The Nevada Democrat., 1858-08-25
Douglas and the Administration.

Douglas and the Administration.
The following speculations, in regard to the
relations of Senator Douglas towards the Ad
minstratiOn, will be read with interest We
copy the letter of the Washington correspond
ent Of the New York Journal of Commerce, an
Administration paper. The letter was written
after the receipt of Douglas Chicago speech al
Washington.
"Mr. Douglas course was nOkunexpeeted to
any one here. 1t would seem that It causes
some surprise elsewhere, but why, cannot con-
ceive. Mr.. Douglas made in the Senate, at the
very close of the session, bold and explicit
manifesto of his position, in regard to the Dem
ocracy and the Administration, and he took
care that his words should not fall to the ground.
for he disseminated that speech in pamphlet
/ form all over the Union. In that speech he
announced his intention to fight the Republican
| and anti. Douglas administrat tion- Democracy OF
Illinois, aud even claimed for himself victory
over those forces, singly or combined Ol
course, he would not have made this boast, had
be not counted upon an ultimate division in his
favor from the Republican ranks.
The Northern Democratic press seem to have
considered that it was really matter Of choice
with Mr.. Douglas either TO go back TO bis posi-
tion in the Democratic party or not. On the
contrary, there never has been an hour since
his first anti-Lecompton speech in the Senate.
on the first day of the session, when he could
retrace his steps and recover his position.
Upon his first and only conversation with the
President he took his position. He declined
even to defer his pronuneiamentO. till after be
should read the Presidents Message. He told
the President that he wanted no further rehec-
tion or consultation upon the subject Mr..
Douglas could not have gone back If he would;
and, in my opinion, he would not If he could.
The Southern Democratic Union press deeply
drplore this fcud and its consequences and, sus-
tanning Mr.. Douglas views as to the preserva-
ton Of party organization,' have demanded
that the war against Mr.. Douglas and his Dem
ocratic supporters in Illinois should cease. and
that the 'bolters' convention which Douglas
denounced. be discOuntenanced. In other words
they require the President TO make amends TO
Mr.. Douglas, and bcckon him back into the
party, upon his own terms. But a compliance
with this advice is impossible. The President
is not the party and half of the Democratic par
ty leaders, North and South. jealous of Doug
las, are irreconcilably hostile to him, and were
glad Of the chance TO exclude him from the
party.
But the President can make no concessions
to Mr.. Douglas, further than TO say, as he has
said that he conGurs with Mr.. Douglas in the
propriety of party discipline and regular nomi-
nations, in an acquiescence in the decision OF
the Kansas people under the English act aud in
the adoption hereafter Of the principle OF the
Minnesota act.
The fcud, originally political. has become
personal, and 10 love is lost between the Presl-
dent aud Mr.. Douglas Every one here knew
that long ago.
The Anti.Douglas Democrats of Illinois, some
of whom | have lately seen, are very bitter
against him, aud will come into no organization
under his lead. aud will not permit him to join
their organization, even on probation. AS ts
the Republicans, they are to consider whether
they can carry the State aud keep II, against
both Douglas and Democratic opponents. They
now think they can do it. and they have got
over three months for the canvas before the
election which s to decide the political charac-
ter of the next legislature
The election OF United States Senator in
the place of Douglas is the smallest OF the re-
suits of the election. II involves the Presiden-
tial election of 1860, and so it is considered by
many judicious men of the Democratic party.
Ii is true that the nominee OF the Democratic
National Convention may be elected, without
Illinois, but If Illinois goes off, what guaranty
Is there that some other Democratic State will
not. 1t is true that the loss of Illinois would,
in 1860, endanger the integrity Of the Union,
as it would have done in 1856, but it will destroy
the prestige which the Union Democratic party
has gained by two successive victories over
Northern sectionalism.
If the two Democratic organizations are to be
maintained in Illinois, they will send two sets
of delegates to the Charleston Convention. This
may he so with other States The result of
difficulty of this kind would not be favorable
to the nomination of a moderate and cOnser-
vative Southern man, but of some extreme man
who would be unacceptable TO the North.
The general condition of the country is pO-
litically very sound. There is less of sectional
feeling than has been witnessed since 1850.
The Illinois feud therefore comes upon us like
a thunder cloud in clear sky, aud is of evil
pOrtent.