Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-08-14


disposed OF 1t. No amount of populari.
ty would be able to stand against the en-
com'umS OF such an advocate. HIS mid
night appeal can only be accounted fol-
by supposing the "old public fuactionary'
1 WAS unable 10 obilterate his animosity 10.
wards 1.-The young gentleman of Ken
! tucky. and that his well known craf
I suggested speech as the readiest and
least offensive means of destruction
4 such suggestions are the more reasona-
Ole, as 1t is not TO be imagined that the
gyved tenant of the White House should
Tor moment believe, after the investi-
. = .-----i - '-~-~~ SSSr. f.s.as TIC
exposures which have been made, such
testimony as he volunteered could be-,
otherwise than ruinous TO any ccurse.-
The daring evlnced by him on the occa-
SION was only equaled by his 'acIl of
self respect, and his utter disregard of
the circumstances by which he was sur
rounded, and which should have restrain
ed him.
Whatever conclusions may be drawn
as TO my estimate of Mr.. Breckinridre's
character as politician, | can only say
that my esteem for HIM Is profound when
brought into comparison with that which
entertain for his Democratic competi-
tor There are few, If any. living men
concerning whom more has been said
ana less really known, than Stephen A
Douglas, OF Illinois. There are thou
sands-by far too many thousands-now
sustaining him under the mistaken and
deluSve idea that he is directing his eff
forts 10 counteract the plans of the South
ern Democracy. This is frightful hall
IucInanon, but natural one when we
take into consideration the humilating
fact that all that devotion could do has
been done 10y those surrounding his per-
son, TO dlslort ! true record. and TO stamp
counterfeit Chara cter for him on the
public mind. Viewing him as one of
tie most unsafe and treacherOus of lead
ers, You will pardon me for certain state
ments which 1t now seems necessary
should be made, and the correctness of
which, | presume, will not be impugned.
| have not yet forgotten, when. IN the
winter of 1876. during The first session
Of the Thlrty-fourth Congress, the resi-
dents of Kansas, asseverating that the
cardinal principle of the Nebraska Kan
sas act had been wantonlv and wickedly
nullihed, that fraud and violence, con-
cocted in the Blue Lodges of Missouri.
had invaded thier homes and imposed a
foreign rule upon them, for the purpose
of forcing upon them institutions which
they abhorred. and invoking the interpo-
Slton of Congress in their behalf, the
prded father of - untrammelled Popu-
lar Sovreignty .urned his back upon his
/ violated child, and closed his ears as in
/ death, to complaints of outrage almost
without parallel in the civilization of the
country. These despoiled pioneers, who
had taken up their abode in Territory
under The most olemn guarantees OF self
government, only asked 10 prove their ac-
cusati)ns, aud TO be relieved from op-
preston. In other words, they declared
they had never been able to enjoy self
government, that they were ruled by in
vaders, and demanded the sovereignty
conferred by law upon them.
Mr.. Douglas should have been the first
man 10 fly 10 their relief, and if he had
been as completely dedicated to the prin-
clples of his bill, as some would make US
believe, he would have urged inveSiiga-
ton and carried it. So far from having
done so, he put himself in the lead Of
those Senators most hostile to the expo
sltlon, and became the mere moth piece,
advocate, and apologist of those engaged
IN forcing Slavery upon an unwilling peo-
pie. He enjoyed at that time the fullest
confidence of the South, aud his Democ-
raCy was orthodox, because he was loyal
10 his task-masterS willing 10 do baul.
tor their most ex'cavagant demands. H
was then Chairman of the Committee on
Territories, and call attention to his re-
port as such, made March II, 1886, as
conclusive upon the point | have stated
la that paper he could find nothing a.
galnst foreign conspiiacies to invade the
soil of Kansas and control elections, but
he had much 10 ofer in condemnation of
Eastern associations TO encourage remo-
val thIlher. He could discover no irreg-
uIarItes in the return of Mr.. Winfield.
the Pros Slavery delegate to the House of
epreseLta.ives, but he clearly discern
ed that the Territorial Legislature was
legally elected body, with perfect au-
thorlty TO enact the most cruel and arbl-
trary slave codes. and that the conn laiuts
OF fraud aud force were gotten up mere
ly 10 stimulate and excite Northern EN-
lgratlon.
At the time OF which l speak, there
was no one in Congress or out Of Con-
gress, IN office or out Of Office, who ex-
erted himself more untirIngiy to perpel-
uate that reign of terror lndugUrated 10
insure the admission of Kansas into the
Union as a Slave State. | fear there
are many now bearing up The banner
inscribed with the name OF this Sen
aior, who never have fully understood,
or who have forgotten this tarnlshed page
IN has history. If there has ever been d
more determined foe to the growth Of
Freeecm 10 Kansas, or 10 the principles
of the Nebraska Kansas bill Than Ste-
phen A. Douglas, ne has been able TO
keep himself very much under cover
1t IS gratifying, however, 10 make a sin
gle remark III his favor, II IS this: that
he seems as willing as The most arden, OF !
his trends 10 divert altentlou from this !
periJd OF ms career. | am not aware |
ihat, IN either essay or address, he /
mas Yentured 10 recdr 10 1t; but on rEi, }
contrary he seems disposed to tree: II as /
a blank In his life.
Whilst these proceedings were pro- !
!. essIng III the Senate, the other branch
of Congress carried resolutions Of inyes-
-igatIon under close division OF parties.
and sent select commI.l-e TO The Ter