The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1858-03-19
Lellara from an Oblarvalory.



1tisa fact which is but too apparent
that Of that ardent. lofty patriotism which
distinguished and sustained the men Of
the Revolution, but little remains. We
have degeneated into partisans, and
/ hence we fail to give the actions Of the
rublio men, who are figuring before us,
an impartial consideration, or unbiased
Judgment. While we magnify the vir-
tues, or strive 70 conceal The defects, Of
men Of our own party, we deny to our
opponents the praise which is justly their
due. Party spirit distorts our vision and
prevents us IRON seeing any good outside
Of the organization to which we belong
A portion Of the Republican press have,
[ think, impelled by this feeling, done
Stephen A. Douglas palpable injustice
They have impugned his motives, and
what they have conceded to him, regard
ipg the justice Of his position, sounds too.
much like forced admissions. It is no
we'll to impoach any individual Of dishon
esty, without some ground for so doing
beyond mere appearances or possibilities
Because doing right frequently brings a
substantial reward, II twill not do to charge
every man who does right with meroena.
ry motives. There is nothing in Douglas
course during the long agitation which
has succeeded the passage Of the Kansas
Nebraska bill, upon which to base the
imputation Of dishonesty. The doctrine
which he enunciated when that act was
pending, he adheres TO now as firmly as
ever, aud il is in defence Of the very prin
oiples which he so warmly advocated then.
that he has been excommunicated by the
President and his coaGjutors from Demo
cratic fellowship.
II is true that for tho bold and manly
stand which he has taken, he will proba
bly, not 20 unrewarded; but this Of itself
furnishes no ground for the charge OF
dishonesty. Because honesty is best pol
icy, II is possible, but we must not infer,
that is the only consideration which inhu-
ences every honest man. It is possible
that Douglas maintained his consistency
and did right for the sake Of gain, but
without more evidences Of it than the
possibilities Of the case, It is a reckless
and unwarrantablo assumption. Besides
il is q matter Of doubt whether, il politi-
cal promotion were the motive which ao-
tuatsd him, he could not have better at.
tanned his end by supporting the Lecomp.
ton Constitution. He would have thus
preserved his favor with the South At
tho North, the clamors which would have
been raised against him, he could have
-peedily silenced. or at least, he could
have neutralized their effect. Ho was the
hoart and soul Of a formidable faction Of
the Democracy. Scarcely a Northern
Democratic journal would have dared to
come out in opposition TO the policy Of
the Administration; aud thus the only
medium through which a large portion Of
the poople obtain their political intelli
gence, would have been, so far as this
gigantic fraud is concerned, closed
Facts which the Republican press might
have presented, would have been, rs
neletOIOre, sus s"'"';..i Upi,~L p~ruh-
loan lies" aud probably with the same
success as formerly. Had Douglas Sec
onded the efforts Of the Administration
in It's scheme Of yillainy. he could with
out doubt have obtained at the Charles
ton Convention. the nomination for the
Presidency, with a strong likelihood Of
election, Circumstances therefore favor
the conclusion that he was moved in the
matter by honesty Of purpose.
We ought not to labor for the success
Of our party merely as such, but for the
triumph Of principles Of which we con.
slider it the embodiment. Every man
who is working zealously and effectively
to secure the final triumph of truth and
justice over fasehood aud tyranny, we
ought cordially to sustain; and we can
enroll ourselves under no more efficient,
powerful and sagacious leader, than
Stephen A, Douglas. ut
OBSERVATORY, March 10, 1853.