Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-07-01
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

The RIDDLE.-While men of common sense,
attributing to its writer entire integrity Of
purpose in framing it, would have no difficulty
in comprehending the meaning of the recent
Iowa letter Of Senator Douglas, subsequent
publications made by various writer's of sundry,
letters to numerous journals, purporting, each
OF them, to give the Senator's meaning of his
words, in most cases as from his ownEps, have
so mistifed his real intentions, as therein ex-
pressed, as that the public must necessarily
wait longer to learn, from his action, and that
Of his friends, whether he and they are or are
not to be found in hostile array against the
Democratic party in 1860. The very last yer.
sion of the meaning of this very la. letter of
his, defining his position, we find in the New
York Herald of Wednesday last, as follows:
POLITIcs IN PHILADELPHIA.
M Douglas "a IotcH-His Late P,onsncta-.eato
The TIVE EIptandt,oH-His CAR. rot .he
Presidency IN 1860, but in 1854.
PHLADELPHIA, June ~. 1859 MIR Douglas
arrived IN, this city yesterday, and his presence
mere enables me to give you the true explanation
OF MS recent manifesto. II is not split in the
party camp al Charleston, an independent
movement in the North like that of Van buren, I'm
ISIS On the contrary, Mr.. Douglas expects
heartily to cooperate with the South In behalf Of
the Charleston num naton -.... ....#"
Impressed with the conviction that his sauatter
sovereignty platform would inevitably defeat his
nomination at Charleston his late manifesto NAV
be considered as sort Of declnaton In advance
ne ano ms peftisans, however, will have a voice
| In the Convention and he believes that they will
have power, against ali adverse combinations, to
secure the nomination Of Gov. Wise.
| w hat then! Why then, from the strong South
| ern pro-slavery position assumed by Governor
Wise on the subject Of slavery in the Territories
the calculation of Mr.. Douglas is that the Democ-
racy VIII be so1ndly thrashed in 1850 as TO be
4 ia apE In lG4
Thus the whole meaning of this Douglas mani
IeSto Is declination, HE part of the Charles
ton nomination in favor of Governor Wise, with
the expectation Of Democratic defeat In 1868,
which in 1854 will compel the party to fall back
| upon Douglas. For the substantial accuracy of
these views have the very best authority.
We print this Philadelphia version for what
1t is worth; adding, merely, that we have no
| doubt that all Mr. Douglas can do to secure the
| nomination of Governor Wise will be done, not
| withstanding the vehemence of tho latter's late
eptstolary arguments in favor Of the principle OF
that " slave code for the Territories, ;" of which
| the distinguished Senator has so intense horror
AS for the question who is to achieve the
nomination, that can only be solved in the
making of the candidates. Governor Wise has
an active party in Virginia-few in numbers il
is true, but his own spirit and energy of char
acter can and will effect matchmaking him q
formidable aspirant for the support of the vir-
ginia delegation at Charleston Outside Of
| Virginia he has no personal party in the South,
while the Southorn-Rghts leaders everywhere
have an intense disincliIation to his nomina.
ton; being more inclined to censure him for
hls opposition of many years standing to their
views in almost all things, than to praise him
for his alleged conversion to them in his twenty,
seven-eolumn letter to Mr. Sanford. of Ala
bama.
On the whole, we take little interest in cur
rent squabbles for the nomination of 1910. We
believe it will be made upon the principle Of
selecting the man who has most strength where
the Democracy may hope to carry doubtful
States. Else the result bids fair to be ..al day.,
with them