The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-17
THE CANVASS IN ILLINOIS.


vious to every sincere and honest member Of the
democratic party Of the Union that but one mode Of
harmcnzing and concentrating the democratic party
in Illinois remains practicable, since the suicidal
and disorganizng speeches Of Judge Douglas, with
which he has conducted the present canvass since
his recent return to the State.
: 10 to the time of his Chicago speech il was not
only practical but it was confidently expected that
q consolidation and reorganization Of tho democracy
of Illinois would be effected, and that our party
would carry the elections again in that always rea-
bic State as we had been won't 10 do before. There
had been grave differences Of opinion between mem
bers and sections of her democracy on special
question, but those differences had been rendered
unimportant by the passage OF the English BILL and
there was general desire to bury the by-gones Of
the last winter, and to organize and set out
afresi upon the broad, open highway Of principle.
1t was the speeches ofJudge Douglas that changed
these fair prospects into gloom and doubt It was
he who dug up buried controversy from its grave,
and called up passions and stres that had sub
sided 1t he that again arrayed democrats against
democrats II was he that arragned the democracy of
the Union before the democracy and aboitionists Of
Illinois as guilty Of faud Of violating pledges, and
abandoning principles ; it was he that denounced a
great measure of his own party fraud and the
administration and public men who had supported
it as the perpetrators of fraud at the time that
lie extolIed the competing measure of the blackre-
publicans as excellent aud perfect lavishing enco-
miums upon the coalition which had voted for it in
Congress it was he who first assailed the English
bill before the democracy Of Illinois, who were dis
posed TO acquiesce unanimously in it, although he
boasted that it yielded the point which he had
abolitionists during the winter.
1t is plain to every man who will not obstnatey
shut his eyes to the fact that Judge Douglas is the
author of the divisions Of the democracy in Illinois,
and the man who is responsible to the country for
the consequences. He represents the disorgan-
ization there and without him it would not exist 1t
is very obvious that if he were removed from the
canvass in Illinois, there would soon be no division
aud that the only condition necessary to the union
and success Of the party in the State, and The cleo
ton Of sound democratic senator by the next legs
lature over Lincoln, is the retirement of Judge
Douglas from canvass, which he has entered only
to dsorganize the democratic party discredit the
democratic cause encourage Observation-Disclosures
defeat the election Of democratic senator and in
sure that Of an abolitionst.
1t is plain that the democratic party in Illinois
cannot harmonize upon man who denounces half Of
them as the upholders Of "lraud, and who eulo
gses the blackrepublican and American parties in
Congress- for having supported, in company with him
self blaclrepubcan measure. tits plain that Judge
Douglas by continuing in the field democratic
candidate for the Senate will only insure thereby the
election Of an abolitionst senator. Not only this,
but, by continuing in the field, he subjects himself
to the suspicion Of conspring with the black repub
cans Of his State to The election Of an aboli
ZIONIST senator His encomiums pronounced at Chi
cago and elsewhere upon the action of the black
republicans last winter in Congress- and his associ-
alton and cooperation with them during the
whole of the last session, followed UP by his con
tinuance in the canvass in Illinois, when it is plain
that by doing he insures the election of aboli-
ZIONIST senator, all make the presumption that he
continues in the field for this express purpose 80
violent az to be equivalent to proof of the fact.
The people cannot be deceived by his assumption
that the issue in Illinois is between himself and Lin
coin The issue is not uponInen but upon principles
the principles of the democratic party and those of
the republican party. Lincoln represents the prin-
ciples of the republicans; Mr.. Douglas does notrep-
resent the principles the BY foist
inc himself into the canvass Judge Douglas assumes
that he The mani is superior to the democratic prin-
ciples which have no representative or exponent in
!, Ic IA he dauocraf indaad. n M H..