Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-07-16
Douglas, Fall.


numbered from Il, 900 to 5000. Much en-
thusiasin was displayed, and on the. face, it
was Aattering and imposing tribute Of re-
spect and admiration to the talented man
who has occupied for five years, the most
prominent place in the eyes of the American
public.
1t is said, with some show of truth, that
Mr.. Douglas is somewhat Napoleonic in his
character, and that like that greatest master
of charlatanry and wire pullin g, he himself
plans and directs all these public demonstra.
tons in which he has an interest. 1t is said
that he remained at New York, some three
or four weeks after the ADJOURNMENT of Con-
gress, to give his friends time to prepare
for the demonstration, and spread the news
of his intended return through the State.
However this may be, and whatever Mr..
Douglas may have had to do with the pre-
lminary arrangements, the usual machinery
and management were used, which are GUS
tomary when public demonstration is got
ten up about any man orany thing, in which
the people take very little interest.
A large assembly gathered in front of the
fremont House, and Mr.. Douglas spoke to
them from its balcony. Let us lcok at the
man, his situation, and the assembly.
The man is the representative man from
the State of Illinois. He is or has been, the
man of that ate, the man of the North
West. He has been the leading member
from his State and his section, in the Senate
of the United States.
His situation is this: A line of policy
which he inflated, and by force of his indi-
vidual character and unconquerable energy,
almost forced upon the Democratic party and
the country, has at last been consummated,
and its fruits have been publicly manifested.
He, eight anG four years ago, made certain
promises concerning this policy, and pledges
concerning himself, to these people, and he
is now to speak Of the manner in which
these promises have been fulfilled. His Pc
culiar policy and measures have given rise
to a new party to which majority of the
people of his State and of the West have
given their support. They have also divi-
ded his own party into two branches, one
of which is bitterly opposed to him. This
is his situation.
The assembly is composed, in armeasure,
of the same men whom eight years ago, he
soothed and quieted from State of high ag-
itation and excited feeling, on the passage
of the Fugitive Slave Law. His word was
then new and current, and it was taken.
Four years later, in violation of his for
mer pledges, he introduced the Kansas and
Nebraska Bill into Congress and forced its
passage by his own indomitable energy
The same people assembled, as they did on
Friday last, uron his return from Congress,
to hear his defence of what they justly
termed his deser,ion of his odd principles, and
his violation of his former pledges. He told
them that the desertion was only apparent
and not real. That the principle of his bill,
was the great one which underlies Gil our
free institutions, viz: the right of thepeo-,
| pie to govern themselves; and his whole
tour through Illinois during that year and
the Presidential campaign, was one great
baptismal ceremony; baptisiug his babe,
Nebraska Bill, in the name Of the Constitu
ton, the People and Liberty, with the new
title OF Popular Sovereignty. And Mr.
Douglas, by promises that the principle oil
the Nebraska Bill would secure to the PEG
pie of Kansas and of all the new territories
the right of governing themselves, soothed
and won the people of Illinois over to his
opinions.
Now in 1858, that same people assemble
again to hear his third defence. Again have
his promises and pledges been violated. The
Nebraska Bill has had full and complete
trial with both houses of Congress, and the
President in its favor, and all the officials Of
Kansas. The people of Kansas have not
had the right of deciding their own institu-
tons for themselves. They have been dra-
gooned, hunted, insulted, and brow -beaten,
in every effort they have made to form their
own government. One Democr tic Cover
nor after another has been Disguised with
the practical working of the Nebraska Bill,
and las left the Territory and the party in
disgust; and one Democratic State after an
other, in like disgust, has left the party,
And now Illinois herself is about to follow
in the same path and elect a Republican
Senator, and she assemblies her citizens to
hear what Mr.. Douglas has to say, why SEN
tence of political death shall not be passed
upon him. =
His promises have all failed. Three times
has he Disappointed and deceived theln.-,
Their patience is worn out, their confidence
in him destroyed; and they arc about to ex-
ecute the sentence which talls alike upon po-
litical rs upon all other apostacy: "Letshis
habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell
therein, and his bishopric let another take"
STATE FAIks.-The following State Fairs
are to be held during 1858; NJ
Missouri, at St. Louis, Sept. to 16.
Alabama, at Montgomery, Oct. l8 to %.
California, at Marysville. Aug. % 70 Is.
Connecticut, Hartford, Oct. - to Is.
Illinois, at Centralia, Sept. IA to Is.
Indiana, at indianapolis, Oct. 4 to 9.
Kentucky. at Louisville, Sept. 81 to Oct. /.
Iowa, at o kaloosa, Sept. % to Oct. l.
New Hampshire, at Dover, Oct. & to s
New Jersey, at Trenton, Sept IA to II.
New York, at Syracuse, Oct. to 8.
Ohio, at Sandusky, Sept. IA to II.
Rhode Island, at RI ovidence, Sept. Is to
lis.
Vermont, at Burlington, Sept. IA to Is.
Wisconsin, at Madison, Oct. to7
United States, at Richmond, Va., Oct. Is
to 80.
Col. CuRTIs.-We are sure our readers
will be all gratifed to learn that the Hon.
H,n~kS