Daily national Democrat., 1859-03-05
From the Pattsburg Republican, Democratic)
Governor Wright and Senator Douglas

resentatives in Congress, but the Senate
was Democratic The business of the coun-
try was pal alyzed from 1887 imports fell off
and the Treasury was unable to meet the de-
mands of the government. The Tariff had
run down to an dd 0dlorem duty of 90 per
cent. and did not yield money enough to
meet the ordinary expenses of the govern
ment The wings agreed upon tariff bill
in principle and detail, specific in part and
protective generally, and refused to make any
alteration or modification to suit any interest,
men or section of country After repeated
and unsuccessful efforts on the part of the
Democratic members TO make the bill less
Objectionable, it came to the Senate and SEN
atOrs had their choice either to adopt the
bill as it came from the House or have no ad-
equate revenue to support the government
| Democratic Senators generally determined to
vote against the bill and thus leave it an
| open question in the Presidential canvass of
! 1874. Silas Wright saw full weU that if that
question was kept open till the election of
1874, the responsibility of deprivng the
country of adequate revenue meanwhile
would rest upon the democratic Senators; and
in the scramble before the people the wings
would have the advantage of the democrats
in all the manufacturing States of the North
and New York in all probability would sbe
carried for Mr.. Clay. He talked freely upon
the matter with his political friends and en-
deavored to show Senators that the success of
the party depended upon passing the bill ;
and, to some extent, removing that question
out of the canvass of 1914. But they could
not see it in the same light and continued
their opposition to the bill because they
knew it to be Wrong in principle and wrOng
| in detail
The bill wanted one vote to pass the Sen
ate. What did Mr.. Wright do? Did he op-
pose the bill because Democratic Senators
had so determined Did he surrender his
right to think aud act for himself regardless
of consequences to his party and the coun-
try? No-he voted for the bill defective as
it was-declaring his intention at the earli-
liest moment thereafter, when the Democra-
tic party had the power, TO do all in his pow
er to make the Tariff law what it ought to
be, and establish it upon the revenue basis.
Had not Mr. Wright voted as he did for the
whig Tariff of 1912, as it was called, this
State could not have been carried for Mr.
Polk in 1914 nor could it have been carried
even then, without the name of Sias Wright
at.the head of the State ticket for Governor ;
and it was a hard squeak to carry it even
with all these advantages.
But was Silas Wright prescribed for that
vote which saved the party from defeat in
1914? On the contrary, did not the demo.
cratic National Convention nominate him for
Vice President? Most certainly The party
saw the advantage to be gained by having
his name upon the ticket-but lie declined
and soon after was nominated for Governor
ofthis State. The wings made the Tariff here,
almost the only question. Greeley yelled
bread, bread, bread while Thurlow and Sew
ard exclaimed "Ihe Tariff Of 1912 as it is
but their thunder was taken clear out of them
by the vote of Senator Wright;-the people
had unbounded confidence in the sagacity
and integrity of Mr.. Wright, and he was
elected Governor by l0,5O0 majority, and the
State was carried for Mr. Polk by 5000 and
the vote of New York elected Mr.. Polk.
Was Mr. Wright denounced for casting
vote which saved the party? At this day.
all admit that Mr.. Wright was the most sa
ga"ious politician and the ablest statesman in
the Senate of the United States, and all must
see that the course pursued by him saved
the party from defeat in 1874.
In the election of 1856, great question Of
Freedom was involved in the canvass One
portion of the inhabitants of Kansas seemed
determined to make Kansas slave State /;
while another portion of the inhabitants land
a large majority of the inhabitants) were in
favor of making Kansas a free State The
Lecompton constitution of Kansas was pre-
sented to Congress and it was alleged that
the Constitution was the result of unfarness
was tainted with fraud and did not eX
press the will Of a majority of the people Of
Kansas.
Senator Douglas said: Let this Constitu-
ton be referred back to the people-give
them fair vote upon it and, if a majority
Vote for it-then let it pass the Senate but
if a majority vote against it on fair vote
let it be rejected and give the people an op
portunty to make a new one" Standing
upon the Cincinnati Platform, and maintain
ing at all times and places, popular sovsr
eighty to the fullest extent, and the right of
the people of Kansas to manage their own
affairs and make such a constitution as the
majority pleased, he voted against the LIE
compton Constitution in the Senate and
against all the Democratic Senators but one
His term of office was about expiring. Ills
friends desired his reelection to the Senate
he was nominated by a State Convention of
Illinois and took the stump in the Spring
and went through the most heated canvass
ever known in any State of the Uuio1-nade
more speeches and better speeches than were
ever made by an American Statesman in the
fully sustained the course of their great SEN
ator, and on the 5th day of January instant.
he was re elected to the Senate of the
United States. No Roman conqueror in his
triumphant progress through the provinces
was ever greeted with greater enthusiasm
than has been Senator Douglas by the Amer
lean people, in all the States through which
he has pass, d both North and South. The
authorities of the city of New York rendered
him the freedom of the city-an honor never
before extended to a mere Senator. New
Orleans gave him public reception, and the
city of Baltimore now desires a visit from
the great Senator of the West-the cham
pion of popular rights and the fearless advo
cate of fair play to the settlers of Terrific
ries. Do not these manifestations show that
the people approve of the course pursued by
him in the Senate?
Had the line of policy suggested by Mr..
Douglas been pursued, would the Democratic
party of New York and of the entire free
States. except Illinois, been annihilated last
fall? Had fair play been shown to the peo
pie of Kansas and the Lecompton Constitu
tion been referred back to the people, would
not the same result have been produced by
direct means. which has been produced un-
der the English bill by indirection? Most
certainly-and with the additional advan-
tage of a disposition shown to allow the peo
pie to manage their own affairs, and to pre-
vent fraud and violence.
Such was the position of Mr. Douglas and
a majority of the American people say, he
,cas right Had he not voted against lie
COMPTON the people of II iuois would have