The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-05-27
MR. DOUGLAS AND THE ADMINISTRATION

form q club, and to sen anti-Douglas Demo
Gratis to electioneer in Illinois. This proves
that Mr. Buchanan does not want peace, but
sword. He means to crush the Little Giant
Correspondent of Tribune.
Mr.. Douglas assumed his present position
with his eyes open, and does not regret having
done so. He has no overtures to make to Mr..
Buchanan, ard the only one that Mr.. Buchanan
can Ike TO him, that will be acceptable, will
be to adopt the Anti Lecompton policy, and sd-
minister the Government upon the principle OF
fair play and popular liberty to call off the
Lecohpton hounds he has set upon the people
of Kansas, and leave the latter free to govern
themselves in their own way, subject only to
the Constitution of the United States. Mr..
Douglas illustrated his position in an expires.
sion be made when he was in the thickest OF
the Lscompton fight. Being asked one day il
he was taking, eyes," he replied, land
hare taken through ticket and checked all my
baggage Cor.of N. P. EUening Post.
The relations Of Senator Douglas towards
the Administration form subject of anxious
discussion among his friends. 1t ia argued
that lie cannot remain where he is, because bis
ground of his opposition to the imposture call
row to afford him secure resting place. Its
narrowness invited assaults from enemies, who,
Justly fearing his powers in an open encounter,
relied upon the devices familiar to small politi.
clans for success in their attacks. The dema.
goguism of the English bill was fitted to their
purpose. By submitting the alleged Consti
tuition to a vote of the people under the form OF
accepting or rejecting land grant, the prin.
cipe contended for by Mr.. Douglas was fully
conceded; but the details of the scheme we're
admirably framed to repel the support of hon
est men, by excluding the presumption that the
election would be conducted peacefully OF
fairly. 1t was foreseen that Mr.. Douglas and
his friends would be compelled to vote against
measure by which the justice of their
demands was admitted, but which at the same
time provided the means for defeating them.
But after the bill was carried over the heads
of the protestants within the Democratic party
it was expected that Mr.. Douglas would be
forced to proclaim his scquiescence in what had
been done, upon the ground that the matter
had been referred, as he had all along required
that it should be, to the people of Kansas, and
that as Democrat hs had not the right to
distrust the honor and good faith of the Presi
dent in carrying out the will of Congress, by
an impartial execution of the law. Had be
chosen this course, it is difficult to perceive
what censures or reproaches could have been
directed against the leader of the Anti. Lecomp
ton Democrats. He had never admitted, what
the Republicans 80 earnestly and bluntly main.
tanned, that the Lecompton instrument had no
validity at all that it was as infamous in its
origin as in its growth and promulgstion that
the Convention itself was spurious body, call
ed by no competent authority, elected by no
respectable portion of the people of Kansas,
and representing no party or faction, not even
the Pro Slavery party itself. He differed from
the President and the body of the Democracy
ouly in this, that the 80 called Constitution had
not been adopted by nor submitted to the PEG.
pie.
A reconciliation was therefore expected, and
a reunion of the insurgents with the forces of
the Administration. Very soon rumors began
to be heard that authorized friends had made
overtures on behalf of Senator Douglas to the
President; that long personal interview had
occurred between the two gentlemen at the
White House, and that as a consequence the
President had suspended the work Of proscri.
bling the partisans of Mr.. Douglas, and else
where.
/ am satisfied, from confirmation received to.
day, that these conjectures and reports are in.
correct. There have been no approaches to a
restoration of personal relations between the
President and Mr. Douglas, although it is true
that gentleman, well known for his friendship
to the latter, did on his own responsibility sug.
gest to the President the propriety of closing
the breach. Mr.. Buchanan declined to take
the initiative, and indeed would probably not
have accepted distinct terms Of accommoda.
ton, though made in the names of the whole
party of dssenters from his Kansas policy in
both Houses of Congress.
So decidedly opposite are his intentions, that
it is his purpose to resume Immediately the
auto da te commenced by the decapitation of
the Postmaster at Chicago. This very day, /
believe, the nomination of Mr.. Strother to be
collector of Chicago, and of Mr.. Nye to be mar
shsl of the northern district of Illinois, will be
made in the places of gentlemen peculiarly
identified with the political fortunes of Mr.. Doug.
las. The removal of many other Office holders
in the State for the same cause is resolved upon,
and will probably be carried out in time to have
a striking effect upon the Buchanan Conven.
ton on the 9th of June. 1t ia designed to no
tify the delegates to that meeting that rewards
are ready for those who display zeal and capa.
city in forwarding the anti. Douglas movement.
No doubt remains that the President means to
defeat the reelection of Mr.. Douglas to the
Senate, even though the party division thereby
excited result in the choice of Republican,
Cor. N. Y. Courier and Enquirer.
The Richmond Enquirer, the ancient and
honorable exponent Of Virginia Democracy,
having still Richie and withal Wise among
its editors, thus mildly but distinctly and rather
significantly dissents from both Lecompton
No. and No. q
ave cannot recognise that this Constitution
(the Lecompton) has been either formally or
virtually adopted, either by the Convention at
Lecompton or by the people of Kansas. We
consider that the mode of submission referred
to was intended to defeat, and did defeat, all
fair expression of that popular will to which the
schedule of submission protested to defer. But
the mode of submission adopted by Congress
involves one feature of Congressional interven-
ton which does not meet our eren qualified ap.
procat. Congress has agreed to admit Kan.
sas Immediately as State, upon condition
that the people shall ratify the Lecompton Con.
stitution, but refuses to admit the State under
any other Constitution, until she shall have at.
tanned CERTAIN increae of population. We do
not recognise the competency of Congress thus
to interfere in favor of the adoption of one par.
ticular form of organic law"
This is the Wise platform of difference with
the Administration, and if circumstances favor,
we shall hear more of it.
The corruption committee of the Wisconsin
Senate has reported that all who voted for the
recent land grant bill in the Legislature, with
but four exceptions, had received bonds or
stock, from $4,000 to $4,000 each. The total
amounts paid we're: To the Governor of the
State, $4,000; Governors Private Secretary,
$4,000; State officers, $40, 900; Supreme Court,
$1,000; ID State Senators, 100000; 66 As.
semblymen, 1886, 900; the legislative clerks,
$4,000; editors and others, $26l, 900; grand
total, $9S9,9O0.
The bill Temporarily removing the State CAM.