Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-02-02
Programme of the Southern Opposition
ParfT. ----

The Washington Correspondent Of the Chicago
Press md Tribune, in recent letter, alter speak
ing of an attempt on the part of Douglas and his
friends in Congress to unite the Democracy on Bo-
teller, an ultra pro-slavey, disunion, South Amer-
can, for Speaker, SAYS:
There are some Western Democrats who dare
not do this thing, and the Americans themselves
are a,erse 10 Botclcr. They have their own pro-
rramme 10 carry out, which is something like tllis
IF Douglas should be the Charleston nominee,
which they earnestly hope may oe 'he case ehey
will nominate some such men as Jcnn bci'' OF Ont-
tcndcn for President and take ood issue on 'he
sunfrieudly legislation doctrine. They feel per-
fee,y sanruine of being able to carry at least half
tho Southern States against him--Nirginia inc.u-
dcd. Some of the shrewdcst among the Amer
cans cive IL n their firm conviction, that Douglas
cannot carry A single Southern State. They be-
lieye that should he get the Charleston nomna-
ticn on a squattcr sovereignty PLATFORM the Deno
Gratis of Georgia. Alabama, Mississippi, louisiana:
Florida. South Carolina, and, perhaps, virginia
will b 1t outright and put up some other candidate
The Americans say they can whip Douglas wti
oro,t case in everv Southern State in which the
Democrats would venture to support him, and that
their victory would be more sweeping than II was
over Van Buren, in 1910. Squatter Sovereignty Is
almost as odous in the eyes of the people OF the
South. OF all parties as Abolitionlsm; ana cndeil
Phillips would he as popular before the people oil
the North, rs Douglas would be before the people
of the Soutb The latter is considered as 'uRsound
ON Tho coose,, i'm the ewes of Southerners, as the
former Is as ultra in the estimation of Northerners
The Americans are living in high hope that the
delegates from the free States, by reason OF ther
numerical strength, may cram the little aonser
down the ,hroats of the chivalry, in which case
they feel perfectly sure of carving at least SIX
States casting over fifty electoral votes. Ihcy
think Douglas can carry four or i've OF the lree
States, and the Republicans about as many As fre-
mont got immediately after the result OF the
election is known, they win propose to the kepuo-
l;cans To cast their electoral votes Tor the hmeri
can candidate which they think our side would do,
rather than let the Senate, after the 4th ot March,
make the Democratic candidate Tor wee fresueh'
the President of the United Statcs IL the eiccuon
should 20 into the House. the Republicans would
control fifteen States, the Democrats lour'cen' 'ne
Americans one, and three would be tied; but rs II
would rcouire seventeen States to elect neither
n,rtv would have majority. The one American
vote woud not elect Republican or Democrat,
and the House would remain 1T a dead lock unit
Norch ith. when the Senate would convert their
presiding officer into President. This Is their spec
ulation in the event of Douglas nomination
But supposc the Charleston nominee should be
Guthrie or Seymour, or Hunter, or Lane, one oil
whom it is very likely to be. The Americans be-
lieye they can secure Maryland and Delaware, and
per,aps Tennessee. The disunion threats OF the
fire eaters will strengthen the American party III
the South with the conservative classes. ihey al
so believe thatthc Republicans can beat either oi
the candidates above named, or come so near 1t
that the States they will carry may hold the balance
of power. In the latter case, they think that as
choice between two evils. our party would choose
their man in preference to the disunionist. This
gives them another string to their bow. But sup
pose the Republicans sweep the North and elect
their candidate. In that case the Americans ex-
meet the firecatcrs will attempt to put their scccs
sion threats into practice, and the Americans will
rally 10 the defense of the Union and the Consiiti-
ton. AS II matter of course, a Republican Admin
istration would turn out ofolce every disunon OIL
Zee holder and appoint the Americans IN their pa-
ccs. consequently vast and lucrative patronage
would iill into their hands. reward Tor their
conservative patriotism. They would hold seats in
the Cabinet and appointments as ministers TO 10
reign countries This il 4 brief outline OF the
plans and prospects Of the Southern Opposition par
tv. They desire no political afliliatlon with the
Dcmocrats-prcfcrring to hoe their own row.
Hence it will puzzle the chivalry to elect Speak
er with their aid. Aweek ago il looked very much
as if the fire caters had cornered the Americans
and got them into a '.tight fix whc:c they would
bc compelled to choose between Southern half
Know Nothing Democrat-Hamilton of Texas
and s.B.ack Republican who cncd the Helper
book l<''--Sherman. But the storm-cloud passed
over without the lightning striking where 1t wa;
expected. As We sud above, the present scheme
of the fire caters is TO force the Americans to vote
for Boteler a renegade Know Nothing and Virgins
Dsunionst. But the trap can't be set. to- tho rea
son before mentioncd-that some of the Northern
Democrats refuse to he led into the slaughter
house, as they call it.