The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1860-08-10

y Mr.. Douglas should have been til
u fret man to fly to their lelief; and
y, he had been as completely dedicate
II to the principles Of his bill. as som
would make us believe, he woul
have urged investigation and carrie
J it. 50 far from having done so, b
e put himself into the lead Of thos
. Senators most hostile to an exposi
ton, and became tho mere mouth
: piece, advocate, and apologist {
y those engaged in the work of forcin
: slavery upon an unwilling people -
) lie enjoyed at that timo the full con
> fldence of the South, and his Demo
cracy was orthodox; because he wa
= loyal to his task masters, willing t,
do battle for their most extravagan
demands. lie was then Chairman
of the Committee on Territories, ant
| call attention to his report as such
made March -, 1856, as conclusiv,
upon the point | have stated. Ii
that paper he could find nothing t,
say against foreign conspiracies t
invade the soil of Kansas and con
troll elections; but he had much tC
offer in condemnation of Eastern
associations to encourage remova
thither. He could discover no ir.
regularities in the return of Mr.
Whitfield, the pro.slavery delegate,
to the House OF Representatives, bu,
he clearly discernod that the terrific
rial Legislature was legally elected
body, with perfect authority to enact
) the most cruel and arbitrary slave
codes, and that the complaints Of
fraud and force were gotten up
merely to stimulate and excite North
ern emigration. AT the time of
which | speak, there was no one in
Congress or out OF Congress, in office
office or out OF office, who oxerted
himself more untiringly to perpetu.
ate that reign of terror inaugurated
to insure tho admission of Kansas
into the Union as slave state.
icnr there are many now bearing mp
I the banner inscribed with the name
-. this Senator. who never have fully
understood. OF who have forgotten
this tarnishcl page in his history -
II there has over been q more deter.
mined Toe tn the growth of free lom
/ in Kansas or to the principles of the
/ Nebraska Kansas hil! than Stephen
/ A. Douglas, he has been able To keep
himself very much under cover. It
il gratifying, hoiyrrpr, 10 make u
single remark in his favor, it ia this:
that he seems as willing as the most
ardent OF his friends to divert attcn.
tion from this period in his career.
| am not aware that in either essay
or address, he has venturcd to recur
to il; but, ON the contrary, he seems
disposed to treat it as a blank in his
lite.
While these proceedings were pro.
crossing in the Senate, the other
branch of Congress carried resolu
tions of investigation under "A close
division OF parties, and sent select
committee to the territory. The
consequence was such an exposure
as satisfied the country not only OF
tEo truth OF everything charged, but
OF existing conspiraces beyond any
thing that had been imagined. The
published evidence ctltctualiy reveal.
cd the intentions of the South, and
: made deep impression upon the
North. 1t was then established that
neither law nor prop,ietics were to
be allowed to stand in the way oj
slavery extension, and we are almost
driven to the conclusion that the
repeal Of the Missouri restriction
was but n par. OF the general and
well matured plan Of operations, al
. the head Of which stood the self.
! crowned chief OF popular territorial
government. Mr.. Douglas term 0
Office was now approaching its close
: 1t il not unlikely that desire lor re
election, and a knowledge of tho
' conviction forced upon his state by
, the examination alluded To, induce,
him to look with different eyes upoI
= Kansas, and created an anxiety OF
:, his part to take up the causo OF he
robbed and wretched people. | can
\ not certainly say how this may hav,
beon; | only state sudden an,
y miraculous change came over him
and tor while he seemed to gior'
. in the name of 'robel.' lie oppose,
y y the admission OF Kansas under tn
'" Lecompton Constitution with seem
. ing seriousness, and then announce
- his determination to vote Tor tll
|, greater iniquity, the English bill
:, II was then the honored aud heroi
:, Harris, who now sleeps in deatl
: shed tears of anguish and gave N
\, terance to his despair. Over tn
v, v, again the veil has been carefully an
~ closely drawn by the guardians I
y, Mr.. Douglas fame. His admirel
~ have acted wisely, as it has prevcn
he ed, doubtless, many unpleasant gu
3. mises and suggestions. To tht
30 - boldest, and truest, and greatest
N all the warriors in the battle for Il
~ right, David O. Broderick, is M
%od % Douglas indebted for his rescue fro
m ,n a whirlpool which would certain
3, have engulphed him-from a alta
Oh which would havo obliterated i
~ heroism in connection with the eau
- to which he had so ostentatious
!. ~ proiessed to devote himself. wit
"a o. hold the words in which the scathi
~ rebuke was clothed. And yet IL
~, noblest and most self.sacrificing
NJ, NJ men, Mr.. Douglas protector, !
he martyr to truth, who in the fulln'
rS m Of his heart, and on his dying cou'
,hs exclaimed, they have killed n