The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-10-30
From the New York Times Oct, 25th.
The Douglas Contest.


Mr.. Douglas is waging a very unequal con.
test. Illinois, in the last Presidential can
vass, was carried for Buchanan by only
about 10000 majority. Mr.. Douglas now
proposes to carry It, not only against the
Republicans, but against Mr.. Buchanan also.
He took the liberty, at the last session of
Congress, Of thinking and acting for himself.
By the rare and unacountablc intcrpositon
of Providence, the idea seems to have oc-
cured to him that Democratic Senator of
the United States need not necessarily be
the flexible and obedient parasi te Of Dem
ocratic President; but that, upon sufficient
emergencies. he might pay some slight re-
gard to his own character and consistency,
and act upon his own convictions of the
| public good. How, for SO doing, he has
been huI ted and hounded by the agents of
power, 1t is not needful to reherse. Though
his offence lay merely in refusing to turn
square about when Mr. Buchanan gave the
command and the examples, it was treated
and punished as an act of political and of
personal perfdy. lie was denounced, viii
| fed and menaced with political eXtermena
/ ton. All the engines of power was turned
| against him every accessible avenue of in
| fiuence was closed to his appeals every off
/ ice holder who would not join in the cru
SADIE was expelled {, ON office the ordinary
courteses of official and personal intercourse
were denied him, and in every possible way
he was made to feel this deep and damning
character OF the offence Of which he had
been guilty. He had dared to doubt the es-
sential divinity of the Great Mogul of his
party; and the decree forthwith went out
that lac was to be hamstrung, beheaded tied
in sack and thrown into the sea. Weak
oC,, H.. Il -, I'll
such treatment is in strict accordance with
the established law Of our political parties.
No man is allowed to speak his own
thoughts, or act upon his own Judgment.
against the wish of his party, here, any
more than under Napoleon Ill. or the En-
peror Of Austria.
But Mr.. Douglas showed fight. He went
home and appealed to the people against the
tyranny Of party. He appealed to ihe men
who made Mr.. Buchanan President, against
Mr.. Buchanan himself lie had night to
count up.n the forbearencc. if not upon the
aid, of the Republicans, for he was giving
substantial and effective support to the prin-
ciples which they profess. But their party
despotisms was as relentless ard into'eran
as that of Mr.. Buchanan, and they entered
with equal zeas, and vigor into the contest
for his defeat. They nave shown great en-
ercy in the warfare. Their two leaders, one
the colleague Of Nj Douglas and the other
the aspirant for his seat, have wagsd wal
upon him with degree OF ability and OF I'M
scrupu'ous devotion To party and 10 person
al ends seldom surpassed N our political
history. IL Is quite possible that they VII
succeed. 1t would be strange, indeed, il
they should fail, for they bring the whole
weight Of their party against such a frag
ment OF the Democracy as Mr.. Douglas may
be able in spite of the most Formidable oppo.
sition, to detach fr III the main body. II
they carry the State, Mr.. Lincoln Will be
come a United States senator. and one more
vote will be added to the growing Republi
can columr BIT that he riV re der IL III.
country any serrice 10 he compared sith haJ
or his predecessor, ,cs SIC no redS0H 10 beitsce
Meantime, Whatever NAV he the result,
the substantial victory already rests witt
Mr.. Douglas. lie Las broken down and pros
trated M. Bachanan's administration upon
the leading point at issue between them
No man d0u'Ts that the great mass OF the
Northern Democracy is with him, and every
day gives !ew evidence that the concerSa
tive Democrats OF the South coucede the
mprecnjbiity OF his position Ev Vice
President Breckenridge, elected upon the
same tickle, with Mr.. buchanan, pledged 10
his views, and believed hitherto 10 be most
firmly welded to his fortunes, deserts hi>
official leader and rroclajms his support OF
Douglas. Ia evr.v Northern State the can
d.2atcs Of the Democratic party repudIate
the restriction Of the bill o. last session upon
the administration Of Kansas, and take
ground in favor OF lis admission at the carl
lest moment, with any constitution which
its people may approve. That they do this
fror pt le IN
their own election, rather than from any IN
TENSE conviction offs essential iustice-ouly
strengthens the proof afforded If the fact
that the administration is already thorough
" and effectively beaten among It's owr par
tisans, upon this very issue. The President
has been deserted upon i, bv his closest ane
most devoted friends. Except Col. kcitt,
of VIII, py Swamp. call to mind nc prom.
nent Democrat who is likely to stand by
him 10 the bitter end. Kansas, If She ches-
seS to apply, will be admitted free State
at the coming session of Congress; and IN
less Mr. Buchanan courts a more signal o.
litical overthrow than has overtnken any o.
bis predecessors, he will not throw hI:i.sel
in the path Of this rcSist'css movement.
Aside from all immediate political issues,
we regard the success OF Senator Douglas
with the greatest interest, as practical pro
test against that intense and relentless iy
rany Of partnership which is degrading ouI
public lie and rendering the race of states
men impossible among US. The SlavIshneS.
Of one Of Louis Napoleon's subordinate is
not one whit more complete, or more incon.
siStent with manly public service than that
which our political parties exact from every
man who holds place of public trust. Sen
ator Douglas has made a bold and a vigorou,
protest agalns, it. He has stakcd his polit
ical existence upon the issue. His example
has been initiated by men of his own party,
in Congress and in the Press. We shouio
hail their success, IN the appeal they har.
taken TO tie peopls. as among tie most hope
tul signs ia our political horis0n.