The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-08-05
Douglas--.the Principle---and the Admin
istration.

We have steadily refused to believe
that the Administration of james Buchan.
an has formally consented to ostracise all
those who belive Stephen A. Douglas, OF
Illinois, is right, aud all those who be-
lieve that the principle Of Popular Sow
ereignty is in accordance with the pledg-
es OF the Dem cratic party. We have re,
fused to entertain the idea that a Presi-
dent, chosen upon distinctive and sacred
principle, is not only ready to desert that
principle, but resolved to dishonor and
destroy every politician who continues to
regard it. 1t is true that many indica-'
tions have conspired to give gravity to the
accusation that the Administration has
resolved upon this course. The manner
iu which gang of adventurers have been
clothed with its confidence aud It's
power-the vituperation OF the life
] long friends of the President by
such mercenary organs as the Unson and
the New York HcraM-tbe scand dalous
prescription by the agents of the Treasu-
~ and the Post Office Departments, OF
I Democratic friendly to Judge Douglas OF
I Illinois-these, aud other acts like them.
gave couutenance to the charge that the
/ Administration had fully resolved upon
making Lecompton the test Of faith to
the exclusion of all the timex honored
principles upon which the ediice of or
organization aud our creed has SO noblJ
reposed. But when it was formally an
nounced in the Washington UniOn, and
in other journals, that the miserable mad
uess of refusing to allow the people ol
Kansas to frame their institutions in thelI
own way was not to be made criterion o'
Democratic faith-wben n it was procl aimed
that certain friends of Judge Douglas bad
been re-appointed to important offices IL
Illinois-when Mr.. Howell Cobb came tc
Philadelphia apologizng upon our public
:. streets for what he assumed to call the
unauthorized prescriptions of the agents
of the Administration, and declaring hi:
own personal hostility to any such pro
: scription-and when, finally, it was as
serted By other organs of the Administra
ton that to the people Of Kansas under
the Eugish Bill had been referred ;be Il
nal arbitration of the entire question
we saw that the Administration was no
yet ready to sanction a crusade. which
while it NUT violate every pledge ano
principle of the Democratic party, at ths
same time must sink 10 obscurity and OBJ
livion all who took part in it.
We regret to see however, that these
anticipations have been disappointed, anc
that we are now compelled to hold th,
, Administration responsible for an exam
, pie which must react against that Admin
istration with fatal effect; and if carried
into the future policy of the party, mus
destroy that party as effcctually as if /
had gone down ike Sodom and Gomor
rah, or been oVerswept by the wing o
the devastating angel The course Of th'
Washington Union for the last week
backed "a that course now is bs the New
] York Herald, and confirmed by new anC
very recent acts of formal prescription
all show that the administrator is resOlUec
that STEPHEN \. DOUGLAS shall be de
teatei IN Illinois. and Ulat tie princilo3e Q
Popular Sovereignty upon arhich he stands
and for acItich lie has BEEN noJly Gghting
shall be repndiated.
1t is unnecessary to recall the merits o
the controversy in Illinois, to reitcrat'
the points Of the several speeches of Judg
Douglas, or to reclpitulate the irresisti
bic logic of his argument in favor of tht
. principles which he advocates. Suffice it
that he is the representative of the organ
ization of the Democratic party in tha
0 State-that of one hundred and three
counties in Illinois, one hundred bav,
pronounced 10 favor of his course as
Senator in Congressional all the ma
chinery of the party is in the hands of hi
friends-that DO nominations have eve
been made for Congress, for the Legisla
! ture, and for county officers, more regu
larly than those made by the Democra at
who support him in Illinois-and, finally
that be trayerses his State with the broaC
: flag inscribed with Democratic principle
floating over his head. He has been eu
, iDensly respectful to the President, an,
, never before in his life has he been NOR,
potential in bis championship of the i'm
mortal principles Of our creed Fo. this
Q only, be is to be ostracised, and if posi-
BILE, not only himself and bis friends, bu
the entire State of Illinois, is to be exclu
ded from all participation in the Demo
cratic organization OF the Unon--hat as
. II tue coltorts Of tie administrator ca,
Y haze IL so
Certain reflections occur to US in thi
connection. When James Buchanan de
. termined to abandon the principle upol
which be was elected to the Presidency 2
and without which he would still be ru
ralizing at Wheatlaud, when be allowed
personal enemies 10 the South to convince
him that three sovereign States would Sc
cede from the Union if be did not agre,
to support this miserable Lecompton swim
die, (wbereas had be taken the jackson
course and compelled these politicians te
make their threats good, he would bave
, sunk them deeper than plummet ever
sounded y he embarked in a war upon the
; principle that tue aciN9 the majorlty shall
l..a al