Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-07-27
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$50
= The speech Of Senator Douglas at Chicsgo
in defense Of himself fo= having deserted me
Democratic party at the late session or oon.
gress. aud endesvored to prevent the settieuehs
81 tbe Ksnsas Question, has been places oeIoIe
our readers. 1t is characteristic OF tne m1h'
Whilst it Is skillfui and sdroit, y - n. y
sneerb Of a statesman. Indeed, blr. douglas
cauId never Law claim to any higher character
man nat OF a ready and effective deoatet' We
sbsII have occasion hereafter TO examine sew
srsI 81 the beresies Of this speech Ia detail
For he present, We shall cOnhne ourselves 70
nat one which Is the most dangerous.
The Senator says +; " Il Is true that the mode
Of reference and The form OF submission lunoeT
ne English bill were not such as could sane
tor with nv vote, for the reason that 1t dis
crfminsted between slave States and free States,
nroviding that, n they zane in with the Le-
eompton constitution, they could be received
wifb q. 600; butifthey chose to demand another
c oustitution, more consistent with their sentt-
ments and feelings, they should not be received
into the Union until they had 1890 inhabi-
tants.n
We shall not characterizs this perversion Of
the provisions Of the English bill as it deserves,
but shall proceed at once to 0enouncs the at
tempt. on the part Of the Illinois Senator, to re-
yive the troubles in Kansas BY thus urging the
peopIe Of that Territory, IN case they should
reject the Lacompton constitution, to trans a
fourth constitution before they have a sufficient
nopulation to send one representative to Con-
gress. And this attempt comes froms profess
ed Democrat and friend Of the Unionl
Let US glance at the condition Of the country
when the English bin was presented to Con-
gress. The exasperated feeling betweeh the
North and the South bad reached a dangerous
point. The steam had riseu 30 high as to
threaten an immediate explosion. The ex-
citng-indeed. we might say, the furious de-
bates which had continued for more than three
months, had reused the passions Of men both
North and South, and had prepared them for
Wild measures. Two States Of the Union,
Gsorgis and Alabama, had passed law re-
curing their respective Governors to call con-
Tentions, with a view to consider the question
Of secession from the Union in the case the
Kansas question should not be settled. The
senate bill, which We preferred and still deem
the best bill, had failed in the House through
the iatrigues and influence Of the friends Of
Mr. Douglas from Illinois in that body, acting
IN concert and harmony with the Black Repub
leans. The Union was in peril. At this
crisis the Eoglish bill proposed 20 refer the
land question 70 Tie people Of Kansas for their
decision; and II they did not choose 10 come
into the Union as a State BY voting in the af-
frmstive Of this question, thattheY then should
remain in a territorial condition until they had
n EANNkuLAL ~ ~ aAA A4aAANaA ~
Congress. The alternative was fairly offered
On the one hand, there was presented this fair
and equitable bill. calculated 10 remove all
danger from the Union, aud 10 restore peace
and harmony among the different members Of
he Coufederacy, and this was supported BY
more than uineteen-twentieths Of the Demo
cratic party in Congress. On the other hand,
It was known that a refusal to pass il would
Be the signal for renewed anarchy and cOnfu-
g. E----- 81 u---HI uEHfH N-rFh.- .w~1-.
rate the contest raging between the North and
the South, and expose the Union 10 imminent
danger. Mr.. Douglas chose the latter branch
Of the alternative with all its direful conse-
queDces. How radically wrong be was is dem
onstrsted BY the comparative peace and hsr-
monY which now pervade the whole country
on the slavery question. The love Of the
Union now predominstes everywhere.
10 charity we were, at the time, disposed 10
attribute tbe opposition Of Mr.. Douglas to the
English bill 70 the modification Of defeat; and
We were assured from different sources that be
bad determined TO express bis scquiescence in
this bill in bis speech before the people Of Chi
csgo, and thus throw himself back into the
Democratic party. We were prepared to give
him q hearty welcome. He has now, however,
adopted . contrary cOurse-has denounced the
English bill, and has united with the Black Re-
publicans in attempting 10 galvanize the sboli-
ton spirit into life BY getting up another con-
stirution in Kansas, in violation Of this wise
and %saIutsry law. He endeavored TO persuade
the people Of this TerritorE that they have
been sadly Wronged By the English bill, in re-
curing that the Territory should contain a suf-
hcieut population 70 send one Representative
70 Congress before their admission as a State
into the Union. He has thus played into the
band Of jim Ian and his confederate band Of
rebels, who, thus encouraged, will doubtless
attempt to get up another revolutionary conven-
ton, and frame another Topeka or LeaFen-
worth constitution, in violation OF the act Of
Congress. But this attempt will prove to be a
failure. The people Of Kansas are at length
convinced that peace and quiet are necessary
to their prosperity, and that the turbulent
scenes through which they have passed have
arrested the tide Of emigration to their beauti-
full and fertile Territory, aud have diverted It
20 ofheT regions. Should the Leeompton con
be rejected, they will remain peace
fully as a Territory until they have a sufficient
population 70 become 4 State under the English
Bill. The efITts Of Senator Douglas cannot
prevent this co1summstion. The Kansas ques-
ton is dead IN spite Of all be can DO to revive
it. His detection may, and doubtless will, for
he moment, inigrs the Democratic party to
some extent; bat his ~spasmodic efforts will end
as those Of al others, who have offended in
ike manner, have ended. The great and glo-
-ious cid party will survive a thousand such
shocks. Like a majestic river, il will flow on
"a spite Of all the obstacles which disappointed
politicians can interpOse to arrest its current.