Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1860-08-02
Douglas and Popular SOver-
eighty.

eighty.
These are the magic words which are
doing a great work in this campaign
No man can calculate their effect. AL
ready they have aroused an enthusiasm
among the people which is on the increase
in every city, town and hamlet through.
out the Union. The fair prospect is that
before November they will produce such a
whirlwind of excitement as to sweep over
the whole land and leave scarcely vestige
Of opposition remaining.
The reason of this is not difficult to un-
derstand The name of Douglas, like
that of jefferson, has becom identified
with the great American idea of Self
Government. AS Jefferson contended for
the independence Of the colonies collect.
lively, and the right of each separately to
govern itself, so Douglas has coutended
maniully for the right of each Territory
as well as Of each State, to regulate its
local affairs in it's own way, subject only
to the National Constitution.
Douglas and Popular Sovereignty have
become household words, as it were, and
we can hardly hear the one without think
ing of the other. The name Of Douglas
summons up almost unbidden the idea of
. each people governing themselves in their
own way. His enemies themselves have
helped to place him in that position
They have sneeringly linked together
Douglas and "Squatter Sovereignty,
and labored to depreciate him at the ex-
pense of the hardy and adventurous pio-
neers in the settlement of our new Terri
tories. They have have sought to lesson
him in public estimation by representing
him as the champion of class of ignor-
ant and degraded settlers on the public
lands, and an advocate of investing them
with sovereign power.
But this attempt at slander on Douglas
and the "Settlers" is reacting upon its
authors. 1t is producing an effect direct
ly the reverse of what was intended, and
he whom it was sought to render odious
to the people. is becoming their idol, as
the sellers in new Territory are acknowl-
edged to be the rig htful sovereigns of the
soil, and in an organized state subject to
no control save that of the common Con-
stitution to which we all owe allegiance.
The rights Of the people are vindicated,
and the reward of their persistent and
fearless champion will be speedily forth
coming.
With the exception Of few Northern
and Southern fanatics, whose numbers are
too small to have much influence and are
rapidly diminishing, nobody now serious
ly opposes Popular Sovereignty. The
Republicans did not dare to put opposi-
ton to it into the platform they made at
Chicago, or even to affirm the contrary
doctrine of Congressional Intervention.
Not one of their leading journals ventures
to utter word against the former or in
favor of the latter. Their bitter opposi-
ton is directed not as formerly, against
the principles, but against the person of
Stephen A. Douglas. But as the princi-
pies with which the man is identified have
been vindicated and established in the
hearts of the people, so is the man to
whom providence assigned this work,
destined to have his claims to pupular
confidence and support universally ac-
knowleaged
The political enemies of Douglas are be-
ginning to snuff the popular breeze that
is rising in his favor. A sense of utter
helplessness comes over them as they
hear voices in the air, and the echong
shouts of multtudes in the distance and
rapidly coming nearer and growing more
terrific, for Douglas and Victory."-
These are presentiments of what is short
ly coming to pass and is even now at
their doors. The sympathy of the people
for Douglas as the noble and courageous
champion Unpopular rights is being arous'
ed. When once fairly set in motion, the
tide of that sympathy and enthusiasm
will be unboupded and irresistible. The
mushroom popularity of the bogus rail
splitter has already withered and vanish
ed before it. Douglas is unquestionahly
the man for the people-he is now begin
ming to be hailed as the candidate of the
people nd before many months, he will
be the President of tbs people of these
United States Ohio Statesman