Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-11-10
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

COUNTING THEIR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY
ARE HArCHED. Among tho most amusing
occurrences in the settling politics of the
times, are the current anticipations Of the
politicians who are either mugly ensconsed
under the coat tails of Mr.. Douglas, or are
just now eager to get there, that the South
is about to abandon its position On the slavery
question, by changing its attitude Of hostility
to the advancement of abolitioni.ts and the
abolition cause. Such persons In Washington,
are grsvely talking over the probability that
Mr. Douglas viii be at once taken INTO the
favor OF the South, on account of his alleged
certainty OF reelection to the United States
Senate If really capable Of sppreciating
the relation Of cause and effect, but for the
fact that their Judgment is warped by thei-
wishes, they would comprehend al a glance,
that with the exception OF the cratic Cover
nor Wise and his immediate organ, no South.
ern Democratic statesmen OF newspaper in
which the Democracy Of the South have even
placed reliance, has failed to proclaim that. in
desiring the reelection Of Douglas 10 the Sen
ate, their preference for him was only over
such politicians as Giddings or Lincoln That
is to say, they regard his recollection not as be-
ing desirable IN Itself but simply as being
preferable to that of Lincoln or any other Gid
dingsite '.
This is poor Southern capital" indeed, on
which to start In race for Southern support
Tor the Presidency. We need hardly say that
nothing could be more failseious than such
expectations ss We explain above, under such
circumstances; for, if the South is remarkable
for aught, it is for aquick apprehension of her
own dignity and interests in connection with
politics, and her invsriable habit Of protecting
both,
HOWEVER, the approaching Congregational
elections throughout the South viii demonstrate
that there need be no apprehension that she
will take to her bosom any phase of FREQ s.iiism
or aoolitlonism whatever, fer e1pediencys sake
or on any other conceivable account Thus,
she will send an increased delegation to the
next Congress favorable to the policy of the
Democracy Of tho present Congress and the
National Administration. There can be as
little question of that fact as that the unpopu
larity Of that policy arises wholly ont of the
other fact that it is policy of unflinchirg de-
fence Of the rights of the South under the Con.
stitution In these Congressional elections the
South will have presented to her the naked
question whether she shall abandon the Ma
tonai Administration for new party with
platform based on the principles on which
Douglas and bis sore.headed allies stood, Shout
der to shoulder with Seward, Wilson, Hale &
Co., during the last session
Inc fact that such a policy as that distin.
gushing the course of Douglas and bis men
hickman, Montgomery, Clark, Haskin. Forney,
broderlck, ct 1.,-can win in many of the
Northern States heretofore Democratic, will.
We apprehend, prove no sufficient cause to
recommend it to Southern Democratic conf.
dence 1t is simply the policy of winning
noinihai Democratic party victories at the
North, by going further than Messrs. Seward
4 Co. went towards ultra abolitionism prior to
MS CSeward's) heavier bid for abolition SUP
port In bis Rochester speech, in which he
Dragged for that stake higher than Douglas
did' last winter. Whatever Douglas and his
eohort have gained, has been only by and
through opposition to tie policy of the national
Administration and four ffths of the Denoc
racy oil Congress- policy eminently patriotic
in its aim of protecting the constitutional RIGHTS
oil the South, for which they braved all enemies
and risked every thing. To fancy that Douglas.
who has acquired his new born strength only
by pandsring to Northern prejudices agains,
Southern rights, will regain the favor Of the
south, because he is supposed to have half.cer-
ned Illinois, Is to fancy that the South will
support anybody on any platform Mr..
seward, on his Rochester platform-in order
10 Keep on the winning side, though the victory
may be victory Of naked sbolitionism it.elf
Surely, after the course of Douglas last win.
ter, and his recent emphatic claim. IN the tee,b
Oh tne Dred Scott decision, that squatters in
territory may lawfully legislate so against the
existence Of slavery among them, as that It
Will be utterly impossible for another Territory
to apply for admission into the Union with q
pro- slavery State constitution, the South will
support his presidential aspirations, she NAV
not refuse to hail the recent victories Of Hick.
man, Harris Haskin, Clark and Montgomery
the five fingers of Douglass hand, as oneratiny
IN the present House Of Representatives rs so
many Democratic triumphs in which she nav
glory without stint. From the beginning to
10 the end OF their respective canvasses did
they rot proclaim their identity with Douglas,
as emphatically as the Chicago Tines pro-
claimed the sympathy of Douglas in the cause
of each and every one of them?
dpToPOs:-It strikes us as being verv EASY
Tor nominal Democrats to win such victories IA
MS and theirs-victOries won by and through
the abandonment Of the noble and selfsacri
ncing position of the National Administration
In behalf OF southern RIGHTS and N.
OF anti-slavery positions wherein those takin,
them may conveniently outbid even Messrs
Seward and Greedy for abolition favor. the
winners Of such victories are to be regarded a,
still entitled to southern confidence and conn.
tenance, the South has only to lot that fact be
universally known to insure that the Congress
after the next will contain few others from the
North than " Democrats" of that stripe; for it
is vastly more agreea bic to not few of the
northern politicians of the times IN tr;,mnb hr