The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-10-06
An Important Correspondence


las struggle against the Administration
hosts in Illinois, says: II
New and peculiar elements have of late |
Sound their way into this fearful strife for
political ascendency, of nature to impart |
much needless bitterness thereto, and great
~ to enhance the Importance of the ulti-s
mate result. Calm and dispasSionate men,
wholly free from party raneor, are begin
ming to perceive that it has become inper-
iously necessary to ceanteract the unscru-
pulous and tyranaical employment of Exc
cotive influence and Federal official patron
age for the putting down of dreadful pc
litical rival and the defeat of sacred and
venerated principles of public liberty which
Tie at the very foundation of free institu-
lions in the hemisI here.
AS the original proposal in Congress, of
the Nebraska act, which annulled the Mig
souri, Compromise, as an enlightened pro
slavery man, as enc enjoying a high reputa-
ton for ability, integrity and patriotism as
one free from violent party bias; as one
familiar with the whole course of legislation
out of which the present discussion has
arisen Senator, Foote propounds the fol-
lowing interrogations to Mr.. Dixon:
Does the Kansas Nebraska act justify the
course pursued by those statesmen who
struggled last winter to drag aportion OF the
American people into the Union under
constitution evidently not eustamped with
their sovereign will? Is the English bill
approved by you, and do you deem 1t in the
least degree obligatory at the present time
DO you regard the general course pursued
by Mr.. Douglas, both in the Senate last Win
ter and in the progress OF the canvass now
pending in Illinois, as worthy of sanction
and commendation, or the contrary! Is
the Administration at Washington justified
in employing official patronage for the de-
feat of Mr.. Douglas, under existing circIm-
stances? Is not such an attempt on the part
of an administration, and under any clrcum-
stlnces gross abuse of power-a most dam
gerouS violation of principle, derogatory
alike to State sovereignty and popular rig hts
and subversive of public morals? Do you
think that time has arrived when it is in
cumbent upon good men of all parties, in
some dignifed and becoming mode, to hold
kind, fraternal counsel with each other for
the public welfare, AID to cooperate heartily
and theoretically in such manner as may
a seem likely to prove most etftctua', for the
purpose of getting rid forever of the ex-
isting caucus or conventional nominating
system, under the influence of which the
intellect and virtue of the country are held
in a state of shameful suppression Demo-
cratic principles, dear to every enlightened
patriot, are oVerthroWn and trodden under
foot in the sacred name of DcmocrGcy-and
men distinguished alone for imbecility and
servility of spirit as for more serious faults
and vices are raised to the hIghest places of
trust and dignity known to our form of go
vernnlent; whilst a general corruption of
the public morals is more than menaced, as
the natural and inevitable result of the bane-
ful working of this caucus system?
To which Mr.. Dixon replies: .ss
/ have watched the progress of the SEN
atoriaI contest in Illinois with the most in
tense Solieitude, and shall continue to do so
until its result shall be made known
consider the success of Mr. Douglas essential
alike to the peace of the Union and the
safety of the South and the unblushing and
prohigate attempt to break him down by
the corrupt and unprineipled use of federal
official patronage aud executive influence,
regard as eminently disgraceful to all con-
eerned therein. Mr.. Douglas, in his present
position, is, in my Judgment, entitled to the
sympathy of every honest patriot in the
land, and | venture to predict that the time
will speedily come when an Overwhelming
majority of honest and enlightened frecmen
in the slayeholding States of the South will
recognize him as their bold and fearless
champion, and the eloquent vindicator OF
their rights and safety. There are points
which have arisen in the contest between
Messrs. Douglas and Lincoln in relation f.
which | do not entirely concur with either
of them; but, in reference to rything
deemed by me at all material, my views are
in perfect harmony with those expressed by
the former The exposition made by Judge
Douglas last winter in the National Senate
land yet adhered to by him) of the true in.
tent and meaning Of the Kansas-N ebraSk;
act, has always received my hearty sane
ton; and, for reasons unnecessary to b.
here particularized, | condemn, as strongl,
as he can himself do, the Presidential Mes
sage of last winter in relation to the lie
compton constitution, and that monstrou
legislative abortion known as the Englisl
bill The changeful and yascillatng cours
pursued on this subject by Mr.Buchanai
and his Cabinet has awakened my strouges
disgust; and l hold the insidious informed
ding which they are now practicing in Hi
nois to be vicious and censurable in the ex
treme supplying a precedent, which,
hereafter respected and acted on, will b
inevitably fatal to everything which i
valuable in our civil institutions.
| have heretofore freely denounced, an
shall hereafter take the liberty of denounC
ing in language of unmistakable plainnes:
the conduct of the Administration for som
months past in their efforts to defeat an
put down a meritoriouS and accomplishe
statesman by such means as have never bee
heretofore, to the same extent at least, re
sorted to, because he was not willing TO pros
titute his own conscience in obedience t
executive behests; and have charged, as
shall continue to charge, Mr.. Buchanan an
his constitutional advisers with havin
shown themselves alike unfaithful to til
best interests of the Southern States of tn
confederacy, and the vital principles of pop
nlar freedom everywhere. l charge ther
with having trampted under foot all the es
sential principles of republican government
in the scheme projected by them for the es
adjustment Of written constitution owe
portion of the american people. owe
whom it was to be supreme in its operation
which so-called constitution not only di
not embody the will of the people anon
whom ii was to bear control, but to whic
o,.or,- a-ono HE man IN tho continort h.,