Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-02-09

the champion of free labor. But the
South frowned, and immediately after
his victory he went into the slavehold-
ing States and audited in his speeches
that slavery may go into the terri
tories without special act of terrific
rial legislation. Believing the South
satisfied, and seeing his chances in the
North endangered. he wrote his Har-
per Magazine essay. assuming that
slavery can exist only by virtue of
local law. The South frowning again
he endeavored to make his peace with
the shareholders by declaring that he
would submit to the Charleston Con-
vention, and instructing his nearest
friends in the House 10 vote for the
Administration candidate for the
Speakership. So he endeavored to
catch both sections Of the Union sue
ccssively in the trap of double-faced
sophistry. He tried to please them
both in trying to cheat them BOTH
But he placed himself between the
lcgic Of liberty on one and the logic
of slavery on the other side. He put
the sword Of logic into the hands Of
his opponents, and tried to defend
himself with the empty scabbard of
"unfriendly legislation" (Applause)
Uufriendly legislation. which in one
case would have been unnecessary. in
the other unconstitutional-the inven-
tion of a mind without logic and of
a heart without sympathies; recog-
nized on all sides as mere subterfuge,
behind which the moral cowardice of
a Presidential candidate entrenched
ITSELF" (Cheers.)
Such will be the verdict of future
historians. They will indulge in Gu
rious speculation about the times
when such doctrines could be passed
off as sound statesmsnship-(s a states
manship indeed, the prototype of
which may be found, not in Plutarch,
but IN Aristophanes. but they will be
slow to believe that there were peo-
pie dull enough to be deceived by it.
Applause.
| Leaving aside the stern reputation
which Mr.. Douglass popular sover-
eighty has received at the hands OF
the people at the last State elections
all over the Union. it is a character
istic sign of the times that even one OF
his politi al friends, AN anti-Lecompton
Democrat, recently went so far as to
declare on the floor of Congress that
he would not vote for Mr.. Douglas If
nominated by the Charleston Conven-
tion, unless a clear and unequivocal
construction were affixed 70 the re-
affirmation of the Cincinnati platform.
a wise precaution. indeedl But
whatever construction might be given
to the Cincinnati platform. what will
J that gentleman do with the double
) faced platform which Mr.. Douglas
has lain down for himself? What
will the abstract pledge of a conven-
J tion be worth to him, if NJ. Douglas 9
own pledges are worth nothing?-
What will he do with q man who,
when pressed to task an unequivocal
t position. is always ready to sneak be-
! hind a superior authority. declaring
: that "these are questions to be settled
' by the Courts?" Laughter and ap
t plause.)
o Mr.. Douglass position is certainly
: a very perplexing one. On one side
e he is ostracised by the Administration
: Democracy for his illogical and uncon
d stitutional doctrine, that the legisla
It ture of . territory has control owe
De slavery. and on the other hand one o
J. his nearest friends, Mr.. Morris Of II
Of linois, in his recent speech on tn
l. Presidents message, denounces tn
/: doctrine that slave property may b
Is carried into the territories, just lik
At other property, as an atrocious "abom
T. ihation." was Mr.. Morris not awar
~ that this "abomination" is the ider
q ticle doctrine advocated by Mr.. Dong
ce las in his New Orleans speech? Ia
10 Mr.. Morris examine the record {
- Judge Douglas. and he will find o,
that whatever denominations Mr.. Bu
Of chanan brings forward in his messag
W he advocates none that is not dire,
IN logical consequence of NJ. Douglas
on own administrations.
SIX see the time coming when tho
ell who rallied around Douglass colo
ed because they believed in his principl
ho will from his most devoted friend
be become his most indignant sccusers.
nd They are already unwillingly denou
ey cling his doctrines when they inter
an to defend him; they will not be spa
to ing in direct denunciations as soon
es, they discover how badly they hs
tes been deceived and how ignominious