Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-09-11

For the LtdltG
s,snben 4. DougIas--J w. FOrney, &c


tion Of United States Senator in the place OF
Stepben A. Douglas. You have consequently
kent your readers fully advised of everything
that has transpired, having either an immediate
or remote bearing upon the questions involved
/ in that controversy.
/ With this view you have not only published
abstracts ofihe speeches of Lincoln, Trumbuii
and DourIas; but, within 4 few days, have given
the speech. entire, of John W. FOraey, the Poht-
/ icaI reasgade who has been recently Preambula-
ting abOu. the country exhibiting his weakness
inconsistency and t1eachery, by assaillng the
motives and character of the Chief Magistrate
Of the country under the plea OF justifying and
sustaining the consistency and upholding the
4 fortunes Of John B. HasliHs, Of New AoTk' an
other renegade alike destitute of principle with
himself As the Democratic party have no or
pan in this city through which its friends can
( be heard. I claim the indulgence of your col
umns for what desire to say upon the present
occasion.
I 1t is well known to every individual at all
ecnversant with political affairs, that, at the Gin
cinnati Convention which placed Mr.. Buchanan
/ in nomination, there were two other asplrants
for Presidential honors-the late President and
the little gentleman from Illinois, who claims SO
much sympathy at the present time, on account
Of his devotion to principle, and who would ike
to be considered 4 martyr to the doctrine 0i
popular sovereignty which he conceiyes has
/ been so ruthIessly assailed and trodden under
/ foot by the Democratic party. Although aided
and strengthened by the other candidate, with
whom be seemed to have a Pefcei understand
I ing, and who alternately played into his hands
( he failed Of a nomination. The delegates to the
/ Convention did not seem to place so high an es-
innate upon his virtue and patriotism as to make
I him the standard bearer of the party They
thought proper to select another ndlvitual-a
statesman Of liberal and enlightened yiews-oi
commanding talents and tried patriotism, to
lead them on to victory. The result Of that Sc
I lection, and the many and complicated questions
of State and National policy which have since
[ arisen and been happily and satisfactorily ac'
/ iusted bv the President, have fully yindicated
the wisdom of the choice. But the vaulting am
bition Of the little Senator, (which is too apt to
o'erleap itself" was not satisfied. He must, iol
5bis seeming neglect Of his claims, have revenge
upon the Democratic party, but particularly up
/ on 1t time-honored head. Hence his open pre-
ne,i,ated and ruthless assault upon the Admin
istFaiion il the Senate OF the United states N
I the very first week Of the session Slmultane-
ouslv with this, (as if by concert Of action) the
presses all over the country IN his Interests
from Maine to CalifOmia-fTom the Chcago
/ Times. his mouih-piece to Forney's Press, and
from that down 10 the most Insignificant he'd
| domadal in the country-"Iray, Bianch and
SUeetbeart''-were al in full chorus, yelping at
the bceIs of the Executive. And upon what
rrat,f.. low Democrats (for 1t Is you whom
In-l:i, n sd. t..-ss more particularly Is It that
The Administration IS thus assalied! Why un-
dor uretence that Mr.. Buchanan has not carried
out bot actually violated the great doctrine Of
pouylar sovereignty as expOunded by the Sena-
tor from Illinois -,
N Know in what way the Executive has contra
,,.reJ tbis sreat principle. As a National
Democrat. had always supposed that popular
sovereignty meant that the people should DC ieI'
free. lust as Judge Douglas bill proNdes, 10
form a Constitution " IN their own way =
WeU the people Of Kansas did thus assemble
and according to law, elected delegates to Ter,
ritorial Convention, which was authorized ana
empoyered 20 frame State Constitution ana
submit the same or not, as they might deem
sxned.eut to the ratification OF Inc people IL
difference to public sentiment however 'uel
did submit so much Of It as related 10 the qles-
ton Of siaveTy-the only subject 'A-t y /. =
- rubI;,s mind and in which the people ielI
Z eoIfrTrIIln IL was
T,sssd iIpon and approved Of by all the qualIhed
Tofars OF the Territory who thought 1t OF sum
lent in,Uortance to give an expression oi thelr
r3,,gs ar tE5 ballot box. The Constitution thus
rstif;et was transmitted to the President, and
bv him 10 Congress, with the request that nan
sc shouId be admitted as one Of the sovereign
Ststce of the Uuion. But il seems that The
~,nstifuticu thus framed. passing through all
tho forms of law, did not answer tie purpose o.
JrI.e Douglas and his followers II must oe
rsulauded back Il the people Tor iur'LeI q" "1'
ton and excitement. A' buchanan, il seems
in This instance, at least, thought dlileIelliHS
He conceived that the end oi pubHe lua'ice
---,1F he best sIlbserved and the peace ant quiei
OF the country best promoted 2y Her Spy 80
mission. She would tlen II her sovereign ca
,,,c;rv alter.amend OF entirely abolish her C0nsil
itution as she might think proper Ihe senator
rom Illinois was not pleased with tins satis
f.ctorv disposition Of the subject lie |oui.
have the President iHit6TreHe IN the matter aho
5i,,q,e 10 the people Of Kansas what KIND oi
Constitution they should form, and the manner
o- 1ods in which II should be adopted AM
nj ! suDpose. in the estimation of the Senator
: :, nom, ar sovereignty The democratic party
have not so learned popular sovereignty. No'
i1,s-rsEfiaa IS the democratic idea OF, and al
essential Ingredient in the term The treslaeIi
a. an Executive officer, has his duties presence
, by law. Il was his peculiar preTosati'e 70 Sc S
/ that the laws were faithfully and lmpaIu4liN y
{ executed. and that the people were protected il
their rights and privileges but more P4l'lou '1.
larly IN the night of suffrage And has he not
50 far as Kansas is concerned, energeticaliN y
= and promptlv performed his whole duty m th'
; premises Has be not even kept IN the leITl
I iory standing army, that these lmmunltes
!. the people might the more eifsctually be secur
! e5 and protectcdl Was the Executive, IN car
d rying ont this doctrine Of popular sovereignty
required 20 DO anything more than what he ma
faithfully psrl0rnsd lie could do no less
and had he done more he would have Trans
= csnded the powers Of his Office, and thus Justl,
5 subjected himself to the charge Of Violating III
yery principle for which Judge Douglas Is 8
=, stoutly conteEdlng.
i But whence arises this newborn zeal Of th
= senator for submitting everything % the Peo
! plel Were not one half OF the Constitutions o
> the several States Of this Union, adopted with
: oct any submission whatsoever Even In IN
!, case Of Kansas the Senator, II seems, was no
always so strenuous in the assertion OF TIN
4 principle He supported Mr- TOOmb's bill
= which provided for the admission OF kansa
u without any submission. As originally intro
= dueed BY the Senator from Georgia 1t conIalnet
clause requiring submission 10 the people
but, upon lis being referred TO the Commute
= on Territories Of which Judge Douglas was IN
Chairman, the clause was stricken out, as It i
: I'D. bv the Senator himself, wh0 subsequent.
> - a IN. hill vi.hout any such provisions