The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-07-21
!. ARNOLD DoueLAs-A sxETCH

9. ARNOLD DOCGLAs-A SKETCH
W.. caps tae fo.l,uing sharp, rscy and
tgu hful sstch Of one Of the Democratic
eaad,dats. for the Presidency, from the
Sseuheasi.i. Herald -
Mr. Usa.ia> Mas born Yankee-he Vas
q native Of Vermont. where he inherited the
slgursu. traits oil the IONS of New England,
bus rm,graird ihsIefrom early enough TO
avoid contracting many Of the Puritan viz
tues which aud iu>,er to the character OF
thas people. He located in the West, Shere
he found a wide seid for the exercise Of his
natural .hre~dness and fndomitable energy,
which were equal To almost any emergency.
lie here dir-csed hi. talents, which we're Of
no ordinary meld, tn politics. Success fol-
lowed almost every effort. and in early life
ae ts,,k pa-lttat among the most prem nens
leaders Vi she Democratic party. lie was
parfi.an leader ia the Radical sense OF the
term. asi a. un>eEuyu Gus as rad cal.
/ With limited education, less polish. and
NJ msxn ,nlinity towards his political oppo-
neuts, fine g.-aI only are magnanimous,) be
! p.,se..-d, in an eminent degree, the identi-
/ cal aililsty that impressed the popular mind
! he was the man for the indiscrimiDate
crowd. Having total disregard Of dignity
whore hi. popularity was in question. be
I becan. The idol of that class OF people, par
,icuiarlr. ~ho regard Democracy as synony-
NOUS With vulgarity. This was the wave
more that all others upon which he arose to
popular distinction.
Ru, Mr. Douglas has, like many other
msn sk,ng renoan, u ''vaulting ambition
which seldom fails to 'overleap itself"
lie was fully aware Of the fact that the
South eantru led the Democratic party, and
til II to secure the support of the Sou,harn
states was To secure the nomination for
Presidency. To gain that, it was requisite
/ AT he >hauld suhs.rve the interest Of the
sltveh.ldrrs, slayebr.ei.rs and slayedrovers
to .tultlfs his convictions of Justice and
humaaiiy--to crawl upon his belly and eat
! d1f,~
Far his own selfish ends, Mr.. Douglas
ntde these sacrifices, and soon became the
.'wIllng instrument" in the hands of sla-
vsry. To do any act Of shameless reckless
ness that might be demanded of him. He
rh"rrup,n volunteered the repeal of the
''M;s, GU ,Compromlse'-a compact sacred
ahkr t" th" great -prits Of the Wing and
Democratic parties, the consummation OF
which WAS 'h' or wning act of the political
'if- ut il"nry CLAW -ppposition % the repeal
of which. Benton de red inscribed upon his
tombstone. that his name may be thus COM
m~mnrated topo>terity.
ThI- compromise, by which the peace OF
the conn'rv was maintained upon the ques-
i'm Of slavery, the most dangerous of all
,ihers to tn. perp-taity of the Union, Mr..
Dnngas Sc, ahou, to repeal. And, BY his
energy and tact. and through the aid OF the
slavehuldsng interests, backed by venal
Democratic Administration. he succeeded.
In DOING so, It was NOT his object to subject
the country to hi, Popular Sovereignty
dndge-but to aid in planting slavery in
T.rrirnrv reserved by sacred compact to
freedom aud, against The will of the peo-
pie, thr"ug the potency Of ''friendly leg
lisla'i,n.'
But, the rupture that followed the repeal
"f the sacred c"mprnmi>e-the dIsatfec,ion
# pr is and b. evolution of political
organizations. pending the passage Of the
Neh, aska Act. convinced him that he had
made ~rr,nu. If not an irreparable bunder.
The point had been reached at which the
nth ceased To endure. Having satisfied
himself upon his point, his tactics were
soon decided upon. Having deliberately
BETRAYED The North jeopardizipg the peace
and p-rpetnty Of the Confederacy thereby
h" INTERESTINGLY betrayed the South, and
rr,racei hts steps far "nough to swindle the
people. ii possible. lay the dogma of Popular
Sovereignty which, through the action of
the Supreme Court. t. nothing more than n
Transparent political failacy-as villainous
a. 1t is transparent.
b. he has tailei-sisnaliy faiied-except
10 arraying ne section Of the Tn on aga INST
the o,hr, -inl, Il. kept 70 sowing the
seeds of dissertation broadcast. And he has
failed. moreover. IN another sense, which he
takes more s'ri usiy 20 heart, is in forcing
The Demrcla ric party 20 dominate him
which only resulted IN forcing the party to
fragments. and Placing himself before the
couutrv I r..Prr>iiieut. not rs the leader Of a
great party. hut H. III" head of an insignif-
c mt fact on ngaie : (which the whole force
OF the Administration party. and the straig h-
forward friends Of Slavery. are united in an
incorporating and solid column. The
defen, Of the Douglas faction will be to
them an object of stronger desire than the
defeat Of Mr.. Lincoln, the Republican nom
inee, and to tat end the most bitter and un-
relen'ing strife ever placed on record has
already begun.
Douglas has played a reckless, dishonest
AMI uHpr'ne,plsd game, regardless Of the
interests Of Il common country and has lost
it. H. has played with edged tools and got
cut. lie has firtpd with the cyprian Of
Slavery, and got Tilted. Aiming Mt the
Presidency, and bound to secure it at evry
hazari--at the sacrifice of solemn compacts,
~ well "a tn" drcrates Of conscience and
laws, both human and divine, he has come
short Of the object Of his amb tion-the
Presidency Of these United States-not tenn
pnrrrly. hut d'.fnielv and positively. A
;n-r rprrhurinr has nyartaken him. "Meae.
n,etc. tekei upharsin' he has been weigh
ed IN ire balance. and found wanting!