Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-10-22
WARRINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

The LATEST DEvEIoPaENT.-The New York
Herald Of Friday lss, contained publication con-
cerning the original position Of Mr. Douglas with
reference to the Lecompton constitution, which,
take u all In all, embraces decidedly the rtshest
development Of political mendscity ever made In
connection with the history of an American public
man. IL amounts to proof conclusive that no other
than Mr.. Douglas himself was the author Of the
celebrated Lecompton Constitution policy; his In
fuence having been effectively used TO induce the
Lseompton convention to carry itinto effect. That
10 to say: to submit to the people Of Kansas for
their ratification rejection the slavery clause Of
the Lecompton constitution only. Fhe proof con-
slsts in the united testimony Of a number of men,
bers Of the Lecompton convention, friends az well
as opponents Of the submission Of the slavery
clause only, that It's triumph was secured by the
influence Of letter from Douglas 10 Gen. Calhoun
urging the resort to the policy by the convention,
which also embraced pledge from d. to get the
constitution through Congress with the slavery
clause only submitted to the people A number
Of these gentlemen testify that through the infu-
ence Of that letter alone were they induced to
change from being opponents to become friends
OF the policy In question; which, II will be re-
membered, triumphed in the convention by one
or two majority only. The widow Of Gen. CAL
houn had the letter Of Douglas in her possession
not long since, and had been offered two thousand
dollars for IT. doubtless by some agent of ID to
whose present position its publication would prove
instant destruction. The H.ra!d makes 1t az clear
as the light Of the sun at MONDAY that Douglas
invented the policy wholly to the end of putting
the national Administration into the inextricable
dilemma which sprang out Of the action of the
Lecompton convention. II Is clear that when he
was secretly urging Calhoun and the rest of his
Kansas admirers to submit to the people only
the slavery clause Of the constitution they were
making, Boosting to them his power to induce
Congress to sanction the policy: and pledg-
ing himself that Ii should triumph in the ma
tional Capitol, he designed casting himself
against II IL the Administration should accept It,
His idea was that II the Administration refused
to accept 1t, the. whole South would array itself
against the Administration; and, IL it should ac-
cept 1t, the whole North would rise ag iinst it
the Administration; and that with either section
at bis back upon such an issue, he had personal
strength sufficient In the other section to secure
electoral votes from 1t enough to give him the
number requisite with those the sectional pop
ularity Of the measure would secure him) to land
him in the Presidency az the result of the next
months election. His calculation an to the sec
tional result of the measure has proved as singu-
larly correct, as his calculation concerning its
effect upon his own fortunes has proved singu-
larly unfounded Thus, instead Of its securing
him well nigh all the North, and his own pop
ularity securing him at the same time sufficient
share Of the electoral votes Of the South, 1t has
simply thrown the North almost entirely into
the hands Of the Republicans, and rendered him
more odious In every county Of every slavehold.
ing State than any other American public man
ever was, except perhaps his prototype, Aaron
Burr.
The Herald's developments in this connection
are in strict keeping with a multitude Of incl
dents In his public history; for no other indi-
vidual who has had en- American Congressional
record 10 so famous for shifting big political
PositioDs-his positions with reference to meas
ures to meet the requirements Of the various
changes Of public opinion upon them. The
mendacity and turbulence with which he asserts
and denies without the slightest regard to fact
truth-to create false impressions with reference
to his course and that Of others, has up to this
time screened him in a great measure from de-
served general condemnation In most of the cases
to which we refer. The publication Of the letter
recently, II not now, In the possession of the
widow Of Gen. Calhoun, will however bring his
game Of trucsiencs and mendacity to . speedy
end