The Shasta courier., 1860-08-25
A WOuld.be Dictator,

There Can be no doubt that Mr. Buchanan
has imbibed anti Democratic notions, from long
intercourse with European kings and princes
lie went into the Presidential chair with the
idea that the Chief Magistrate was omnipotent
that at his word the knee of every official
serf, from cabinet minister to tide waiter, would
bow-that judges, legislators and the people
were bnt part of Government that was his
That these notions were but the idle whims of
an old man of weakened intellect, because
seemingly anxious to crown his administration
with infamy and cover his name with late-is
matter for great thankfulness. The "old pub
lie functionary" forgot that he was but servant
himself, ami that the people were all-powerful.
He was forcibly reminded of it when Douglas
defeated the Republicans in combination with his
official satraps in Illinois, in 1858. He found
then that he had been wooing a zephyr and
caught cloud, and particularly damp one at
that.
To prove that this old man has an idea that
quote from Douglas late Speech delivered at
Concord, New hampshire:
The Pr sident of the United States, during the
Lecompton controversy. put forth claim which
!, as II Senator, could not recognize. lconceded
his right TO recommend the Lecompton Const-
tuition if he believed it to be the net and deed of
the people, and should never have quarreled
with him on that question had he not claimed
the right to control my vote and compel me to
vote against my conscience. hold that Pres
dent has no more right 10 control the vote OF
Senator than Senator has to diet ite to a Pres
dent. (Cheers.) The President told me that if
did not obey him and vote to force the Le-
compton Constitution npen the people against
their will, he woald take off the head of every
friend had in Office. | told him, in reply, that
my friends were as dear TO me as those of any
other man could be 10 him ; but that if ! had a
friend who was not willing to lose his office
rather than degrade me into a tool of Executive
power, he did not deserve TO be my friend. Ap-
plause. Here per it me to say that the great
contest between the Executive and myself was
this he claimed the right to control the vote of
Senator in opposition to the wishes of his
constituents. ! claimed that the representative
OF the people is independent and should always
act independent OF Executive power. When you
permit the Executive to direct a representative
how he shall vote, you convert this Republic
into despotism. f. That's SOL Why elect
Congress, if the President has Il right to tell
the members how they are to vote? There is
an end of representative government whenever
the Executive is permitted to use or abuse his
power by controlling the action of the repre-
sentative against the wishes of his constituents
and of bis individual conscience. Hence in my
opinion, was fighting greater battle in Illinois
in 1858 than the mere question who should be
Senator lAppause.] In my person the ques-
ton was submitted to the people of Illinois,
whether or not their Senator should be the mere
tool of Executive dictation. ["They decided it
right"] Yes. they did decide it right, in oppo.
silion to an unholy alliance between the Repub-
licans and the Federal office-holGers. ECheers.