Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-04-01
Senator Douglas.

The following article from the Boston Jour
nal, is a high compliment to Senator Douglas,
and gives in few words the manifest destiny
OF political association and ALLEGATION to which
might be added that course consistent with his
present position will make him next President.
The Journal says - When the position OF
Mr. Douglas On the Lecompton question was
first distinctly announced, at the opening of the
present session of Congress, we could not for
bear expressing doubt of his complete fidelity
to the stand he had assumed. We had always
known him as the prompt and invariable cham
pion OF the Democratic party. through good
and evil report, and it seemed too much to ex-
pect that he would now stand out against all
the powers of the Administration ON question
which had been eMphatically proclaimed u
party test. But the discussion Of the measure
| in the Senate is at length finished; Mr.. Doug
las has arisen from sick bed to make his clos
ing effort and it is but simple justice to him to
say that our doubt has proved not well founded,
and that he has fought the battle to the end
with complete consistency, unfagging zeal and
unsurpassed ability He has not been broken
down by systematic insolence, nor even momen-
ttrily baffled or daunted. The same powerful
energy that carried through the Kansas-Ne-
braska bill has again been exhibited in higher
and better cause, but against hopeless obsta-
cles. Hopeless, that is, 50 far the Senate iscon-
cerned, but surmountable and surmounted, we
believe, as to the substantial cause at stake. 1t
is not too much to say that if Lecomptoni is de-
feated in the House, the triumph will be prin'
cpaily owning to the bold position 50 carly
taken by Mr.. Douglas and its influence upon
the Northern Democratic Representatives. Had
he remained quiet, Or faltercd the least in his
opposition, the iniqutous scheme would probably
have gone through both houses by nearly u
strict party vote.
The purely political consequences Of this
movement on the part of Mr.. Douglas and his
associates, remain somewhat uncertain. When
it was first developed, great efforts were made IN
certain leading Democratic journals to repre-
sent it as harmless affair, in party aspect.
1t was said that these gentlemen could differ
from the President on u mere question of expe-
diency, and still continc Democrats in good
standing. We doubted it, and have had our
doubts confirmed 1t is not that the President
happened to take such position as an individ-
ual, and Mr.. Douglas and his friends happened
to diss mt but the board currents of antagonis-
| VIC plluCiIltb DOE6 MT. DlCUdIldIl, uHtllihb HIS
will, in one direction, and Mr. Douglas in
another. 1t was not matter of individual ca
price or choice. The difference between L.
comptonism and its opposition, is the difference
between the spirit which has come to control
the modern Democratic party. and that which
animates the substantial portion of the Repub-
lican party Mr.. Douglas has crossed the d.
,yiding line. He may, indeed, go back like
John Van Buren, and the other recreant Barn
burners of New York, demagogucs shorn of all
character and influence, Jacks at all party trades
and good for nothing. Or, the Democratic
party itself may repent, and purge itself of the
sin of Lccomptonism. But unless one of these
events happen-and neither seems probable
the dissenting Democrats of to-day must take
part with the organized Republicans of to-mor-
row. We say Republicans, caring nothing for
names or past distinctions but simply meaning
that organization which shall cmbody the prin-
ciplas kindred to thos3 which the Administra-
ton is striving to defeat in the great struggle
now being fought in Congress.