The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1858-03-31
senator Douglas.


senator Douglas.
Every terrestrial object IS governed BY law
Of periOdieity. Nothing in life stands still, or
advances onward in q straight line; but every
thing revolves as in circle. Action and reac-
ton, attraction and repulsion, elevation and de-
preston are developments Of q universal law.
There is a point Of advancement beyond which
nothing can go; limit in the nature of all things
which being reached, is inevitably followed by
retrogresSion. The sun advances from the twi-
light of morning to meredan splendor, and
thence declines to the twilight of evening; SO
man progresses from the Obscurity of the cradle
to the meridian of life, and from thence retro
grades until he becomes lost in the shadow of
the grave. However comprehensive, however
well cultivated the human intellect may be,
there is q time when it must cease to expand
and begin to contract. All things containing
within themselves the elements of their own
dissolution, and dissolution will come. The
only difference between objects in this respect
is in the area ofthe circle which they describe.
Some men arc from necessity confined to mar
row and obscure sphere of action; other men
with bold sweep attained to lofty position
and attract the gaze Of an admiring world; and
happy is the man who having attained this ele-
vation, becomes non est before he feels the effects
ofinevitable decline. To outliye reputation is
an unendurabie evil.
All mankind love mystery, and the would be
veiled prophets Of the world are many. Great
men, like Moses and Mahommed, cannot bear
to let their less favored fellows see their great
ness depart; and when they feel that dissolu-
ton is approaching they would retire into SOL
itude, and die alone, leaving their fate shrouded
in complete mystery. .
Senator Douglas is great man, possessing
mighty intellect. The circle Of his attachments
is of vast diameter; but alas! he is subject to
the universal law; he has attained the periAelioa
OF his celebrty-has run to the end of his string,
and has already hegin to slide down upon the
opposite side. According to the telegraphic re-
port of his speech in the Senate on Monday,
one is led to iufer that he disclaims all RESPONSE
bility for the repeal Of the Missouri Compro-
mise, and refuses to father the Nansas- Nebraska
bill! He says that che was one of those who
for aca,7t Of poosr to carry om his o,cn measure,
agreed to this new line of policy that is, a.
greed to adopt the principle contained in the
Kansas Nebraska bill! Alas! poor Douglas!
this change of direction and ofatti'ude, is it not
the sure precursor of coming decline? This
surrender to the Philistines, does it not tell Of
'little giant" shorn Of his strength?
But Douglas is sick, and we forgive him. We
hopo that he may recover, take new lease Of
life, and widen the range Of his usefulness
Ills country and the Democratic party have use
for his talents, and can but lily spare him.
However, should he still show signs of contnu-
ed and increasing retrogression, and we very
much fear thathe will, we would advise him in
all sincerity to- pursue the plan adopted by the
seers ef ancient memory. Let him retire to
some obscure corner of the land and die. Ifhe
does this in time, posterity will cherish his
memory aS great man ana an aDle statesman;
but if he survives his day of grace and outIives
his reputation, we say Of him as we do Of sew
cral other prominent individuals whom we now
have in our minds eye-God help him.
Look at the manner in which his Amlekite
confederates reward his efforts OF his last
speech in the Senate the Cincinnati Gazette says
-Stcu. Union.
"Either the telegraphic reporter has failed TO
do anything like justice to Mr.. Douglas speech,
delivered on Monday or else it can hardly have
come up to the expectations of the immense
crowd who thronged to see and hear him on
that exciting occasion. Ill health probably pre-
vented his acquiting himself as he otherwise
would have done, yet his speech was undoubt-
edly more original, both in matter and form,
and more impressive in effect than the abstract
received would lead us to believe. Making the
weak Buchanan organ the special theme Of his
perforation, Qor so be closed his speech as re
ported,) was such "letting down. as we were
not prepared for
Poor Doug!