Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-02-04
JUDGE DOUGLASS AND THE SUMTER
HVATCHMAN.

course OF Judge DOUGLASS on lhe NhiiSae q"''"'u
The Uutchmqn mistakes our meaning If 1t con
strues our language into full endorsement OF
DOUGLASS and his political creed. He is apohh-
c;aa. We described him in sentence in our for
mer artcle-a sentence which the Waterman Will
agree is 10. fulsomelv laudatcry. "DorGLAss.
we remarked, lis a statesman whose strength lies
no less in his comprehensive intellect and lar
reaching sagacity, than in his wiIy StTdtdg@m aud
insinuating manners" We dill not intend to hold
him up a. model Of political intcgrlty--an AkIs
r1Des-who was about to be ostrlcised for his
answering honesty. We are not given to hero
Worship vet there is in genius whatever may be
its manifestations, something that commands ad-
mirstcn. The "little giant" has the stamp of
true genius about him. We admire him IA we
admired CLAY and WEBSTER. They were great
men-creat even when in error-great in the vigor
| and buovancy Of life and health-great now that
the flashing eye is dim and the eloquent lip
breathes no more, and great they will be when the
historian shall write the splendid annals of our
political history. 1t was only in this sense that
We eulogized DOUGLASS. Besides, without en-
dorsinr his creed, we wished to enter protest
against the "suicidal" course of the South in
taking one sided or limited view of all great
political subjects. When BY her own supineness
and dilatoriness she sees that Kansas is hopcessly
lost. what does it avail to raise the hue and cry
against DOUGLASS? Can he make or unmake her
destiny? Have we committed the fate of the
South into his keeping? What then avails, We
ask, these invectiyes against him since the issue
is to be the same, whether Kansas be lost by
voting the Lecompton Constitution down, or by
passing it, and then, after cheating the South by
deceptive appearances, seeing it modified to suit
| the taste of the most ultra abolitonist? By the
latter course-the ant-DorGLAss platform-does
the South gain either theoretically or practically?
Will the Hutchman tell us what we gain: Is il a
precedent? The position Of DOUGLASS ms an ab-
stract theory, is as favorable to the South MS to
the North. Will we gain anything in prestige or
in the next presidential election? 1t certainly
oures no great political foresight to see that the
| South must lose in both these particulars by the
passing andimmediate ahrogation Of pro'savcry
constitution. Does it secure quiet to the South >
Yes, the fatal security which has ever followed
temporary and short-sighted expeGients, will iuil
her into repose. She will slumbcr amid the flow.
era while the vampire of freesolsm saps the life.
blood from her enfeebled body. And this is all
we acquire by abusing DorGLAss. True, We gain
nothing By following his leadership. Bat It is not
DOUGLASS who has marred our prospects-it is
ourselves. The South is too ready to find solace
for her misfortunes in abusing those who will not
cut their own throats to save her. If she expect.
ell DnUGLAss to originate some great measure for
her salvation the result does no exhibit his drec-
ton, but the credulous folly of the South. 1t is
an easv matter to call DOUGLASS traitor-a rene
gade-but it would not be so light a task to estab.
lsh his loyalty to the South, at any period in the
past. Until this is done, the frstcharge remains
unproven. He is as we have said, an aspiring
politician Like q hundred other men in the
| United States he wishes the Presidential chair
To secure this he is willing to act with duplicity.
He is willing the South shall have kansas-he is
willing the North shall. If it would secure the
desired boon, he would be willing to see it blotted
out of existence. But before We console ourselves
! for the loss of Kansas by abusing DOUGLASS =
however pleasant it may be-let US be sure that
there are not in our midst men honored and en-
trusted, who are ms servie politicians ms the
1 ;,,1o r;o Wa tn who live
in the South, who without the splendor Of genius
which lifts DOUGLASS above his cOmpeers, are
seeking to crawl into dignity and Office by clnging
to party and revilipg men who like DOUGLASS may
equal them in the want of principle, but far sur
pass them in the brlliancy Of intellect
Why are the anti Douglassites SO willing to
read him out of the Democratic ranks? Because
he makes room for q host Of aspirants. If We
are to pin our faith to party, bound together
only by the adhesive power of spoils and plundel
If the elevation os men is the desired object
! if the party does not stand on the only platform
that should satisfy true son Of the South--equal
ity and justice to all sections ny constitutions
! guarantee and inalicnabe light-why then We
would rs soon see DOUGLASS exalted as any two
faced, traitorous Southern politician, or intriguing
freesoil hypocrie.
If the South is to be cheated out Of all the ter
ritorics which legitimately belong to her-if she
i to hc circumscribcd while the forces of he,
enemy ere increasing and expanding-if she is to
make no exer,ion to restore the balance of power
between the two autagonistic sections, why thel
We affirm that it is n matter Of small moment
whether We are gullei in one way or another-un
der one rretext or another. These sudden flare
ms. these sudden outburSts Of anger, passing OF
in fierce denuncations on individuals, easily mis-
lead US aud conceal the true issues-the lmI ortan
issues-from the sight. There are more vital IS
sues before the country than the method Of nd
hitting Kansas We find some opposite and for
chile remarks in our able cotemporary, the Charles
ton Nsws, on the folly of laying too great sre':
unon an unimportant issue, especially when l
blinds the vision to more important ones. Let th'
South lay down a broader uttimatum than is glvel
in the Alabama Resolutions. The News justly re
marks:
IF the South perpetrate Disunion, let her de-
1t upon the higher and broader ground OF the en-
tirety of the evils, fundamental and legislative
which the system and working of the uuion have
brought upon her. In our humble oplnisn