The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-11-02
From the Cincinnati Gazette.]

At first view the present contest OF Uougi
to in which he is ostensibiy ~aging war sga
ha Executive usnrpat tio0, and dictAtion OF the nj
s fagrant kind, appears to be one that sho,
awaken popular synpathy. The attempts
all NJ. Buchanan to crush him for the legtims
and proper maintenance Of honest opinion
"a we're that the full statement OF the case, wou
"A command almost universal execration. We
= Douglas stalking all his fortnnes on the ies
= which ostcnsibly divides the President and hil
!. self, and were he honestly and consistently co
tending for what is now understood by Ant
Lscom 2.on principles, from patriotic and sol
- soientious convictions, there would be lit
y doubt OF his achieving glorious triumph. ~
K he would have our full and cordial 81 mpathy
his present conflict.
But We are sorryts say that the Senator h,
clearly placed himself without the pale Of sue
a sympathy. We are compelled to see in b
I course during the last twelvemonth. abundar
proofs that he is not playing straight ioswart
honest and earnest part. We detect repeate
evidences of inconsistency, and duplicity an
prsvarication, such destroy all rational con
I hdsnce in him as a sound and reliable states
man, or as true champion Of popular rights
We have endsavored TO judge him charitably
and without harshness or prejudice. We should
indeed, have bsen most happy to oserlsol
whatever We disapprovsd in his previous career
could We but see unequivocal evidence OF
purpose to do right in the future. We find le
such evidence. We are satisfied Of the contra
ry. Let him but succeed in this battle, anl
we venture to say that the Southern uitraiss,
still have no more oossquious Northern slave
than he.
While Judge Douglas, bending in advance to
the popular breeze that was uumistak kably
| coming, denounced the Lecompton swindle ~
. monstrous wrong, it cannot be forgotten that
sniy = few short weeks previously, at the oapi-
tai OF his own State he fully sustained the infa-
nous Calhoun convention which gave that in :
stsumsnt birth. His language on this occasion
not used at random or in ignorance OF the
facts was utterly inconsistent with his sub.
sequent rebellion against that test measure
| Of the Democracy.
douglas Justify complains now-when he sees
whittier tho popular current overwhelmingly
tehds-that the wo K Of the sham Constitute nal
convention was not submitted to the people Of
Kansas for ratification or rejection But when
Senator Toombs proposed bill, at = prevou.
session, authorizing such convention, and rs.
q"arang that the constitution framed should, &C.
cording TO usage, be submitted 10 popular
vote. Douglas reported back the bill with the
submission clause stricken out
Until very recent date, Douglas has con-
stantiy and zealonsly proclaimed his full alls-
glance to the Dred Scott decision, in all :ts
parts Yet this decision utterly annihilates all
that was peculiar or of the least consequence in
MS Popular Sovereignty doctrne-if such
an lnteiigIbls doctrine there ever we're. Forced
now by the exigencias Of his discussion with
Lincoln, TO face this gIaring Inconsistency, be
resorts to tho pitiful subterfuge Of declaring
tbat while, by the Taney dictum, the people
OF Territory cannot consttutionally exclude
slavery, they may, BY refusing to protect il by
favorable legislation drive out the institution if
they choose. This, then, is all there is left of
the poor scheme OF popular Sovereignty ~
And how does this comport with the honor and
dignity of true craftsmanship?
The truth is, this after thought Of popular
Sovereignty" as an excuse for the gross viola
ton OF public faith psrpetrated in the repeal
OF the restrictive clause Of the Missouri Com
promise, was either always confused tumble
OF ideas in the mind of Douglas, or else he
has been shifting his ground in regard to it, de-
iloerately and dishonesty, from time to time,
AS occasion required. According to either view,
he 10 not man tit to be trusted with high DO
litical power.
From the start Of this great rebellion, we
have given Douglas the benefit of every doubt
in favor Of his honesty of purpose. We have
watched him during the present canvass with
deep interest, and have desired to find in him,
1t possible, true and faithful champion Of the |
people, IN opposition - the worse than Ilonar- |
chical usurpstions Of the present government.
In this, we repeat, we have been elsa ppainted |
We think the Judgment Of every candid OBJ
server OF this remarkable canvass will coincide I
with our own. But for the necessity Of a pop
ular verdict on his course, as a candidate for |
reelection to the Senate, there is much reason |
to doubt that he would have swerved a hairs |
breadth from the requirements of his party
But Tor personal rivalry between himself and I
buchanan, We greatly question whether he |
would have respected Northern sentiment, and |
ventured to cast vote or to utter word often. |
slve 10 the extremists Of the South. If retain. /
ed IN power now, we cannot but believe that he |
would make good haste to reconcile his South. |
ern ales, on the single point OF difference be-
ween them and him At present. As to fihbus- |
tsring and the acquisition Of slave territory, he
has shown an sagerness to outstrIp even Buch- |
anan as q candidate for Southern favor On
this ground and that OF former services he
has still large proportion Of even the FIRE
eaters ON his side. Ii again returned to the
Senate, he will probably DO their obsequious
instrument and possibly their Presidential can
didate.
For the reasons We have stated, and for 9TH
ers we have not room TO state, and which will
readily suggest themselves as connected with
THESE, IL - plain that no hearty Republican or
cordial opponent of the permanent party = Of
pro slavery Democracy, can hesitate TOR an in
stant, as between Lincoln and Douglas, on
waich side to cast his support TO enlist his
sympathy. The one, born where slavery il an
established institution and knowing all its good
and evil, has manfully and honestly assumed
his position as AN opponent OF the extension Of
that wrsng and curse. The other, born in
free State, aud whose native instincts and sense
OF right must have strongly lmpellcd him in
the same direction, has spent his political life
IN the service of the slavery cause, and even
now, in his utmos. strait, asows ali entire in
difference whether, in any Territory, slavery is
voted up or voted down." The one is con-
sistent anti slavery man, ready at all times to
throw his influence on the right side; the other
has been chiefly noted hitherto for the ntiu-
encs he has cast in the opposite scale, and ss-
pecially in breaking down great "barrier of
freedom" precisely like that which has saved
all the Northwest to freedom. We trust the
people Of Illinois will improve their present op-
portunity, and deprive him Of further power
to do mischief. They will thus none the lsss
administer to the autocrat Of the White House
an effective rebuke.
ExrExPoRR BABY.-Parisian sympathy is very
much interested, just now, in the accounts Civ
en- of the growth and ACCOMPLISHMENTS Of 4