The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-10-25
DOUGLAS DIssECTED.
Extracts from the Speech of Carl Schurz
at New York, Sept. 18th, 1850.

DOUGLAS AS "a CHAMPION OF FREEDOM
In 1920 the Missouri compromise
was formed as sacred compact be-
tween the two sections of the Union.
By virtue Of that compromise Missouri
was admitted as slave State, and Ar
kansas as slave State, and thus the
free North, as one party to the contract,
paid down the price for the slavery
prohibition north of 35 80 m. Was
Mr.. Douglas ever heard to express any
doubt as to the constitutionality of the
Missouri compromise so long as itseroed
to augment the nunaber of slave States 2
1t was to him, as to all others, a sa-
cred and inviolable compact"-as sa.
cred and inviolable as the Constitution
itself; and he cursed the "ruthless
hand" that would dare to break ii
down.
But now the time arrives when free
States are to grow up under the guar.
antics of the same Missouri Compro-
mise. A new light dawns upon Judge
Douglas. He rises in the Senate cham.
Der, and asserts that the territory north
of the Missouri line can no longer be
exempted from slavery because the ex-
clusion of slavery from 1.-THE very
condition on which Missouri was adj
mitted-was at war with the funda-
mental principles of the Constitution.
The same man who had cursed as
ruthless the hand that would violate
the Missouri compromise, as long as
that compact was beneficial to slavery,
tore it down acith has oacn hands, as
soon as it was to serve the interests of
free labor. And he is the truest "cham-
pion of freedom!''
But Mr.. Douglas is still the true
champion of free labor" for it is as
serted that the Nebraska bill-the
same measure which breaks down the
barriers to slavery-will by that very
operation introduce free labor into the
territories. The thing is speedily
brought into practical test. No
sooner is the Nebraska bill enacted,
and the Missouri restriction struck
down, than emigrant aid societies are
organized in the slave States, especially
In Missouri, for the purpose of intro
ducing slavery into Kansas. The his
tory of the Blue lodges is familiar to
you. Lawless bands of armed inva-
ders pour into Kansas, take posses
sion of the ballot boxes, bowie knife
and revolver in hand, and control the
elections by fraud and violence. Did
Mr.. Douglas ever utter a word of re-
proach or condemnation against the
border rufians of Missouri? Did he
not most tenderly excuse their atroci-
ties on the plea of selfdefense, while
it was notorious fact that their or
ganization had proceeded that of the
free State men? Ind, mark aceU,
that immigration adas pro o-slaoery.
Do you remember how often Judge
Douglas emptied the vials of wrath,
and cast denunciations upon the heads
of free labor immigration. And, mark
well, THAT immigration aras anti
Slavery.
A legislature is set up by band of
lawless invaders-mostly Missourians
set up by the most attrocious vio-
lations of the ballot box, set up in def
ance of all the rules of constitutional
government that legislature adopts
the slave code of Missouri as the laws
of Kansas, and adds to them laws so
outrageous in their nature, that even
Northern Democrats quailed under the
opprobrium. Do you remember that
Judge Douglas recognized that legis-
lature, although its criminal origin was
manifest to all as the highest lawgiv-
ing authority, of the Territory, and the
laws enacted by them, although known
to be the offspring of fraud and vio-
lence, as the valid laws of Kansas ?
Do you remember how he denounced
every one who would not submit as a
rebel and traitor? And, mark well,
that legislature and those laws were
pro-sldUery. The free state settlers
of Kansas, then evidently large ma
jority of the inhabitants, 60 to work
and frame a constitution. That con-
stitution was gotten up in way hardly
more irregular than the constitutions
of many States. 1t was submitted to
a vote of the people, aud adopted by
. Aoi ~ haoJOiiey. 0o 40 w do PiSoOitSu
to Congress. Do you remember that
Judge Douglas found no term of de-
nunciation too vile to use against that
constitution, and that he stigmatized
those who had framed it as traitors
who must be struck down? And,
mark well, that constitution, the choice
of the people of Kansas, was anti
slauery.
But we will be just to him. Now
we arrive at period in our history in
which he seems to have acquired some
title to the esteem of his countrymen.
And here again we notice series of
most striking coincidence. 1t so hap
pened that just about the time when
tne Lecompton question was before
Congress Douglass term as United
states Senator was about to expire. He
knew well that his popularity at home
rested upon the popular belief that he
really did work for the cause of free
labor. How stupid must the man have
Deen not to see that, saddled with the
Lecompton Constitution, it would have
been impossible for him to keep nm that
delusion. So he assumed the mask Of
an advocate of popular rights, coqueted
with the Republicans in order to dis
arm their opposition, and went before
the people of Illinois as cand;dota