The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1858-04-02
WASHINGTON NEWS.
From our own Correspondent.


the prominent theme of discussion. |
wish to be perfectly candid towards Mr.
Douglas No man but he could have
made such speech as he did to-day, oc-
cupying the narrow ground which he did,
and using only materials which had been
turned aud moulded into every possible
shape by himself and other workmen on
numerous previous occasions. The speech
was not great in itself, there was no room
for the display Of great oratory or great
reasoning powers. The truth is, he gaze
mp nearly the rhole ground to the enemy.
1t was supposed that he would take up
that final position of party afliliatson to
which he is tending, and that he would
concede something to the opponents Of his
course prior to the framing Of the Lee
compton Constitution. But he did moth
ing Of the sort. He occupied three hours
and quarter in reviewing, arranging and
condensing his numerous preceding argu-
ments against Lecompton during this Ses-
sion, and in arranging the administration
for its recreancy to Democratic principles,
and in defending himself from the assaults
OF It's retainers, as n member OF the party.
Now, to us Republicans, these are insig-
nifcant subjects Of discussion. They are
merely collateral incidental. They are
dwarted by the greatness of real issue, and
they are frivolous compared with the So
lemnity Of the great occasion, which is, i'll
brief, a final joining of issue between Free
dom and Slavery. What Mr.. Douglas is,
what he has been, what he is to be, is of
no consequence in view of the question
what is the 23d State of this Union to be
a slave State or free State, and, far
ther onward, what is the Republic to be, q
free country or slave country.
Again Douglas claimed to be a Demo
crat, better Democrat than his revilers
who were reading him out But privately
hear, for do not 90 near him, privately
through the ear Of the world. Mr.. Doug
las says he knows the party has lef; him
forever. lie says it is given over to and
has been debauched by slavery. He will
not swerye to the right nor the left to re-
join it, and feels it will never come back
to him. What them The Republicans
have come to his ground His friends of
the DEMOCRACY stand around him, and
there will finally be Il fusion. lie is pre-
pared for the yells and screams of South
ern extremists that he is an abolitionist
and u traitor. He broke down the Mis-
souri, Compromise, because it was necessa-
ny to overthrow the policy Of concentra-
ting the indians on the western frontier
We wanted room for the Western States.
He began this work in his first Nebraska
bill of 1851, which was defeated by the
philanthropists who raised the Glamour of
Indian sympathy and treaty rights Of In
dians. Il remember this well. was
one of those consulted by Douglas about
this bill, and earnestly opposed 1t on the
ground that the faith and honour of the
nation was pledged to the Indians of Kan
sas and Nebraska, and the bill was smoth-
cred on that ground)
Douglas appears to anticipate that Sew
ard will be the candidate of the Republi-
cans IN 1860, and he thinks his election
certain. 1t is probable that he looks upon
himself as the successor of Seward.
The great Senator from Illinois had the
most numerous and enthusiastic audience
which ever gathered in and around the
/ Senate House But as an effort of oratory,
his speech bore no comparison whatever
with the master pieces of Webster, Clay
/ Crittendcn, Sumner or Benton.
The Administration is getting greatly
d.Sheartcned on the Lccompton question,
discouraged by these repeated defeats III
the House.
Mr. Montgomery moved its reference
t. the Se,ect Kansas Committee. The
Democracy does not want that Committee
t. meet again.
The wranglc was re-opened by Toombs
in very bitter and malignant assault
upon Douglas and the Republicans, mark
ed by style of blackguardism in which
Toombs peculiarly excels. Stuart rcbuk-
ed him with severity for his insolencc, to
which Toombs rejoined that he might
sleep on it, and if he felt disposed might
send him a message in the morning. If
he did 50 Toombs would come down with
an ample apology, tor all Georgians say
Ht Has III SJDuldCI IOI lSuJ. TIC i Il
mere railing Thirstes. Mr.. Stuart has
too much sense to 60 through the con-
temptible foolery of an honorable CORES
pondcnce" with man who, by the testi-
mony of his neighbors, in all his affairs,
begins with sputter and ends with a
sneak
The violence of this raving disunionist
reminds me of very gross violation of
decency by an associate of his, one G. G..
Clay OF Alabama. 4 week ago he obtain.
ed the floor when respectable audience
were assembled, and interlardcd his har-
anguc with such foul and smutty ancc-
dotcs, that the ladies' were compelled to
rise and leave the galleries. They felt
that the neighborhood of such a man was
no place for virtuous woman The at
mosphere OF Washington may perhaps
have yitiatcd my perceptions OF the prop
critics of life, but it appears to me that a