The Washington union., 1858-03-06
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viii his secession divide the democratic party of the
North That is what " said that is what is hoped Is
the movement VI Nj Douglas and those honest but mis-
guided democrats as well those disappointed malcon-
tents who follow his lead to give to the people of Kansas
what those gentlemen pleased TO call the right Of self
government Or will it give TO them anyshns hit the
unhappy lot Of being the bone Of contention for few
years longer Ia the contest for party supremacy in this
country the plaything OF presidential game-the pre-
text for agitation that may lead to RUM
That is sound rule which infers that men pre-
sued to intend the necessary and natural consequences
of their acts Let this political combination In the
North BE- judged by that rule and whittier does It tend
1t points only the disruption OF the democratic party
and the oonsodatonof northern sectional party, and
the end of the union Of these States IT must result in
that the failure and disgrace Of those whose work 1t
is. That they will fail have no doubt because have
abiding faith in the intelligence and patriotism Of the
pie but may he destined to pass through another
struggle and another slavery agitation The mission of
national expansion and greatness may be for time
retarded postponed. t.
What the effect Of the demonstration of Mr. Doug
las on the democratic masses of the North How did
they respond to his appealsY That they created for
time q marked sensation, l will not deny In many
places the party thrown into temporary confusion,
and apparently divided. The reason is obvious
Mr. Douglas acknowledged leader whose integrity
was by many ursuspected II had become habit with
the democracy Of the Northwest to rally to the sound Of
his voice and he well knew how to clothe his nsdious
designs with the scbancc Of zeal for the rights of the
people, and artfuy and earnestly protested that he made
issue ruth the Pyeuaent \.
Did any Of his ability turn against his
try and his friends without praen plausible prsca?
"Oh, Libcrty!' exclaimed Madame Roland rs she APP
proached the scafcd of desposm, .what crimes have
been committed in thy name!' The disappointed
ditlae for the presidential nomination made the
administration Of his successful competitor upon the
ground that popular sovereignty about to bc tram
pied under foot Has history precedent for such
course thatl
A great many disappointed Office seekers and camp
followers echoed back his war-cry Some honest people
were misled. No other man in the country had the
power to have raised this Storm He hal the confidence
of the people. He has it no more, He infused new
and dangerous vitality into the Kansas question the
dying humbug revived and like galvanized corpse,
der his magic power it reared alo its ghasy form and
struck terror to hearts that had never qualed be-
But when the people that the great ''amy of free
dom, with Philosopher Greeley and all his compaots
the black republicans Of the North and the partisas of
Lane in Kansas followed after Douglas when they read
such wspapers the Tribune and National Era and
found his praises THERE we'll in the speeches and
solves of the old freedom shriekes they began to look
around for the democratic flag They found it waving
where they had placed it, in the hands Of James Buchan
the words Of fate inscribed above it, Conquer by
this, and now they are ralying around it.
In the end il will be found that the democratic party
has lost few disappointed oce-seekers and triumphcd
usual--tlone better without them than with them.
You will remember fellow citizens, Qor such may
still eall you, while the Union exists and Indiana and
| New York have common country, and common ALE
giance you will remember that this agitation was for
mally begun Congress 1t opened by attack upon
the annual message Of the President Mr. Douglas made
the attack in the Senate Mr. Cox Of Ohio in the House.
II followed insantaneously upon the reading of the
sage before it printed referred An enabling act
for the formation of constitution In Kansas
proposed What has become Of that enabling act I, We
have hcatd nothing of it recently. When IL was intro
duced in the House Of Representatives by Mr. Banks of
Massachusetts, the New York Tribune pccyishy said he
had better wait and what the friends of free Kansas
wanted Perhaps the necessary coalition against the
administration could not be formed upon the basis Of
enabling ae The Topeka constitution is great fvorite
with people in this country and the Stanton cgis
ature of Kansas have memoriazed Congress for amiss
sion under it, The enabling act has taken long sleep
At the time of this concerted attack upon the Pres
dents message the Lecompton constitution had not been
presented to Congress No vote had been taken upon It
under it, Neither had the subsequent vote of the
fth Of January upon which people pretend now to
hang their opposition, been taken. The opposition to the
Lecompton constitution put expressly and broadly
upon the ground that the wolc had been sub
med TO the people of Kansas for their ratification
lection. A great deal Is said now about frauds. Those
who talk about frauds talked then about vote of
the people In vain they appealed to to wait till
the question fairly before
In vain they urged to withhold their attacks till all
the facts could e ascertaned Their minds made up
They nexOrable They wished TO put upon the re-
cord their unacrablc devotion to the great prncpe of
popular sovereignty They ready for the question
The Nebraska b they said required the submission of
the constitution to the people that issue had
red the presidential election and there they took their
stand No constitution would receive their support that
had not been submitted to the people
1t further objected that the constitution could not
be amended until the year 1SG4that this irrevtca
bic, and there could be amendment short of rcyolu
ton These were the two main objections, and taking
their from their congressional leaders the opposition
the country the radical ideas of their opposition to the
Presidents policy and the Lccompton constitution
These views have been fully considered and conceive
successfully rcfuted SO far the question of submis-
sin to the people is concerned after having made il the
stone of his opposition in what is called his great
speech, Mr. Douglas subsequently ABANDONED IT. on The
floor of the Senate by admitting that he did not consider
t indispensable Without arguing these points at length
will state briefly why they untenabc.
hold it to be settled in principle and practice in this
country, that constitution may be made and yu IN force
by delegates without vote of the people II this not
so have several States in this Union in violation of
the doctrine OF popular sovereignty 1t is equally clear
that restrictive clause in constitution however ex
plicit solemn its language, deprive the people of
State Of the right to alter amend their constitution Mt
pleasure.
You may call this revolution if you please but il is
right which is too well established and has been too of
ten exercised to bc questioned at this late day. and to
those who persist in calling il revolution answer that
Of the distinctive features of American government is
that which enables the people, peacefully and under the
form olaw TO effect those radical changes which elsewhere
only be accomplished by commissions and civil strife
Not desiring to multiply Illustrations. will take the
xr N,~