Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-07-01
Senator DOUGLAS.

1t strikes us that there is more curiosity than
interest in the speculations upon the future
party relations of this distinguished gentleman.
W neither he shall seek pardon and readoption
IN the deinocratics ranks, go boldly over to the
Republleans, or endeavor to hold an indepen-
dent position, are questions which may be very
momentous to the Hon. Stephen A. Douglas,
but they are not 50 to any political party OF
interest. Not that we undervalue Mr.. Doug
las individual power. He is an able party
tactlclan, man of untiring energy, Senator
not surpassed in all the artillery of extempo-
rary debate, and a statesman well up with the
march of American ideas and largely sharing
the telling of the masses. But he can do
nothing alone but because his is not the COM
plete and sell-sulcing character that carries in
huence as an inherent attribute, and because
the construction of politics in this country
makes purely individual pre-eminence next to
an lmpossibility. Great names are an orna-
ment to party and one of the sources Of it's
power, but minor source. They never
made and they never ruined party-and we
may add that they have very limited power in
modifying it's action. Senator Douglas may
have found this out by the present time, and
learned the difference between running smooth
y in the groove of party lines, and in encopn-
tering the innumerable obstacles of indepen-
dent action. lie was one man pushing though
the Nebraskra bill packed up by the Admins
tration with power to bind and loose, snubbing
new Republican Senators and dominating over
the whole course of dcbate-he was somewhat
another man resisting the Administration with
principles larger than he was accustomed TO-,
not supported at all points by the Republicans,
LON ;oI TnNu,bS
Davis, Green and Slidell. lie sustained him
self well fof such an ordeal--but the differences
Of personal efficiency shown by the two occasions
cannot be mistaken. Mr.. Douglas speeches
on the Lecompton question have been able and
spirited but they do not show the scope, orig
inally and soundness of those delivered by
Messrs. Seward, Crttenden, Fessenden and
some others of the opposite ranks. His de-
sertion of the Administration did as much dam
age as would that of any other Democrat in
the Senate, but it did not arrest Lecompton,
and has had no effect upon the policy of the
party.
The fact is, parties are controlled by the
dominant impulses of the people who compose
them The Democracy of the present day is a
Southern party, shaped and inspired by the
slaveholding interest The Northern part Of
it is mere selvags, and is not taken into account
in the making up of issues. Mr.. Buchanan
succumbs, Mr.. Douglas rcbels--it is all one to
the party. Lookout is theirs-tho party must
60 forward, developing the principles which
have been sown within it. 1t is idle for Mr..
Douglas to talk as he did in the Senate on
Tuesday, about the insignificant and irregular
character of the convention got up by Admin
istration agents in Illinois to denounce him.
If it was the work of the Administration, it is
the nucleous of the coming regular Democratic
party in Illinois, and Mr.: Douglas however pop
ularly supported, will find himself just as much
ontside of that " healthy political organiza-
ton as if he protested himself a Republican
Many on whom he now relies will gradually