Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-10-19
Douglas at Watertown.

by this euphonious term, and therefore con-
clude there must have been some reason
for giving it exclusively to the little giant
4 demijohn, as our readers are aware
is liquor vessel, and we presume 1t is IN
tended that the demijohn is in use. We
learn from good authority, that Mr.. Doug
las appearance elsewhere, during his search
for his mother, has frequently suggested
the idea Of demijohn, and truth cumpels
us to say that such was his appearance at
this place. We have few harder looking
cases IN our community, and we are not
without Individuals who have long since
chung out signs of Distress" 1t cannot
be disguised, that Mr.. Douglas has long
been and still is an excessively hard drink
er; IN common ,arlance, relating to
other men, a drunkard. What is well
known of him by his most intimate ac-
quaintances proves that his looks do him
no injustice.
The most illustrious Presidents of this
Republic insisted upon the rule, that no
person should be appointed to office under
them who used Intoxicating drink to excess.
But here we have a man who is q candi-
date for President, appearing upon the
stage and advocating his own election, in
! condition unerringly indicative Of confirm
ed inebriety. Can it be that any amongst
US are so lost to propriety and national hon
or that they would place drunkard in the
Presidential Chair? What a spectacle
would that be for the world to gaze upon
What sober, honorable man, would not hide
his face and blush fer shame in view of it Z?
Instead of manifesting approval, by appear
ing with him upon the stage. or introdu-
cling him in burlcsquel as ''the greatest
of living statesmen !'' his sober friends, (if
he has any, should take him under their
care, impose abstinence upon him, battle
his aching temples, and smooth his forid
brow, until his condition and appearance
would not be q disgrace to his party and
the country.
1t has been said that the brain of a
drunkard may be set on fire; whether this
is the case with Mr.. Douglas we do not
pretend to say; but it is certain that the
intellectual fame exhibited by him while
here burned exceedingly blue, and report
says that it was still more so in the even
ing at Fond du Lac. 1t is unnecessary
for US to detail reports similar to those
which follow Mr.. Douglas almost every
where-the sad truth has passed into the
record of history, and there we leave it,
regretting that duty compels US to bear
testimony to this extraordinary feature of
the mans total unftness for the place he
seeks and in which few seemingly mad
men, without discrimination to perceive his
exceeding depravity or principle enough
to oppose it, would place him. Fortunate
ly for the country the people have not yet
fallen so hopelessly low as to elect a com
mon drunkard as we'll as greatest political
knave. to the highest Office in their bestowal;
and of this we have {. guarantee in the re-
cent State elections
1t Will not be expected that we should
make labored reply to the vagaries of
drunkard, even though it be Mr.. Douglas.
He accused Republicans of attempting to
change the administration of the Govern
ment by Congressional interference with
slavery in the Territories, when, had he
been sober, be must have recollected that,
only few years since, he himself offered an
amendment to the bill organizing the Ter
rltory of Oregon, excluding Slavery there
from. in agreement with the uniform action
ofthe government up to 1913 Indeed, on
ly last May, he said to the South, in
speech delivered in his place in the Senate.
"What other inch of Free Territory has
been converted into Slave Territory on the
American Continent, since the Revolution.
except in New Mexico and Arizona under
the principle of Non-Intervention affirmed
at Charleston ?"--which was tantamount to
the declaration that the course of the gov
eminent had been to exclude Slavery from
Free Territory, up to the very recent date
OF its action relating to New Mexico and
Arizona, If absurdity or duplicity can 20
further than this, we confess our inability
to comprehend how it is possible. It was
very natural for such man to reiterate
what he knew to be SANDER, viz that
Mr.. Lincoln had said that this Confedera-
cy could not continue. with part Free, and
part Slave States, If it were worth the
while it could easily be shown that every
thing he said against the Republican par
ty was equally false, and characteristic of
the man, adapted to excite supreme loath-
ing and disgust in every well informed and
upright mind Taken altogether, Mr..
Douglas at Watertown was such a specta-
Gle as is to be seen only once in cycle,
and for the credit of humanity should new
er have been seen at all.