Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-08-10
POLITICAL.
Great Speech of John Hickman.
Character OF stephen A. Douglas fnii'
described by one who has known him
long aud well.


has renounccd and denounced stephen \.
Douglas. lie goes for "lIoncs, Ahc." lie
made mos, eloquent speech at PhIladel.
phia, on Thursday last, fully defining his
position. We quote tina, part specially re.
latius to Mr.. Douglas. Remember that no
man in this country know, Mr.. Douglas
better than John Hickman does. Hear wha,
MIR. Hickman says
There are few, IL any, living men con-
ccnins whom more has been said, and less
really known, than Stephen A. Douglas, OF
Illinois. There are thousands, by FAR too
many thousands, now sustaining him under
the mistaken and delusivc idea tha, hc il
directing hi. efforts to countciaei the plans
OF the southern Democracy. This Is a
frichtml hallacinalion, buta natural one.
when we take into consideration the humil.
la,ins fact tha, all that devotion could do
has been done. by those surrounding hi.
person. to di.tori true record. aud 10
stamp countcricit character for him on
the public mind Viewing him n' ono Of
the most unsafe and ,rcaehcrous Of leaders,
you will pardon the certain statements which
it now seem. necessary should bc made, and
the corrcctnc'. Of which, ! presume, will
not.bo impugGci. | have not yet forgotten
when. IN the winter Of 1886, during the
fret session of tho Thir'y.!ourth Congress,
the residents OF Kansas. as.eyera,ing that
III, cardinal principle Of the Kansas Ne.
braskn act had been wantonly aud vickedly
nullided. that fraud and violence, concocted
in the Bluc.:oiscs of Missouri, had invaded
their hone. and imposed a foreign rule up.
on them far the purpose OF forcing upon
them institutions which they abhorrej, and
invoking the in,,rpo'iiion Of Congress in
their bchalf, the priIe4 father OF " untram.
ncll,i popular sovereignty" turned his
back upon hl. violated child, and closed his
clr.. a. "a death. t, complaints Of Outrage
almost without a parallel In the civilization
Of the century Those jc.poiI,d pioneers,
Who bad taken up their abode IA the Terri.
tory under the must solemn guarantees Of
OF .sls-s,ycrnmsnt, only asked 70 prove
their accusation. In other words, they De.
clarcd ihry had never been able To enjoy 'cli
government, that thoy were ruled by in'a.
dcrs. and demanded the sovereignty confer.
rcl by law upon them. Mr.. D0uga' should
have been the Grs, man t1 Ny to their relief,
and it be had been a. completely dedicated
10 the principles of hi' bill. a. some would
make a.. believe. he would hav. urged In.
ycsusaton and carriei u. - FAR from
having done 80. he put hlms-lf In the lead
Of ihu.s Ssnaior. most hostile 10 an cXp"sl.
ton. and became the mere mou,h.piece, al
vocats. and apolosisl Of those engaged IN
the work Of forcing slavery upon an anvil
ling people. H. enjoyci a, tia, time the
foil confidence OF the South, aud his De-.
mo,racy wa. orthodox, because he wa. 10y.
al 10 lIls ta.kmAsiers, willing 10 Do battle
Tor their mo.t eI,myasant demands. lie
va, then chairman oi the Committee on
Territories, and call attention to his rc-
port a. such. made March H.. 1855. as con.
elusive upon the pom, | have stated. In
that paper he could find nothing to say
against foreign con'plraeics To invade tho
.oil Of Kau.i. anl control elections, but he
had much to ODER in condemnation OF East.
ern associations to enc1urnsc removal thlih-
er. lie could discover no irregularities in
the return Of Mr.. Whitfield. the pro slavery
delegate to the House Of Representatives.
bu, be clearly discerncl that tho Territorial
Legislature wa. legally elected body, with
perfect authority 10 enac. the most cruel
and arbitrary slave codes, and lha, the CON.
plants Of fraud and iurce were gotten az!
merely 10 stimulate aud excite Northern
emigration. A, the time Of which | speak,
there was no one in Congress or out oI
Congress. in Office or out OF office, who eG-
erted himself more untIringly 10 perpetuate
that reign Of terror inaugurated 10 secure
tho admission OF Kansas as slave State. ]
fear there are many now bearing up the
banner inscribed with the name OF this Sen.
ator, who never have FULLY understood, or
who have forgotten this tarnished page m
his history. II there has ever been more
determined Zoe to the growth Of freedom in
Kansas, or TO the principles OF the Kansas
Nebraska bill, than Stephen 4. Douglas. he
has been able to keep himself very much
urder cover. I, gratifying, however, to
make single remark in his Ayor 1t Is
this. that be seems as willing as the moo,
arden, Of his friends TO divert attention from
thi. period Of his life. am notaware that
in either essay or address, he has ventured
To recur to IL: hut, on the contrary. he
seem. disposed to treat 1t as blank IN hs
career.
Willis, these proceedings were progress
ing in the Senate, the other branch OF Con-
.ress carried resolutions OF investigation
under close division OF parties, and sent
.elec, committee 20 the territory. The con.
sequence wa. such an exposure as satisfied
tho country Of the truth Of everything
charged. but OF existing conspiracies be.
rond anything tha, had been imagined.
The published evidence efectnally revealed
The intention Of the South. and made n deep
upon the North. !, was then
established that neither law nor proprietles
we're to DO allowed to stand IN the way OF
slavery extension; and we are almost driven