Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-01-12
From the Richmond South. Position of Senator Douglas-A Remin1- acence

---. From the Richmond South Position of Senator Douglas-A Remini- scence.
 Instead of mitigating the force of his anta- gonsm to the administration by retraction or explanation of his original position, Senator Douglas seems intent upon aggravating the only difference which threatens the peace of the de- mocratic party He has delivered another l speech against the action of the Lecompton | convention, in which he employed this emphatic language: "Then let us restore quiet to the country by ignoring these irregular conuentions at l Lecompton and Topeka. and authorize the people | to 90 forward and form constitution and State | government to themselves"
 | This affectation of solicitude for the peace of 1 the republic comes with an awkward air from the very individual who interposes to arrest a satisfactory adjustment of the Kansas eontro- | versy in the act of consummation. At the mo- ment the President congratulating the | country on the prospect of an early and de6ni- tive settlement of the dispute that has convuls- | ed the Union for the last three years, Senator Douglas is revolving schemes of sectional agi- tation; and, that the popular mind may not be soothed and satisfied by the pacific counsels of | the message he avaled himself of the earliest l opportunity to develop his misehievous policy. | In advance of any demonstration from the black republican party, he hasteued to record | protest against the doctrines of the message and the principles of the democracy. Did that eager mpatience to precptate collision imply any regard for the public peace? Did that l prompt avowal of opposition to the President, on an issue of the utmost consequence, argue any particular concern for the interests of the administration? In vain does Senator Douglas think to amuse the country with his pacific pro- | lessons. The spirit that possesses him is too strong for conceament. His motives are evil dent; his position is incapable of msconstruc- 1 ton.
 Under the operation of the organic act of the territory, the principle of popular sovereignty in Kansas was developed almost to the point of recognition as an independent and absolute so- veregnty. Against every sort of obstacle that the malicious ingenuity of the abolitionists could suggest for the promotion of their nefarious en- terprise-aganst fraud and force-against trea- son and rebellion, the people of Kansas had made such progress in the development of their institutions, that nothing was wanting to the final triumph of law and order but vote upon the issue of slavery. convention, assembled 1 in pursuance of an act of the Legislature and under the supreme authority of the federal go- vernment, had perfected system of state go- vernment, and only awaiting the sense of the people on the slavery question, in order to a formal application for admission into the Union, when Judge Douglas interposed to pre- vent consummation which the President and the country anticipated with the most intense anxiety. At this point the Senator comes for ward and forbds adjustment of the Kansas controversy. So far as his influence can avail to postpone peace, the country shall not yet be free from trouble and peril of sectional conflict By an ntammatory harangue he rekindles the i wel-nlgh extinct embers of agitation. By a | suggestion of the most absurd and mischevous character he proposes to undo the work of paci- hcatlon, and to deliver Kansas over to the agony of another such terrible trial as she has been enduring for these three years. He would Gig l nore" the irregular" conventions of Lecomp- ton and Topeka.
 And this from Senator Douglass. Did it en. ter into the mind of the Senator's most malig nant enemy to conceive, one month ago, the | possibility that be would ever stgmatze the l Lecompton convention as Irregular" much less place 1t beyond the pale of law with the rebel liouS organization of Topeka? If anybody had suggested the thought he would hardly have found single man, north or south, to entertain the idea for moment. For, to say nothing of the official record of Judge Douglas votes and
 
 bound to allow the people of Kansas to develop their institutions in their own way. he is obliged to recognize the legality and authority of the Lecompton convention by his own most recent and most explicit declarations.
 The readers of this paper will remember the speech which Senator Douglas delivered at Springfield, Illinois, in the course of last sum- mer. It was reported in the Chicago Times of June 10th, and was re- produced in the columns of The South with such complimentary criti- cisms as was warranted by its brave spirit and uncommon excellence. Here is so much of that Springfield speech as relates to the Kansas controversy:
 Upon the Kansas question he had little to say. His opinions on that question were well known, and he had nothing to add, except that subsequent experience and reflection had con- hrmed him In the correctness of the judgment he had So often advanced in the Senate and be- fore the people.
 He spoke of Me tairness and the justice of the ta'c, giving the people an opportunity of ex- pressing their honest convictions on the subject ot slavery in a constitutional manner Jv means Of constitutional c0nUenton soon to meet, to de- eide tut aud aH other important matters connect ed with the future of the new State of Kansas The people of that beautiful territory would soon speak in the election of delegates to the convention.-E ED. We would soon have, he had no doubt, free and quiet expression of o4lnion, by means of the elective franchise | from that silent, but most certain weapon of | free peopIe-the ballot box. .Sl0uH the enemies z h'at mole of settling he much uered question 7 staGe'y 'n hat territory, Hadly a1d obstinatety ref"se Q exercise He rights assured them by the hes of Compress, upon Meiy heads, and theirs alone, ,oW rest the responsibility. For his part he was satisfied the democratic party in Con- gress had done their duty and he was equally well satisfied that the democratic party in the Territory of Kansas would do theirs, in man. ner gratifying to the heart of every friend of the constitution and the Union"
 Who wants a more distinct and emphatic a,l- | mission of the legality and authority of the | Lecompton convention than is involved in these words? The oonvention aoiU decide the slauery question and aH oher important naatiers connected ao'M the future of the net0 State of Kansas - That was udge Donglas' doctrine six months ago. So recently as last J une he was of op'n ion that the convention was a regular and legi- timate body, and that it was perfectly compe- tent to decide the slavery question and all other matters affecting the interests of Kansas. By the strongest appeals he then urged acquie scence n its proceedings. Nay, more, he affixed stigma upon the men who meditated opposi. ton to its action. Now, however, the Senator | repudiates the Lecompton convention as ire. gular," and advises Congress to ignore its pro- ceedings!
 Without explanation the language of the foregoing extract might seem 10 contemplate a submission of the constitution for popular rati flcatlon. But that was not the speakers idea When he talks of the ballot box" and the !" elective tranchises' as "the weapon of free people" he refeis only to the approaching elec- ton of delegates to the convention-as in truth IS sufficiently obvious from the phraseology of the paragraph.
 Some people may affect in excess of courtesy. to account for this sudden and essential change of opinion on the supposition of an honest con vctlon of judgment and sincere concern for the public interests. With every disposition to accept the eXnlanatinn wa find t in, ,.os.ll .