Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-06-05


We are sadly disappointed by the course
pursued by Senator Douglas ON the Bill re.
ported By the Kansas C0nferepce Committee.
He has8ssn e hoaoFed By he Democratic
party, his allegiance to that party has been 80
Aithldl and earnest and be has expressed bis
views upon the Lccompt0n Constitution ques.
ton in 80 cOnciliatOry and courteous . man.
ner, that we believed that he would be con-
tent with any disposition Of that Vcxatious
question which, In reality, secured to the peO-
pie Of Kansas the right to adopt or reject the
LecOmpton Constitution. This the Commit
tee bill does nor can the land proposition il
contains be Objectionable to Mr.. Douglas, for
the "Crittenden amendment" which received
his support, contained precisely the same
proposition.
Our personal regard for Mr.. Douglas, as cv-
idenced by the unwaVering support we have
in days past given him, and the acknowledged
strength he adds to the party in his own and
other States, makes US reluctant even to be.
lieve that he has forever severed his cOnnec-
ton with that party. But We are panied to
confess that to . captious opposition to the
Administration alone can we attribute his last
vote. 1t is perfectly certain that the honest
and conservative portion Of the citizens Of
Kansas and Of the Union, earnestly desired
the Punishment from Congress of that queS-
ton with all its attendant evils that TO the
sectionalists alone could its further discussion
be of any benefit.
Mr.. Douglas must have known, no man
knew better, that the peace of the nation de-
pended upon the speedy abatement of the
Kansas excitement An opportunity was Of
fcred him which promised to allay that excite
mont, to restore fraternal sentiment among the
x1oaplo Of tho uavoraI States in, I'm ofFs,OkN kho
very manner he had 20 ably pointed out. But
hcdelibcratcly dec!iael toact with the Nationf
men Of the country, apurRs the cOneessiOks
made bv the Naturalization to himself and
friends, and takes his position with the men
who went into the last Presidential contest
under banner Of sixteen stars
With the result to himself we have nothing
to do. If his intention is, and his last vote
indicates that it is, to withdraw from the Ma
tional Democracy, to seek political preferment
at the hands Of the sectionalists, and hence
forth to worship at the shrine Of those who
recognise the existence Of law higher and
more potent than that of our glorious consti-
tuition, our admiration for him cannot induce
US to accompany him on his dreary pilgrim
age. Ii he will leave the pasty his departure
will be regretted, as is that Of the maynard
and prodigal but loved son from the parental
roof But he will not, cannot induce any con-
siderable number of his old political associates
to follow him. Those men, in the language Of
the leading Douglas paper in his own State,
twill stand by him as long as he recognises
his party obligations and is devoted to the
great principles which have united the party
since the days Of Jefferson" But when he
spurns the obligation of party and abandons
its principles, he will find himself among men
who now fiatter but to betray him without the
c0untcnance or support Of the Democracy
We still cherish tho hope that his alienation
is but temporary.