Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-06-23
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP


Notwithstanding the warnings and prayers of
the Richmond Enquirer and South, we see no
sign of union and harmony on the part of the
two wings of what year ago was the Demo-
cratic party Of Illinois. Those there who hold
views on the Kansas question in common with
the Democracy of Congress, object, and it strikes
us with good reason, to the idea of coalescing to
strengthen tho hands Of men who avow their
almost perfect identity of sentiment with the
Republican party upon the leading If not the
only great question now in issue between that
organization and the Democratic party. If the
friends and supporters Of Senator Douglas
evinced the slightest disposition to act here
after with tho Democracy upon the slavery
question, as not long since we hoped they would
do, nothing would afford US greater pleasure
than to find the true Democrats of Illinois dis
posed to forget and forgive everything that has
passed of late, even to the extent of surrender
ing the nomination for every office to be con-
tsndedI for in the Fall to Senator Douglas and
his friends. But the case is different. They
are demanding the support of the true Demo-
Gratis of Illinois, if we comprehend their posi-
ton, while avowipg sentiments and views on
the future Of the slavery question identical,
practically, with those of the Republican party.
Under such circumstances, it strikes us as
being worse than useless for the Richmond
Enquirer to be meaning, as of late, over the
| divided condition of the Illinois Democracy,
and singing peans of praise of what Senator
Douglas was and did politically before he took
| occasion to contend more vigorously and efec-
| lively than any other man in the Senate of the
United States, against the great measure of the
Democratic party. While we admit the truth
of all the Enquirer says Of the former remark
able popularity of Senator Douglas with the
| Democracy of the South, we aver that it is no
less true that his subsequent course placed
| him, in the estimation of nine-tenths of the
| Southern Democracy, in the category with John
p. Hale ct al, and that he has dono nothing
| whatever since taking his stand side by side
with Halo on the Kansas question, indicative of
disposition on his part to retreat from that
position. On the contrary, he has constantly
striven to strengthen the general impression,
North and South, that upon the slavery ques-
ton he is ever hereafter to be a de tcrmined foe
| OF the rights of the South as commended for by
| the mass of the Democracy in Congress and illus
| trated in the policy of President Buchanan.
Never was more nonsensical ''bOsch'' uttered,
than the current accusations against tho Ad-
| ministratiOn of making war on Senator Dou-
| glas and his friends. From first to last, he
and they have been the assailants laboring
| with unprecedented zeal to break down the
Buchanan administration, for the sake of ac-
| complishing that particular object. The Ad-
ministration in pursuing the even tenor of its
| way In the matter of carrying out the will Of
the great mass Of the Democratic party on the
Kansas question, to the surprise of all true
| men found Senator Douglas and his personal
| supporters in the van of the opposition, carry
| ing out the policy of opposition of the Republ-
can party with moro vigOr and e1ectIveness-far
| mOre-than the Republican party themselves.
| To abandon the position Of the Democracy on
tae slavery issue and adopt that of the Re
| publicans, was their only alternative to avoid
the contest with Senator Douglas. To be his
friend even now, will require that courss
| on the part of the Administration To adopt
it, would be for the National Administration
instantly to shatter the Democratic party of
the Union into fragments. James Buchanan
is far too wise and patriotic to lend himself to
any such purpose, even though continued hos
tility to him ON the part of Senator Douglas
and his supporters is the penalty he must pay
for declining to do so, and the certainty of the
loss Of Illinois in the approaching election to
the mere pretence of Democratic ascendancy,
the penalty the party at large must suffer.
We can perceive nothing whatever in the
prospective recollection of Senator Douglas, ex-
cept to strengthen the hands of the Republican
party much more effectively than by the cleo
ton Of some one who does not fight their bat
Ties while ostensibly clothed in Democratic
| armor
SINGULAR AND CENsURABLE. - From the
action of the Common Council on Monday,
1t seems probable that portion of the body
intend to sustain disorder and rowdyism in
this city. Such cOunteDance to Iawlessness
| as their positions seem to accord, merits tho
strongest and most unqualified censure. The
Beard OF Aldermen had added to the new police
bill clause prohibiting tho members of the
| police force from becoming or remaining MEM
beers "of any illegal or disorderly political
| club, association, or organization" When the
bill was under consideration by the Common
| Council, Mr.. Wallace, a member Of that BODY
| from the Fifth Ward, moved to strike out
| that clause; and his motion was agreed TO-
Another member moved to amend the bill by
| adding clause, which made it cause for the
dismissal of police officer if he is in tho habit
OF lettering about drinking houses" This
amendment the Council rejected, by vote of
yeas 10, nays 10. They likewise rejected, by a
similar vote, another proposed amendment of.
fered by member, making " good moral char
a'ter' prerequisite for every person appoint
ed on the new police.
Il
Really these actions make it apparent that
at least ten of the members of this branch of
the municipal government intend to reward
rufiians for their rufianism, by, if possible.
getting them positions on the police; or that
| they are at least determined not to shut the
doors against the possible employment of ruff
fans and other unworthy persons, in the police
force Of Washington city. And, more than
this; that they are unwilling to deprive those of
| such characters, as may be appointed from the