The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1860-07-25
From the Georgia Constitutionalist.
TIX PRESIDENCY.

for the highest office in the gift of the
people, the name of him that the nation
has so long honored, Stephen A. Doug
las, of Illinois. a
From his childhood, this great states
man has been Democrat, and from his
earliest manhood, defender of her cause.
Let his enemies trace his career upwards
and onwnrds, from the young lawyer to
the the school teacher of the West, Attor-
ney General of Illinois; member Of the
State Legislature, the champion of his
party in ls4o, and carrying the State by
making two hundred and seven speeches
during the campaign; Judge Of the Su-
preme Court, and at last elected TO Con
gress in ls43.
In all the record, there can be found no
spot or stain upon his pure, national dem
ocracy.
His first successful effort in Congress,
was his mastery argument in favor Of
the improvement of the the great western
arteries of trade; his second, the splendid
speech in favor of renting the fine
imposed on General Jackson.
We give the following extracts from it
"The last of the high crimes and mis-
demeanors imputed to General Jackson
at New Orleans, is that of arresting
Judge Hall, and sending him beyond the
limits of the city, with instructions not
to return till peace was restored. The
justification of this act is found in the
necessity which required the declaration
of martial law, and its continuance and
enforcement until the enemy should have
left, or the treaty be ratified. Judge
Hall, who was by birth an Englishman,
had confederated with Louallier's band
of conspirators. Their movements were
dangerous. Gen. Jackson took the re-
sponsibility, and sent the Judge beyond
the lines Of his camp. Was this con-
Tempt Of court?" y
----ss i envy not the feelings OF the man
who can calmly reas9h about the force Of
precedenS in the fry of the war cry,
when booty and beauty is the watch
word. Talk not to me Of forms and rules
of court, when the enemy's cannon arc
pointed at the. door! The man who cod
philosophise Mt such times, would fiddle
while The capitol was burning. There
was but one form necessary on that occa-
sion, and this was to point cannon and
destroy the enemy"
Tkis noble effort endeared him TO the
heart OF the old hero, and the following
is the account of their meeting:
"The bill was passed, and the fine re-
funded. A year afterwards, Mr.. Doug
laS in company with several other nom
bers of Congress, paid their respects To
the venerable nero and patriot, ut the
Hermitage. When Mr.. Douglas was in
troduced, the old General grasped him
warmly by the hand, and requested him
to step with him into private room.-
There, in the presence of two other gen
tlemen now living, and from one of whom
we have received this relation, the vene-
rable soldier in voice trembling with
emotion, thus addressed the young states
man: Mr.. Douglas, l read, with feel.
ings of lively gratitude, your speech in
Congress last winter, in favor Of remit
ting the fine imposed on me by Judge
Hall. l knew when l proclaimed and en-
forced martial law, that was doing right
But never, until had read your speech
could | express the reasons which actual
ed my conduct. knew that l was moi
violating the Constitution of my country
When my life is published, / wish that
speech of yours TO be inserted in it, rs my
reasons for proclaiming and enforcing mar
tial law in New Orleans F"
Thus does our candidate stand accred
tied before the people, by tho highest au-
thority which is recognized by a Demo
crat, the word Of the hero of New Or
leans.
1t has been asked with sneer, "what
Southern State will go for Douglas ~
Will not Texas go Cor him whose fame(
resolutions ro-annoXed her, and made he
one of the United States?
His speech of January 6, 1645, back
cd successfully the unsuccessful efforts o
Jackson in 1888 and 1885; he PROVED
by the letters of John Quincy Adams
dated 1918, that the western boundary
of Louisiana extended TO the Rio Brave
del .Norte, that sho was included in th'
territory Of tho Union by the cession o
1903; and, as chairman Of the Hous
Committee on Territories, he reported tn
bill which admitted Texas into the Uniol
rs sovereign State.
Mr.. Douglas has been charged will
opening Pandora's box of evils, by tn
repeal of the Missouri restriction; yet j
was Mr. Douglas who for years contende'
for the extension of that line according b
the spirit of the compact, and who neye
gave it up, until the last hope Of tn
South, of peace and quiet under the com
pact, had vanished in thin air. But grant
ing that howl was raised by the Abo
litionsts when his bold hand threw ope
the door of the Territories, and placed th
North and the South as political aud SC
cial equals in the common domain. Sic
an evil was the seven years war wit
England, vet who among our farther