Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-12-02
TIE Echo SLAVE CAsH.-The Columbia Is. C.
Judge douglas i'm memphis.

From the Memphis Avalanche, Nov 30.
/ Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, whose presence in the
city was announced in our last issue, spoke yester
day 10 large and attentive audience in the Criminal
/ Court room at Exchange Buildings That those of
1 our readers who were not present may be enabled
to form their own opinions in regard TO it. we have
procured, and publish this morning very full and
accurate report Of the speech To say that either
its matter or the manner of its delivery was equal to
many other of the efforts the distinguished speak
er, would, we think, be doing him great Injustice
But. when we take into consideration the time the
place, and the occasion-When we remember that
/ Judge Douglas had just concluded long and ardu-
political canYass-that there was nothing to call
forth efort-nothing to and excite his full
/ poWers-snd, more than ALL that he was addressing
an audience Of people whose cause he had deserted
in Of the most trying hours Of their history and
/ a large majority of whom had openly aud bitterly
/ condemned that desertion at the time--Hben we
saw these facts are remembered it cannot be
matter of surprise that Judge Douglas did not equal
mis- high reputation in his speech of yesterday
Though not great speech, it was more than re
spectacle for even such as Judge Douglas
In its tone and temper We found nothing objection
able It was manly, dignifed, and wholly free from
elimination; otherwise it almost repetition Of
his Freeport and other Illinois speeches. and while
there were many of its sentiments and positions to
which we, as Southern men and Democrats can
heartily and cordially subscribe there are yet others
which we as heartily and earnestly condemn.
If, in what he said upon the subject of the power
Of the Territorial Legislatures the question Of
slavery Judge Douglas intended 10 repudiate, or
wished to be understood as repudiatiag the odiou5
doctrine of Squstter Sovereignty, he was we think
particularly unfortunate in his DIain Liquor Law IL
iustraon--an illustration in dhich he conceded to
the Territorial Legislature me power prohibit the
use of liquors. power which even the States them
selves do not possess, and which, if applied to the
question of slavery in the Territories would amount
to a positive inhibition of that Institution. Such
10 il direoflv in Of fha brad goo
decision, and is no better than WilmOt Provsoism
itself 1t is doctrine, too which efeetualy shuts
out the Southern from the full enjoyment of his
rights in the Territories; which has been again and
again repudiated and denounced by men of all par. !
ties at the South, and which, were there OF ler
is to our minds, of itself ins1perable objection |
10 Judge Douglas political prinoiples-enough to |
satisfy us that we have been in pronOuncng
him an u safe man for the South.
In pronouncng Lecompton dead ISSUE and
stating that he would not be instrumental in reviv-
ing the differences and dissensons which had Gre
ated in the ranks of the Democratic party and
throughout the whole country, regret that Judge
Douglas had not gone further, and informed his
dence what his relations to the Administration
would be- and whether or not he would abide by and
adhere TO the action and decision of the Charleston
Convention. When he has fully committed himself
on these points, land no even of bis Warmest
Democrats admirers will claim that he did anything
of the kind yesterday and when he oOnvinces u.s.
fixed purpose to act with and for his party, it will
be time enough we think, for that party receive
him again into full fellowship.
But that Judge Douglas can ever, or should ever,
high place in the confidence and affections
of the Democratic party which he once held and
which he so strangely sacrificed, caanot believe.
That he has performed many and noble services for
that psrty, and that in his Illinois canvass in his
speech yesterday, he uttered many sound and patri
oio truths we frankly admit; but that for this We
should suddenly shut eyes to hisrecent past and
At once restore him to the position to which We, as
Democrats, cannot willingly consent. With the con-
vietion still fresh in minds that Judge Douglas
course on the LeoomptOn question last winter was
he most fatal stab ever aimed at the Democratic
partv-that twas the cause, the sole Of the fear
pl agitation that has since divided and dsturbedtbe
1t defeated us in Pennsylvania, New
York Indiana and the New England States, and fill
ed the places of sound Democrats in Congress with
set Of vile and interruptions Abotionists-#ith
hese convictions we say, and with the denuncia-
ions Of that ourse-denuncistions in which the
Fhole South joined trembling upon our lips, s
md still ringing in ears, We cannot Ind 1t IN
lur hearts 10 say that the man who pursued 1t is
Untitled to cur OWL OF the confidence Of our party
much less we say that he ought TO be recog> l
lized as its greatest leader, and honored as Its I
most worthy champion, simply because Of services
which his own bad conduct alone made necessary. y
70 do So would be TO put premium upon desertion
nd offer reward for treaehery.