Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-09-07
WASHINGT TON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


Fairbanks, manufactured, We believe, in Yer
mont, which are really of some utility and never.
varying reliability, down to those of stump
aspirants for popular favor, they are all made
to the end of being very nicely balanced, -
the mechanical not more for the purposes of
trade" than the political. We were struck
with this fact on reading the platforms F" of
Douglas and Lincoln, rs laid down in their re-
spective replies in the course of their last dis
cussion, to the series of questions each put to
the other.
Douglas, after cahoodling with Giddings,
Hale, Wilson & Co; after fighting hand to
hand with them in the Congress of the United
States to secure the triumph of the policy on
the slavery question for which their party
unanimously commended, and after having de-
nounced the National Administration and the
Democratic party, lin the opening Of his pres
ent canvass as traitors to the Constitution and
free principles, and in the same breath lauding
the Republican party to the skies, as the ex-
allied patriots of the times, on finding that the
latter firmly repudiate his advances. and will
not trust him, he (Douglas) has wheeled short
about, as will be perceived from the tenor of
his so nicely balanced "platform," embraced
in his replies to the pungent questions of his
competitor.
On the other hand, Lincoln, after having for
years gone all lengths on the slavery question
necessary to secure the support of unadulter-
ated abolitionism, has suddenly taken the back
track, as will be perceived from his "plat-
form"-his replies to the questions of his COM
petitor.
Both series of questions were evidently
framed with great care to the end of inducing
the party questioned to commit himself to some
unpopular doctrine. So far as both the ques-
toned are concerned, after the experience the
public has had with them, it is evident-both
having stultifed themselves, when their replies
are taken in connection with their late rec
ords-that both framed their answers only to
catch the popular breeze. In themselves, their
answers, however, evince q much healthier
condition of popular sentiment in the North
west upon the slavery question, than we sup
posed existed there; for they make plain the
fact that the Republican party of that region
have abandoned, es necessitate, much ,ofltheir
late Abolition ultraism while it is not less
clear from his answers, that Mr.. Douglas finds
that, after all, he has nothing to gain in Hi
nois by standing as straight up for the policy
and views of Messrs Giddings, Hale, Wilson
Co. as throughout the whole of the late ses-
sion Of Congress.
The most noteworthy features of both series
of answers is, that Notwithstanding the fierce
ness of their current personal contest, the diff
fep in fhair 8 NJ 70 ,.D -,
much less than the distant public recently i'm.
agined.
The questions by Douglas, and answers of
Lincoln, we're as follows
Z. 1. desire to know whether Lincoln Today
stands as he did in 1854, in favor of the uncondf-
tional repeal Of the Fugitive Slave Law!
A. do not now, nor ever did stand In favor
Of the nneonditiona! repeal Of the Fugitive Slave
Law.
2. l desire him to answer whether he stands
pledged to-day, as he did In 1884, against the adj
mission Of any more slave States into the Union,
even il the people want them,
A. do not now, nor ever did, stand pledg,d
against the admission Of any more slave States
q 8. Iwant to know whether he stands pledged
against the admission Of new State into the
Union with such a constitution as the people Of
the State may see At to make,
A. L do not stand pledged against the admis-
sion of a new State Into the Union, with such
constitution as the people Of that State may see
ft to make.
"a. want to know whether he stands to. day
pledged to the abolition Of slavery in the District
Of Columbia:
A. do not stand pledged tot day to the aboli.
ton OF slavery In the District Of Columbia
z. 5. | desire him to answer whether he stands
pledged to the prohibition Of the slave trade be-
tween the different States,
=, A do not stand pledged to the prohibition Of
the slave trade between the different states
Q.6 | desire to know whether he stands
pledged to prohibit slavery in all the Territories
Of the United States. south well north Of the
Missouri Compromise line,
A. j am implicitly, IL not expressly, pledged
to a belief In the right and duty Of Congress to
prohibit slavery In all United States Territories
a.. ] desire to know whether he is opposed
to the acquisition Of any more territory unless
slavery is prohibited therein,
A. am not generally opposed to the honest
acquisition OF territory and in any given case
would or would not oppose such acquisition &C.
cordng as | might think such acquisition would
or would not aggravate the slavery question
among ourselves.
The questions of Lincoln and answers of
Douglas were as follows:
I. IL the people Of Kansas shall by means en-.
hreiy unobJectonable in all other respects, adopt
state Constitution, and ask admission into the
Union under II, beJore they have the requisite
NUMBER OF Inhabitants, according to the Eng lish
6ill-ninety-three thousand-would you vote to
admit them,
Mr.. Douglas said he believed that when Ter
ritory has population enough for a slave State,
she also has enough for free State; but believes
nevertheless, that no Territory ought to be ad-
mitted or apply for admission with less popu-
lation than % 600
?. Can the people of the United States terri
tory, In any lawful wav, against the wish of any
citizen OF the United States exclude slavery from
their limits, prior to the formation Of state con-
stitution,
Mr.. Douglas in reply, said he believed that the
people OF Territory can by lawful means pro.
hibit slavery IL they see At, through their Terri
torfal Legislature. The Nebraska bill, he said,
provided that the Legislature Of the Territory
should have power over all subjects, consistent
with the organic act and the Federal Constitu-
ton.
3. IL the Supreme Court of the United States
shall decide that States cannot exclude slavery
from their limits, are you In favor Of AGO uiesciny
In, adopting and following such decision as a
rule OF political action?
Mr.. Douglas dismissed this interrogatory by
saying that he does not believe the Supreme
Court would ever dream Of such thing as de-
Gliding that no State has the right to abolish sla
very, and therefore considered the question sim
ply absurd, and a vile imputation upon the cha
racter Of the Federal Judiciary.
4. Are you in favor Of acquiring additional
territory, In disregard of how such acquisition
zn feet n.ti