Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-05-17

douglas, In the Senate yesterday and the day be
lore was precisely what, under the circumstances
surrounding him, we had expected. AS popu-
lar oratorical effort, II was unquestioDably en-
tertaining, able, and ingenious one as an argu-
ment, most disingenuous one; as an historical
synopsis Of the facts In controversy, most afro
ciously untruthful one and, as a State paper
neither more nor less than very huculent and
shamefully impudent and trickey one. He sought
to establish the fact that while he has always been
| a consistent advocate Of his own plan for aboli-
tionising the Territories, Senator LAWS, of Miss,
has, alone Of the Democratic party Of the South,
been consistently its opponent. Or, In other
words, that up to the adoption Of the Davis reso-
| buttons by the Senate's Democratic caucus the
whole Democratic party-Senator Davis alone ex-
cepted-was standing with himself In favor of
the right Of the emigrant aid societies to aboli-
tonse the Territories, under the plea of the squat
ter sovereignty rights Of their instruments duly
sent into them to that end
His purpose was to confound or identify the
non-intervention principle of the South-wben
contending against the right Of Congress to legis-
late against the co-equality of the South in the
Teritories-with approval of his squatter SOW
e-egnty theory. Or, in other words, to prove that
while the South was battling against the right of
Congress to exclude slavery from the Territories,
50 shc Suhc hIllc Ddtul0R JOT the right oil
/ squatters to do that same thing. To sustain that
view he quoted deliberately from the votes of the
South in Congress, from Southern resolutions
against Congressional Intervention in Territories
against the existence of slavery in them, and, in
deed from any and every Southern word or deed
| that mig possibly be perverted to seem to mean
an Endorsement Of his heresy, by entirely ignoring
| the truth concerning the position of the South
| upon the question, by which position, rather
IMAM by his eleventh hour assumption for his own
benefit, it should manifestly be construed
He claimed that the South had voted in 1915 for
Cas-, upon the doctrine of that gentleman 3 Mich
olson letter; indorsing and approving his mir 50
construction oft in so doing. Also that in voting
fo< Richardson to be the House Speaker I'm prefer
| ence to Banks, after r. had made his sGuatter
sovereignty speech, the South had pledged her
self to the avowal of the soundness of his theory
OF the rights of territorial legislatures to taboo
slavery. Naught but cunning, we take 1t for
granted, prevented him from pursuing the same
nne OF argument to the point of claiming that the
iate vote OF the South for Mr.. McClernand to be
the Speaker In preference to Mr.. Sherman meant
neither more nor less that her the Sonths) avowaI
that squatter sovereignty abolitionism was thence
forward her political faith
AS bold and ingenious as were the assumptions
for factS) by which he essayed to bolster up this
lmpudent line of argument, It's utter want Of
foundation in truth is apparent as that IT will
hardly require the reply at southern hands it will
| doubtless receive.
| "nat ne aimed to prove was that the South
having sustained quatter-sovereignty abolition
ism up to this point, must, to be consistent adopt
him as her Presidential candidate with the avowal
on his lips that if elected, all the powers of his
administration shall be duly exerted to protect
squatters In Territories in the exercise of the right
he claims for them to legislate against the CO.
equality Of the South. That he must necessarily
be adopted as the South's Presidential candidate
too' with full knowledge Of his plotting and
contemplating against southern rights, with
Messrs. Seward, Hale, Wilson, Giddings & Co,
in the Lecompton-C Constitution contest; and of his
subsequent declaration that his baggage was
packed and checked through for the Republican
camp station; and that he stood with ak in one
hand to cut down the bridges behind him, and
torch in the other to burn them, awaiting impa-
tiently for the signal at which he should Jump on
board the lightning train destined for the head
quarters OF the RepubIican-party forces that
signal being the virtual pledge he asked, that on
asserting The Democracy In its hour of sorest trial.
he would be received at his own valuation in the
open arms of the Republican party army
Want of space prevents Us from critcising his
speech in detail. 1t meant that as the south had
offered to take Richardson in preference TO Banks
and McClernand in preference TO Sherman, there
fore she must take him (Douglas) In preference to
Seward; and that II she declines so doing he will
devote all his energies and those Of all his con-
Tollabie followers to the work Of placing the
General Government in the hands of avowed
aoolluonlsm-a contingency which we by no
means regard as being so full of evil TO the
futu M he nYtI,
main united for selfPtOtection as his election to
the Presidency.
Much Of his speech put us In mind Of the bald,r
dash used by showmen who humbuc the gaping
crowd with the wonders Of their exhibitions
Gentlemen and ladies, this is the great American
institution called popular sovereignty. Look at its
vast size and proportions. 1t has been growing
and growing these twenty years; till YOU see II
what 1t is-the hugest monster Of modern times!
IL feeds Oh Presidents, Senators Representatives
ana all unlucky politicians that come IN IA. way
Whcsoever 1t meets 1t devours. Look at its belly
IL has Justswallowed the whole Democratic party,
It's skin, you will perceive, is speckled on the
back ana on the belly, either one, Il makes M
difference which. 1t can fast for eight years
longer, and then will be strong enough to swaI
low the Presidency. That there is poison i'm the
fork Of his tongue is vulgar error; for his mus
cular power is at the end OF his tail which he
swings with great energy, and with which he
cuisines his victims. But you need not be afraid
OF him while in my hands, ! have tanned the
crtter 10 obey my commands He Is of greater
or less longevity; but as he never ceases TO grow
as long az he lives, there is no criterion for his
life Walk up, walk up, ladies and gentlemen
and see the squatter- sovereignty wonder!
The ADDRESS TO THE SEcEDERs.-This morn
ing's Constitution contains the Democratic Con-
greSsional address to the seceders from the
charleston Convention, concerning which we
have repeatedly Informed the Stars readers. We
cannot possibly transfer it to the Stars columns
to-day, and must therefore be content to do so TO-
morrow 1t is an able paper and goes directly to |
tie point at which those who sign 1t aim. Its |
provisions are approved 10y every Democratic |
member OF the House and Senate not identified |
with Doug lasism, though quite a number of them |
have not signed it for reasons personal TO them
selves or apPertaining to the of party affairs
In their respective States the principal objection
urged by such gentlemen being either that the