Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-09-13
The Degradation Of Douglas.

retrlbntlon, though sometimes tardy in its steps,
is sure to finally overtuke offenders against the
right and the true For instance, he is now
perambulating the Country, and deprecating
the Slavery agitation, to every crowd that he
can get to listen to him. And yet, by his re-
peal Of the Missouri Compromise, and his sup
port of the Kansas policy Of Pierce, he did
more to ar0us4 and in1ame this agitation than
any other man in the Union The demon of
discord, let loose by his own hand, being cow
about to devour him, he is making frantic but
fruitloss efforts to drive it back to is den He
is trying to persuade the people to adopt his
Janusfaced dogma OF " non-nterventlon Tor
the Territories and is blatant in defense of
the policy of letting the inhabitants thereof
have Slavery or not, as they may please. And
yet, no man in either House Of Congress, and
no dwelIer either North or South of Mason
and Dixon s line, SO unAinchingly sustained the
efforts OF the Pierce Administration to force
Slavery upon Kansas as he, while the anathe
mas he hurled against her citizens for resisting
these efforts, were uneqdaled in bitterness and
malignity The wrongs he then inflicted upon
her people having recoiled upon his own head,
he is now striving to avert the wrath which
every honest man would rain down upon him,
by brawling about the beauties of Popular Sow
eregnty and the right of lf-goyernment.-
For four years after the passage of the Kansas
Nebraska bill, he vaunted it on all occasions as
the browning glory of his public life. But
now in his stump harangues, while struggling
to save himself from perdtlon by forming ALI
ances with those who denounced this measure,
he either surs it over with faint allusion, or
wholly ignores this once lauded achievement
His virtual reputation of this chapter of his
biography, 50 soon after it was written, is
crushing proof of the dire dilemma that has at
length onmeshed him. A scarcely less striking
evidence of the low estate into which he has
fallen, in his stopping to play the once respect
able, but now ridiculous UniOn-savieg role,
in company with set of worn.out supernume-
rares. He, star actor. in the higher walks
of tragedy, on the metropolitan boards, finds
himself wandering through the provinces, with
band of strolling players at his heels, trying
to brighten few nervous old gentlemen, by
going into mock heroics over an g imperfect
Union' The time is not remote when tue
bold, bad man who blotted out the Missouri
Compromise line, and defed the indignation of
Kansas, and drove the Country to the verge of
civil war by attempting to plant Slavery upon
the soil Of that Territory, would have scorned
to play this wretehed farce along with such
threadbare chrlatans us James Brooks and
Washington Hunt. Mr.. Douglas was once the
leader, not 10 say the idol Of the Democratic
parry, and especially of its ultra Southern
wing. III boosted of the orthodoxy of his
faith. IL held no fellowship with his foes
He was one Of the most exclusive and vindc-
tive OF partisans. He dealt with his opponents
only at the swords point. He hated Wings
He despised Know-Nothings But now, the
conemner of Henry Clay and his principles
goes from State to State, chatferng with buck
STEERING politicians, whose only merit is that
they formerly followed the fortunes of the
great Wing Chief, or have since been indicted
into the mysteries of 8" the American Order. -
These degrading make-shits of a once bold
political leader, these doublngs and twstings
of a hunted rebel, prove,
l. That Mr.. Douglas has abandoned all
hopes of success In the pending struggle for
the Presidency.
g That he either regards the oldfashioned
Democratic party as utterly exploded, or, if in |
existence, and destined to ride out the present
storm, that he is outside of its pale, and there
fore the party is dead to him.
3. That he is aiming to get up new party
hostile both to the Democratic and Republican
organizations, and place himself at its head.
Finally, whether he has any clear conception !
of whittier he is driving or, like a drowning
man, is merely catching at every plank that
floats past him, one thing is certain-the rctri
button which has at length overtaken him, and
is hurting him hcadlong to political perdition,
will constitute one Of the most instructive and
terrible chapters in American politics -Iri-
bnne.
The New York Houston State Committee
have issued an address, on the occasion of the
withdrawal of their candidate for the Presi-
dency. They sensibly say that it is futile to
ignore the overshadowing question of Slavery
that the votes of the Houston men should be
cast so as to insure an election of the President
by the people, and prevent Its going to the
House of Representatives ; and finally, that all
should oppose venality corruption, and faction.
This is the right kiud of talk The address
closes as follows:
" Let us remember now that no middle issue
in the present contest is worthy of our counte-
nance No dishonest combination of politi-
clans, to cheat or be cheated, can claim our aid
or liberation No claptrap of pretended
danger to the Union must blind our percep-
tons to the danger of intrusting the choice of
our next President to a factous Congress, where
votes may be purchasable as they are in Ma
tional Conventions. Cast your votes, fellow
citizens, so that the PEOPLE may elect the Pres
ident, and thus you will remain true to your
principles and to the counsel of Sam Houston,
given in these words Let not those lOhO rely
upon carrying the election into the House of
deceire themselves. The people !
hare been taught to dread SuchG cOnSummation.
Finally, fellow electors, let ms remember that
in our capacity as citizens, in various localities
we can do much to oppose corruption, yenality,
and faction. There are issues certainly before
US, which, though small in comparison to Ma
tional affairs have yet their specific Importance.
An unpurchasabe State Legislature, honest in
,umbents of town and CITY Offices pure and "a.