Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-08-27
THE CONTEST IN ILLINOIS.

THE CONTEST IN ILLINOIS.
Presuming that our readers are much inter
ested in the extraordinary political contest
waged in Illinois. we this week publish a very
able speech delivered by Judge TRuMBULL,
who is the colleague Of Judge DOUGLAS in
the United States Senate. Both of them
were alike Democrats. previous to the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise, and the present
positions of these two leading men will accu-
rately show the difference between the Repub-
licans and Douglas Democrats Of Illinois,
The reader will see that Judge TRUMBUGL is
still the consistent and uncompromising OPP
ponent Of the extension of slavery, either by
the Federal Government or territorial govern
that sort of Democracy which places the Fed
eral judiciary above Congress, the States. the
Territories and the People he has no more
reverence for linen with gowns than men with
crowns in bad cause and he gives to his
principles practical support by acting heart
lily and effectively with the Republican party.
Judge DoUGLAs, on the other hand, sticks TO
the Democratic party, while he quarrels with
it for its treachery to the principle which he
infused into it--and he magnfes that princ-
pie, while he has himself surrendered all that
was valuable in it. Originally. his idea of
Popular Sovereignty embraced the right and
power of the people of a territory to admit or
exclude slavery non he limits that right, and
claims only that they may exercise it uhen be-
coming a State, and subject then to the decis-
ion of the Supreme Court in the bred Scott
case that is, that slaves may be taken into
any territory, whether the people prefer it or
are opposed to it and the people cannot ex-
clude slavery, when they become State.
withom paying for the siares enancipated. In
short, Judge DoUGLAs seems to be anxious to
repel the Republicans, rather than to co-ope-
rate with them; and to control rather than
correct the pro-slavery Democracy. He plays,
apparently, for the control of the State of Ill
inois, with view Of making political capital
nth the Slavocracy, instead of against them
perhaps to say to the South by and by-"I
n.
and you can succeed in the next Presidential
election if you reject me and it, the North
will be at you This is his apparent posi-
ton, and we much regret to sec it. When
Judge DoNGLAs saw, as he did see last win
ter, that the Southern men, who control the
democracy, utterly ropudate the doctrine of
popular sovereignty which he claims as espe-
cially his own, and utterly repudate as well
every Democrat who subscribes to it.: when
he saw the Administration acting as a slave
driver, and whipping in the Democrats of the
North by prescription, or enticing them in by
brides, to be the mere slaves of the South
when he saw himself prescribed, and his
friends driven from office by the President
we think the Judge would have shown proper
self-respect if he had just LEFT them to their de-
structlon. Had that been his course, he would
now have no opposition in Illinois and in
all the Northwestern States, the Admins
tration would have at this moment. no payty.
outside of the Federal ofice-holders. As it
Is, Judge DOUGLAS has staked his fate upon
the pending election in Illinois thus forcing
the Republicans into contest against him,
when thousands of them had been giving him
their warmest sympathy through the last win
ter's contest, and doubtless had hattered them
selves with the hope that he had learned wis
dom from his experience and strength from
his trials, to make him their Little Giant" in
the present and future contests with the Slav-
ocracy.