Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-10-04
How Douglas Doubles.

| HOW DOUSlaS DOuDless
Senator Douglas, in his speech on Mon
ument Square in this city on Saturday
last said:
"The opposition to the removal of the
Missouri restriction was a reproach to
NORTHERN HONESTY and NORTH
ERN HONOR
We may search the speeches of this
arch political gymnast in vain, to find
parallel insult to the people of the Free
States; an insult not only to the living but
an insult to the great dead who in 1920,
under the overshadowing of threatened
disembarkment of the then experimental
Union, drew the Missouri line as CON-
promise between opposing factions.
But let US examine Mr.. Douglas record
upon this point. On the 9th day of Aug
ust, 1850, the bill for the admission of
Californa was before the Senate, and Mr..
Turney of Tennessee, moved to amend by
extending the Missouri Compromise line
to the Pacific, which amendment was in
the very words of Mr.. Douglas amend
ment 10 the Oregon bill. On that occa-
sion as will be found in the Globe appen-
dix, vol. %, part 2. page 1910, Mr.. Doug
said that "if the whole acquired territory
was now in the same condition as i. was
then" THAT is when he moved said amend
ment in the Oregon billy "I ,could now
vote for 1t, and should be glad to see it
adopted But since then Crlifornia had
organized State and Mr.. Douglas said,
81 cannot consent, for one, to destroy that
State government" and he wound up by
saying 'for that reason, and that alone, l
shall vote against the amendment"
-Four years after he reported the bill that
repealed the same line be would have ex-
tended to the Pacific.
In speech delivered by Mr.. Douglas in
Springfield, Illinois, in ls49, he, in speak
ing of the Missouri Compromise line, ut
tered these words:
alt has received the sanction of all par
ties in every section of the Union. L! had
its origin in the hearts of all patriotic men
who desired to preserve and perpetuale the
blessings of our glorious Union-an origin
skin to that of the Constitution of the
United States, conceived in the sans spirit
of fraternal affection and calculated TO re-
move forever the only danger which SEEM
ed to threaten at some distant day to serve
the sacred bond of Union. All the evil
dences of public opinion seem to indicate
that this Compromise has become cannon
lied in the hearts of the American people
as a sacred thing, which no ruthless hand
would be reckless enough to disturb"
Let US look little later TO see where
Douglas was on the question of the Missou-
ri Compromise. Iu Jan'y, 1854, in his
first bill for the organization of Nebraska
including what is now Kansas-no re-
pealing clause was inserted, and Douglas,
in bis report at that time, in speaking of
the slavery question as connected with the
Compromise of 1850, said:
"YOUR COMMITTEE ARE NOT
PREPARED NOW TO RECOMMEND
A DEPARTURE from the course on that
memorable occasion, EITHER AFFIRM
ING OR REPEATING THE EIGHTH
SECTION OF THE MISSOURI ACT,
or by any Act decaratory of the Consti-
tuition in respect to the legal points of dis
pute."
Nineteen days thereafter he introduced
an amended bill, in which was the repeal
ing clause.
But our readers need no cumulative proof
as to the duplicity and brazen dishonesty of
Douglas upon this question. The deed of
repeal has dug.his grave, ard there he will
lie as soon as November closes the funeral
obsequies of those who prove treacherous
to Freedom.