Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-19
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

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knew him we'll from his early manhood. When
conducting the The SIM, in New York city,
for wears the editor Of the Star was thrown as
much with him, personally, as with any other
active Democrat Of that city, of the times His
genius was far more brilliant than that of any
of his compeers, and his perceptions of things
such rs his mind dwelt much on, were remark
ably quick and clear He was also endowed
with moral courage to persevere in carrying
out his political purposes under adverse inau-
ences, to degree surprising that Of almost any
other man We ever knew. Though trained in
the school Of New York city municipal politics
only, his mind took in far wider political
scope than the mind Of almost any other of
those by whom he was surrounded for despite
the peculiar eccentricities of his character and
habits, it was Of philosophical turn. 1t was
his habit, notwithstanding the extent of his
information upon public affairs, to essay to
measure everything by the scale with which be
was originally most familiar Hence the &C.
centrieity of most of his oratorical Efforts
! always 50 full of pungent thought and abiding
integrity Of purpose as to rivet the attention of
! all hearers, and command their respect for his
sentiments and views, however novel, and at
times really indefensible o.
The remarkable point in his character was
his personal ineOrruptibility from the beginning
to the end of his career, while so many with
whom he was necessarily associated were nOtO
riOusly as corrupt ms any others in this country,
Mike was never i'm the market, nor was he ever
approachable by the arts or social persuasiOns
with wheh politicians operate successfully not
unfrequently upon those to whom it would be
dangerous to make sinister propositions in un-
mistakeable language. His independence of
character was strictly in keeping with the in
; tegrity of his nature. lie feared no mans in
! fiuence or enmity, and would oppose the views
and interests of his best friends as quickly and
vehemcntly rs those of his bitterest personal
enemies on judging them inimical to the pub
lie interest. He knew intuitively, as it were,
who were and who were not to be trusted; and
so great confidence had thousands on thousands
| Vi those around him in his judgment and its
| honesty. that, a he went, either with reference
/ to men or measures, they were sure to 90 with
out question When at times without penny
| to purchase food for his family, thousands were
| offered him for hi9 influence TO compass the
enactment by the New York Legislature Of
sinister measures, he VIGOROUSLY spurncd such
brides with hot Indignation. In politics, Mike
was the Burns Of Amcrics, ~ il were his wit
and, genius in its way, being rs brilliant as those
Of the great Scotch poet, and his tastes and
habits as cratic while in the endowment Vi
mate principle, 40 politician ever surpassed
/ him.
Of course he must have died without dollar
laid by for his family for he knew no more of
| the value of money than a child but two years
old-not sufficient TO comprehend how provis-
! ion should and might be made for the wants of
those depehdfng upon him for a week in ad-
vance. Not that he did not passionately love
those naturally dependant on him but such
was the structure of his intellect that his mind
could never take in such matters, though within
the grasp Of the mind of almost every body
else. His place in New York politics can
never be supplied for no other person lives
fitted to be in all respects his successor in them
! HIS ORIGINAL PoSITIoN.-The Natehez Free
| Trdder has unearthed the following resolution
which, it says, was written by Mr.. Stephen Ar
| mold Douglas, which Was reported to the Mis-
-issippi delegation in the Cincinnati Convention
by a committee (of the delegstiOn) appointed
TO consider and report upon what it might be
best for the delegation to propose to the Con
/ SentiOn in connection with the subject OF
slavery
/ al. RsSOlrsd, That the National Democratic
party believe in the perfect political equality OF
the states. and that the citizens of every State
have an equal right To emyrate peaceably 10 the
| Territories, and To take with them whatever l.
! recognized as property in the State from which
they 60 and there receive for il adj gKdts L. gd[
| protection, that there is power in Congress or
IN the Territorial gisature to exclude ON the
| Territories anything which is regarded ~ prop
erty IN state; but when Territory LAS sufficient
Federal population, lawfullT ertaimcd to enti-
| Tie il to one Representative ia Congress. q e. ac-
cOTding to the present ratio g} 400 il is the duty
OF Congress to authorize the Territory To form a
! state Constitution, republican in its form pre-
Paratory To admission int the Union as a State
and that il is no constitutional ground Of obie--
ton To the admission OF such State that tie Com
sttutiUn thus formed either admits or excludes
! Slavery
I We transfer IL 10 the Stars column by way
Of showing its readers that we have been cor
rect in holding that the regeneration of Sena-
tor Douglas upon the Slavery question was one
of the most remarkable that has ever occurred
in the history of American politics.
VESSELS FOR THE NAvY.-Congress having
provided for the purchase by the Government
of the steamers chartered for the expedition to
Paraguay, the Navy Department will take
measures at once to effect that object This
wil 70 he III