Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-09-28


Gcntcmonw.ll y5u have patience enough to
listen to n few remarks about Douglas " the
Presidential candidate - Well. after these
exploits he tho he was tit to BEE @ democratic
candidate for the Presidency, and SD his
name went before the Charleston Convention.
But. wonderful 60 tell. the whole Southern
Democracy seemed to be united against
him and honestly declare I think tie Slave
Power Gil vr0u. Il might have found
more ahiect and less exlctiDS tool, but it
could hardly expect to find more daring.
reckless, and unscrupulous one What was
the reason Of their opposit oa?N as it the c n
sutuuonal quibblcs about which they had
( been conteuIing Tho whole difference was
/ merely imaginary. Was il the SlavehOl lcrs
thought a man who had betrayed his own
section OF the country could not be relied
upon in lis promises to be faithful to auOLh-
er? That was more honorable than iudicious
in the Slave Power governed by such q feel
| inc No. | think the true reason widely
| differs from this, and it shows that Mr..
Douglas never had the saglcity enough to
! understand hIs own position. The slave
power VIII sometimes, for expcdlency' S sake,
! c0ndesceul % make a Northern man Prcsi-
/ tool. but it viii never elevate one who aspircs
to be or become q leader Of the party. Mr..
/ Douglas ought to have understood that.
/ There was his stake. However willing ne
may have bcca 70 serve them he had affected
| independence aud he fell. [ think the South
! acted against their own interest, for in Judge
| Douglas they would have had man in the
! Presidential Chair who would haYo shrunk
| from nothing to regain their favor. 1t is
my opinion that he would hayc been more
! ultra Pro-Slayery President than Breckin-
| ridge, OF Jefferson Davis, or Siidcll. and l
wish they would still conclude 10 take him
50 as to place every man in his proper posi-
/ ton. You sec We are not afraid Of your
! combinations
! But the mistake was committed. They
opposed him to tlo last, and Judge Douglas
saw that his nomination in Charleston was
an impossibility. Then his friends moved
an adjournment Of the Convention, and car
| ried 1t. They were to rcassemble at Balti-
more lew weeks aftoFwarI. In the mean
time, Mr.. Douglas saw last chance Of
appealing to the South lie grasped at it
with desperate eagerness, and ho saw the
great prIzo slipping from his hands, and he
staked his all upon last cast. On the 10Th
and 10th OF May, he arose IN the Senate, and
in one of the most elaborate efforts of his
life, he made the following statement; and
Douglas Democrats, claim your special at
tention. Listen
1T is part Of the history Of the country
that under this doctrine Of non-intervention
this doctrine that You delight to call
Squatter Soyereignty-the people Of New
Mexico have introduced and protected Slavery
in the whole of that Terrisory under that
doctrine they have converted a tract of Ere,
Territory into slave territory more than i've
times the sizo CT the State of New York
Under this doctrine Slavery has been extend
ed not only up to 1920, but up to $50
giving you degreee and half more of slavu
Territory than you ever claimed.
Whatever inch of free Territory has beei
converted into slave Territory on the Ameri
, can continent since the Revolution, except il
J New Mexico and Virginia, under the princi
pie o:non' Intervention affirmed at Charleston
; lit be true that this principle Of non-inter
yentlon has protected Slavery in that com
paratIvely Northern and cold region, wher
Won did not expect it 10 go, cannot you trGs
the same principle further South, when yo'
come to acquire additional Territory from
Mexico ? VIII not the same principle pro