The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1860-07-14
g. Armada Dourlas-A sketch.

We copy the following sharp, racy and truth
fui sketch of one Of the Democratic candidates
for the Presidency, from the Steubenviile
Herald sa3a iEs H.7@
Mr. Douglas was born Yankee--he was
native of Vermont, where he inherited the vigor-
| Gus traits of the sons of New England, but emf
grated therefrom early enough to avoid contract
ing many of the Puritan virtues which add lus
ter to the character Of that people. He located
in the West, where he found a wide field for the
exercise Of his natural shrewdness and indomita-
BILE energy, which were equal to almost any
emergency He here directed his talents, which
| were Of no ordinary mold, to politics. Success
followed almost every effort, and in early life he
took position among the most prominent leaders
of the Democratic party. He was a partisan
leader in the radical sense of the term, and as
Inscriptions az radical .e lgs
With limited education, less polish, and no
magnanimity towards his political opponents,
1.-THE great only magnanimous, he possessed, in
an eminent degree, the identical ability that i'm
pressed the popular mind--he was the man for
the indiscriminate crowd. Having total disre-
gard Of dignity where his popularity was in ques-
ton, he became the idol of that class Of people
particularly, who regard Democracy as synony.
nous with vulgarity. This was the wave more
than oil others upon which he arose to popular
distinction. sf
but Mr. Douglas has, like many other men
seeking renown, "yaulting ambition" which
seldom fails to 'ovcrleap itselfn He was fully
aware Of the fact that the South controlled the
Democratic party, and that to secure the support
Of the Southern States was to secure the nornin-
alton for the Presidency. To gain that, it was
requisite that he should snbserye the interest of
the Shareholders, slavebreeders and slavedrovers
Ito stultify his convictions Of justice and
humanity-to "crawl upon his belly and eat dirt
For his own selfish ends, Mr.. Douglas made
these sacrifices, and soon became the "wiilinS
Instrument in the hands of slavery, to do any
act Of shameless rccklessness that might be de-
manded of him. He thereupon volunteered the
repeal of the I" Missouri Compromise conf
pact sacred alike to the great spirits of the Wing
and Democratic parties, the consummation OF
which was the browning act Of the political life
| of Henry Clay-opposition to the repeal oil
| which. Benton desired inscribed upon his tomb.
| stone, that his name may be thus commeinoratet
/ to posterity.
| This compromise, by which the peace of the
/ country was maintained upon the question Of
slavery, the most dangerous Of all others to the
perpeiuity of the Union, Mr.. Douglas set about
to repeal Aud, by his energy and tact, and
! through the aid of the slaveholding interests
backed BY a venal Democratic Administration
he succeeded. In doing SO, it was not his object
to subject the country to his Popular Sover
4 eighty dodge-but to aid in planting slavery IL
Territory reserved by sacred compact to freedom
i and, against the will of the people, through
the potency Of "friendly legislation"
But, the rupture that followed the repeal o.
the sacred compromiae--the dsaffecton Of par
ties and the revolution Of political organizations
pending the passage of the Nebraska Act, con
WINGED him that he had made Serious if not al
irreparable blunder. The point had been reach
L - h:ahf hA Nnrfh ana en- oR,6urp HNvsnt
satisfied himself upon this point, his tactics were
soon decided upon. Having deliberately betray
ed the North-jeopardizi the peace and perpe
tuity Of the Confcderacy thereby--he unhcsita
4 tingly betrayed the South, and retraced his step
far enough to swindle the people, If possible, By
the dogma Of Popular Sovereignty--which
through the action Of the Supreme Court, j,
Il nothing more than transparent political fallac,
-as villainous as it is transparent.
j But he has failed-signally failed-except il
arrayihg one section of the Union against thu
osher--faiIed, except in sowing the seeds Of dis
sension broadcast And he has failed, more
i over, in another sense, which he takes more sc
riousy TO heart that IL in forcing the Democratic
\ party TO nominate him-which only resulted j.
forcing the party to fragments, and placing him
self before the country for President, not 90 tht
leader of great party, but Is the head Of an in
significant faction, against which the hole force
Of the Administration party, and the straighfor
ward friends Of Slavery, are united IN an uncoul
promising and solid column. The defeat Of III
i Douglas faction will De 70 thcnaen object d
stronger de.irs than che .dess.s 81 4. Lincoln
Tie Kepublican n0aainee, and - 1hat end ID.
moet bittsp and uuvslensing stfise ever placed 81
Il record has alrsady begun. I'D
Il Doeelas has played reckless, fdishsnsst ani
unpejncipled game, regardless of the interests o
Il common country, and hon lost Il He ha