The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-07-05
The Douglas NiaRii sia--AsJoHniing
ReyGlati0ns..ss In she Tlidst at a
Revolution.

The special adyices frcn. Washington concern
| ing the Douglas manifest @ilfeh We iay before
| our readers this moraiHe, are somewhat caicu-
lated to stastle the sleepy convention engineers
| OF the national democracy. 1t thus appears that
| the venerable sage OF Underworld ex President
| Martin Van Buren, is al the bottom Of this Doug
| las ultmatum that the skeleton Of the Sena-
tors letter prepared for him by the Presi-
| dent, and published in pursuance of his plan of
operations that. in the future prosecution OF
the movement thus agreed upon, Mr. Douglas
Is soon to have q private meeting in this city
with Mr.. Van Buren, and certain other choice
spirits, to cut out the work of our democratic
State Convention Of September; that ia this
view the so-caed hard shell wing OF the New
/ York democracy are to be turned out Of the
State Convention without heari &, and that
solid unmlxed Douglas delegation viii be ap
ponted for Charleston selected BY the Albany
| Regency.
This schedule emboies tie plan Of cam
paign 50 perfectly consistent with passing public
events, and SO perfectly III keeping with the tao
ties OF the Albany iunta, that it cannot fail 10
make strong impression upon the mind of the
intelligent reader. Thus, assuming that this un-
expected manifesto Of Mr.. Douglas is coup
aetat originating the in deep intriguing mind Of
Martin Van Buren,, we readily understand
that the contemplated issue OF the Charleston
Convention is = Northern democratic free soil
rupture like that OF l84S, but upon a much
more extensive and formidable scale. In this
connection, the copious chapter OF newspaper
commentaries which we also publish this morn
| ing on this Douglas manifesto will be found ex-
ceedngy interesting. Taken promlscuously
from the organs of all our prominent political
parties and factions Of the NORTH these extracts.
with single exception or two, foreshadow the
dissolution OF the democracy at Charleston in
the difficult channel OF "sqnatter sovereignty
az laid down in the steering instructions OF Mr..
Douglas.
The two-thirds rule OF our democratic ma
tional conventions il we are not mistaken. an
plies only 70 their nominees for the Presidency
and VICE Presidency. The platform ii we un-
derstand II, may be adoped by majority. It
has generally been adopted az a mere formality.
10 very loose and irregular manner, and espe-
ciaily was this the case 1T Cincinnati. II. there.
fore, the platform SHALL be lett ut Charleston 10
the decision Of the majority, the delegates from
the Northern States will dictate it, and thus be.
tore reaching the question of the candidate, the
Southern wing OF the party may BE- cut off And
80, N pushing the Southern Democracy out OF
the Convention, the Douglas division ma secure
the prestige 0f the regular national party or
ganizAtion. Hence, perhaps, the arbitrary game
indicated in reference to lhs New York delega-
ton y Charleston, and the very active engineer
ing Of the Douglas men in the same direction ia
every other Northern State.
Upon this transparent humbug of popular
sovereignty in the Territories, and upon the
beautiful Aorthern and Southern distractions.
dissensions. divisions aud conspraces tia, have
been scattered br0a beast over the land IRON that
PandorA's box, the Krnsas Nebraska bin. we
might nov pronounce the democracy as q ma
.onal party dissolved and practically disbanded,
nat ior the saving balance Of power possessed by
NJ. Buchanan's administration. lie, in the set
uement OF the Kansas dispute, would have re-
united aud restored the party TO its ancient
strength. but for the restless and reckless
schemes Of ~ ambitious leaders. They would
rule or ruin his ADMINISTRATION, and they have
ruined the party almost beyond remedy. Il can
only % saved BY general rally upon the ad- |
ln'nlstFations and II the party II Cbarleston ssc
ceeds - avoiding the rock of dissolution. ieNln
p Through ths ooanssls, iaAusnce eud Isinr