Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-08-23

On the twenty-third day of October 1870
Hon. S. A. Douglas delivered poilucai
speech. at Springfield, Illinois. This speech,
which constitutes very important part OF
that gentleman's record, was published IN the
SPRINGFIELD State Register for November Sth,
1s4e. He had been instructed by the ieglsla-
h,re of Illinois to vote for prohibiting slavery
in New Mexico and California, and this matter
was discussed. The speech contained an exuI-
tant statement of the fact that IN August lo4o'
he had voted to exclude slavery from the ter
ritory of Oregon, but minated that he might
not repeat, under instruction, what he hau
done from the dictates of his own Judgment,
without instruction" This speech contained
also tie following eulogy of the Missouri COM
promise -
"The Missouri compromise had an origin
akin to that of the constitution o. the United
States. conceived in the spirit of traternal af-
lection, aud calculated TO remove toreuer the dan
oer rlich seemed to threaten, at some distant day,
to seer tile social bonds Of union. All the evil
dence of public opinion of that day seemed to
indicate that this compromise had been canon
led in the hearts of the american people as Sd-
would ever be reckless enough to disturb"
Six years later, his own hand became
"ruthless" and struck down this compromise;
and then this speech was not remembered with
satisfaction. He sought to expunge it from
the record Every copy of the State Register
containing the speech, that could be found,
was destroyed. Even the bound volumes of
the newspaper deposited in the public offices
were mutilated. The Chicago Press & Tri.
bune says THE law required files of the
State Register to be deposited in the offices
of the county clerks, to be preserved as part
of the public records of the state, it being
the Official paper We stepped into the
office of our county clerk, few days
State Register for Nov 8, 1848, had been torn
from the file and distracted. Upon further
inquiry, at Springfield and elsewhere, we learn
that all the files OF the Register for 1848, an all the
counties in the state, ercept t,co three hare been
similarly mutilatedl One of the few copies ex-
tant is in the hands of the Hon. Richard
Yates. One copy is still kept in Springfield.
One copy was to be seen in Quincy two years
ago, but it has since been stolen and destroy
ed. Perhaps half dozen copies are yet pre-
served in the state, but the effort to destroy
even these have been Jealous and unceasing.
We need not wonder"
1t is very seldom that Mr.. Douglas shows
much concern about the right or wrong of 9
public measure. He considers only the polti
cal advantage to be derived from it; and h,
usually ignores the inconsistencies Of his re
cord, with the most surprising GOODNESS
Therefore, his anxiety about that part of hi
record which relates to the Missouri comprc
mise, is very significant. Nothing else appear
to have disturbed him so much and well
might disturb him, for it was a gross violatio
OF his own convictions, and sacrilegiou
attack on that policy of the country whc
was established with the government itsel
If he were accustomed to feel and cheris
convictions relgiously, his hand would II
have become so ruthless as to assal that COZ
PROMISE and his record in Illinois would n
show that torn place. How great change
unueinent III the nalter oI processing OPP
inions, is seen in the following extract from
speech he delivered at New Orleans, after
reelection to the senate in 1863
81, in connection with the democracy of III
nols, accept the decision of the supreme cou
in the bred Scott case as an authoritative e,
position of the constitution. Whatever limit;
tons the constitution, as expounded by ii
courts, imposes upon the authorities of teri
torial legislature, we cheerfully recognize an
respect. In conformity with that decision
slaves are recognized as property, and place
on an equal footing with other propert.
Hence, the owner of slaves, the same as an
other species of property has the right to II
move to the territories and carry his propert
with him."