er Stephen A. Douglas is safer man than Lincoln!
The issue is not which is the safer Or better man,
but which is the worst or most unsound We can
not decide in contest where to support the lesser
evil would be monstrous wrong, and therefore
hope that Democratic Illinois will support Demo-
cTat and friend to the Kansas policy of the Ad-
ministration- VicEsburg Sun.