The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-11-13
From the New Yoak Times.
Public Opinion upon the Illinois E!ec-
fiOn.

From the New Yoak Times
Public Opinion upon the Illinois Fec.
fiOn.
Now that the fall elections arc over, the
elements Of the coming Presidential contest
will begin to crystalize.
But this prospect must not be accepted
as free from all shadow of doubt. The trl-
u,nph of Douglas in Illinois Is an incident OF
the greatest possible interest, and has quite
as important a bearing nPon the fntur OF the
Re cblicanS as Of the Democrats them selves.
1t may chauge the whole programme OF the
controversy. l, certainly introduced an en-
tirely new element into the canvass, as that
canvass has been hitherto understood by
the leading scers and prophets OF the Re-
publican party. Seward III his Rochester
speech proclaimed that the success of the
Republican parry in 1860 absolutely
necessary in order {, prevent the restora
ton OF the slave trade, the establishment of
slavery in every portion Of the federal ter
ritory in spite Of the will Of the people there
of. and the extension OF slavery into those
States Of the Union which are not free. He
based this declaration upon the assumption
that the Democratic party the whole
country incxtricab.e committed TO the
cla ms and preteutions o! the pro slavery
ul'ra'>t, and that no man OF that party
Cou'u rrpuilatt thCS" pr. tcntiunS and >etuSc
aS-en; TO tie policy OF Mr.. Buchanaa with
out being at once and rever vepuG atcd by
the Democratic party OF the country. l.
was mon this assumption tnat ne based hi,
Argument IN surport Of the ascendency OF
the Republican party; and If the a>sunp
tinu hai proved % be sound, the whole
community would have a-seIted TO TIE jus
trc 81 us conclusion.
But the Illinois election has vit;ated his
argument. Senator Douglas doe, repudiate
the extreme prrirnsiuus 81 the pro slavery
Democracy of the Southern States. IL re-
fused his assent TO the po,iCy o! the Admin
istraiion. NJ denounced the prcten.on
Ihata tOhreatiOn could bind the people of
Kansas 70 anything upon which they had
not been directly aud explicitly consulted
lie regulated the southern claim that the
people Of 4 territory had no right To decide
upon tie rx'>teure Of slavery among them
uutil they came to form a State c Institution.
II has p'anrci himself firmly and 'muiove-
ABLY, Go opposition 20 he cisilnS ofthe Dem
orratg- U';rai,,S Of me South, and IN favor
oi The principle Of popu' ar sovereignty, a.
;Aat principle has been understood and &C
C-pted by tue Democracy of the Northern
States. And in that position he has been
sustained by the |, m)cracy OF Illinois, not
only against the power ard patronage of the
Administration, but against the whole
strength Of the Republicans ai-a. TINS re
suit SHOWS thar, III ;Ie oE.y safe where this
precise issue has been td;'y made, Mr.
Douglas has been sustained not only by The
people at lar.-, bat a'>u hy the Democratic
party. II renters 1t, therefore, to say the
least, extremely probable that tie entire
Democratic party OF the free States will to.
ground with senator Douglas against the
extreme pre,r,,sious oi c Administration :;
and, ii this proves 10 be So, thrn clearly the
triumph OF the Republican party cannot be
50 essential 10 The preservation Of the free
States a. g ~ ; war! SG1pcscS.
Bur Il II.ay h- said--aHG t:ocernor Sew
arr, indeed has already SAID it-ihat the
South vi. not permit tne Democratic party
to take any such pnsili n,-that tie South
ern States vii desert the party i! 1t attempts
to do any such thing. Bot tniS is inpo>si-
BILE. Uh.re uW tie S,uh 60. if it deserts
the Democratic party, for tu> or any other
cause' Ii cannot go to the Republicans -
and 1t dare not form new party, for that
would b. at once to throw the government
into the Republican hands " hen the
South finds that the Northern Democracy
l. thoroughly "tuutu 10 tic up'i! ines OF
Douglas, and resolved TO stand !.y him, it
will make haste to take that pps'Iiun also,
and will be very likely to present NJ: Dong
las as its candidate for the Presidency in
1860. The remarkable speech of Governor
Hammond Of South Carolina, which we
publish this morning, fnrshadcwS the ex
IRENE probability Of such an ereut That
speech virtually <u~rrn !c:s everything, as
, between the sla-- States ami The tree States,
10 ne ,Or't, and aran!Dns all hope Of re-
ganing that Southern aSccrti"cy which is
generally supposed to be the dream OF South
ern politicians. AT the same time II roun-
sells adherence TO the Union and reliance
upon Democracy of the Northern States for
the protection Of the South against a,resS-
ion. This speech, taken in connection with
other movements, and with the inevitable
necessities Of their poS'tidri, fureshad,ws to
our minds the ready assen: OF the Democ-
racy Of the Southern States to the nomina-
i,,on Of Douglas for President.
The Il, publ'canS, therefore, will not be
liable to seiect their own ground tor the en-
yagcment OF 1860. They will fad the De-
mocracy occupying very different position
from that upon win ch the present Admins
tra;ioa has pitched its camp. They VIII
have TO fight Douglas instead of Buchanan
| Popular sovereignty lIS'tdu vi ltCuinptOH
lConventioniSm-tii National Democracy
instead of the Southern Pro S!aeery seeton-
nlism which has hitherto usurpcd its name.
|, is Obvious that this is very different
contest from that which thay waged in 1856
or in 1858 If they nominate Governor
Seward or Governor Chase, they MUST take
step IN advance Of their opponents towards
Open Alb Jlitiun O, anti-slave!y. Ii they
shrink from this ana fall back upon Cover
nor Banks, Colone! Fremont or Judge Read,
they abandon the grouad Of principle and
make the contest Of men. In any event,
therefore, the result of the Illinois election
has done more to embarrass the Republicans
and encourage the Democrats than any in
cident Of the fall campaign.
The SALT OF THE EARrH.-Saline County,
at the reren. election, pol!ed 1905 votes
which were divided as follows:
! Republican,. 10000
Democratic majority ..........1,0 95
Verify, Saline county is glorious locali-
ty. For the Information Of Abraham Lin
coin, it may as well be added, that Saline
county is "spot" situated in the State Of
Illinois.
Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD FOR President.
The n. Y. Courier and Inquirer proposes