The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-08-17
WHOLE NO., $50.

functionary" was unable 10 obliterate his
rnimosities towards "the young gentleman
Of Kentucky" and that bis we'll known Graf.
suggested speech as the readiest und leaas
offensive means of destruction. Such suR-
gostions are moro reasonable as Il 10 not to
be imagined that the gyved tenant of tho
White House should for moment bolieve,
utter the investigations which have been
made, such testimony as he volunteered
could be otherwise than ruinoue to any
cause. The daring evinced by him on this
occasion was cqualled by bis lack of selEre-
spect, and his utter disregard Of the circun-
stances by which he was surrounded, and
which should have restrained him.
Whatever conclusions may be drawn az
to my estimate of Mr.. Breckinridge's char
acter as politician, I can only sey that nv
esteem for him is profound when brought
into comparison with what entertain Of
bis Democratic competitor. There are f0w,
il any, living men concerning whom moro
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 de-
lusive idoa that no is directing bis efforts to
counteract the plans of the Southern Dc.
mocracy. This is frightful ballucnatioU,
but natural one, when we take into con-
tiu Illuminating IdCt tuht all lIHt
devotion could do has been done by those
surrounding his person to distort trpo
record and to stamp a counterfeit character
for him on the public mind. Viewing him
as one OF the most unsafe and treacherons
leaders, you will pardon me certain state
monts which ii now soems necessary should
be mado, aud the correctness of which pre-
sumo will not be impunged. have not yet
forgotten when, in tho winter of 1856,
during the first session of the thirty fourth
Congress. tho residents of Kansas assever-
ating that the cardinal principles Of The
Nebraska. Kansas act had been wantoniy
and wickedly nullifed, that fraud and vi-
olcnco. concocted In the blue lodges of Mis-.
souri, had invaded their homes and imposed
foreign rule upon them, institutions which
they nbhcrred, and invoking the interpo-
sition Of Congress in their behalf, the prided
| father of "untrammeled Popular Sovereign.
! ty" turned his back upon the violated child,
and closed his ear as in doath, to complaints
of outrage almost without parallel in tho
civilization of the century. Those despoiled
pioneers who had taken up their abode in
the Territory under the most solemn guar
antee of self government, only asked to
provo their accusation and TO be relieved
| from oppression. Ia other words, they de-
clared they had never been able to enjoy
self government, that they we're ruled by in.
vaders, and demanded the sovereignty con-
ferred by law upon them. Mr.. Douglas
should have been the frat man to f1y to
their relief; and if he had been as COM
piotely dedicated to the principles Of bis bill
as some would have us believe, he would
have urged investigation and carried It. So
far from having done so, he put himself in
the lead of those Senators most hostile to
| 4 Al
piece, advocate and apologist of those en-
gagged in the work of forcing Slavery upon
an unwilling people. He enjoyed at the
same time the full confidence of the South,
and his Democracy was sorthodox--because
he was loyal to his taskmasters; willing to
} do battle for their most extravagant de-
mands. He was then Chairman of the
{ Committee on Territories, and ] call atten-
D ton to his report ns such, made March IL,
D 1850, as conclusive upon tho point have
staed. To that paper he could hnd nothing
e; to say against foreign conspiracies to invade
o the soil Of Kansas and control elections, but
Il no had m6ch to offor in condemnation of
8 Eastern associations to encourage removal
+ tbither. He could discover no Irregularities
: in the return of Mr.. Wbitefield, the Pro-
: Slavery Delegate to the House of Repre-
sentatives, but he clearly discerned the Ter.
= ritorial Legislature was a legally. elected
: body. with perfect authority to enact the
, most cruel an arbitrary slave-code, and
}, that the complaints Of fraud and force we're
. got up merely to stimulate and excite
G Northorn emigration. At the time of which
! l speak. there was no one in Congress or
! out of Congress, in Office or out of Office,
g who exerted himself more untiringly to per
J. petuatc that reign of terror inaugurated 10
. insure tho admission of Kansas into the
o Union as Slave State. fear there are
y many now bearing up the banner inscribed
1t with the name of this Senator, who nevel
ID havo fully understood, or who have forgotten
this tarnished page in bis history. If there
d has ever been a more determined foe to the
Q growth Of freedom in Kansas, or to the
d principles of the Kansas Nebraska Bill, than
@ Douglas, he has been able 20 keep himself
e very much under cover 1t is gratifying,
j. however, 10 make a single remark In his
favor; il is this that he seems as willing NJ
# tho most ardent Of his friends 20 divert at
n tention from this period In his career.
I, am not aware that in either essay or address
he has ventured to recur 10 it; but, on the
A. contrary. he seems disposed to treat It as 4
a bank in his life.
oil While those proceedings we're progressing
Ii in the Senate, tho other branch Of Congress
n. carried resolutions Of investigation under q
b, close division of parties, and sent Salec
30 Committee to the Territory. The conse
10 quence was such an exposure as satisfied the
d, country not only of the truth OF everything
in charged, but of oIistiug conspracies beyond
r. any thing that had been imagined. The pub
d. lished evidence effectually revealed the 10
Of tentions of the South, and made deep i'm
% preston upon the North. 1t was then 90
O. iablished that neither law nor prophetic
r. were to be allowed to stand in the way o
il Slavery extension; and we are almost driveI
I'd to the conclusion that the repeal OF thu
n Missouri Restriction was but part OF |
I'd general and well matured plan Of operations
be- at the head of which stood the self-croWnet
lie chief of popular territorial government
es Mr. Douglas term OF Office was now ap
o. preaching its close. 1t 10 not unlikely tha
he a desire for reelection, and knowledg
ID. of the conviction forced upon hia state b
his the examination alluded to, induced him :
IN, look with different eyes upon Kansas, an
to created an anxiety on his part 10 take a.
sg the cause of this robbed and wreiohed pee
he pie. cannot certainly say how this ma
of have been. l only state sudcen an'
/ miraculous change came over him. and 10
Iy, a while he seemed to glory In the name
Fl. "rebel" He opposed the admission OF hsn
pt sas under tho Lecompton Constitution VII
to seeming seriousness, and then aononpee'