Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-03-20
Senator Douglas.

The peculiar and interesting position of this
distinguished politician, justifes frequent re-
ference to him. A short time ago he was
unanimously repudated by the South on &C
count of alleged unsoundness on the slavery
question; and even now the Democratic mem
bers of the United States Senate with only two
or three exceptions, take advantage OF every
opportunity to show their want of confidence in
him and to injure his prospects for the Presiden
tial nomination. At the beginning of the ses-
sion they refused to re-appoint him Chairman OF
the Committee on Territories, place which be
had held for many years; and quite recently, for
the purpose of crushing him out utterly, they
have adopted resolutions in party caucus, an
tagonistic to his peculiar views intended as a
programme for the Charleston Convention. In
vain did Mr.. Pugl, of Ohio, warn the caucus
that no candidate could get an electoral vote at
the North on such platform. Mr.. Toombs of
Georgia. the only Southern friend Mr.. Douglas
has in the Senate, also protested against the res
olutions, but to no purpose. The resolutions
will be presented in the Senate and adopted by
the majority of that body, and go forth to the
country as an authoritative declaration of the
position of the party on the slavery question and
against Douglas.
In the midst of all these assaults Senator
Douglas has kept his temper admirably. No
provocation has caused him to utter a word of
reproach against his Southern allies On every
OCCASION the Little Giant is the most ninble
member of the Senate to draw on his boots and
seize his club in defence of the South. When
Seward delivered bis great speech Douglas was
Immediately ready with a reply. The New
York Senator adopted new and ipsidious phra-
seology, saying "labor States" and ''capital
States" instead of free and slave States Doug
las caught it up, and, abiding to the shoema-
kers' strike in Massachusetts,, said: ut lis anoth-
er step in the 'irrepressble conflict Therefore,
we now get this new coinage of labor States
he is on the side of the shoemakers and 'capi-
tai States-he is against those who furnish the
hides" But all this profits him nothing so far
as the Senate is concerned. Tie Democratic
members are bent on his rain, and repudiate his
alliance.
Douglas keeps on his way, in the meanwhile,
as mild as May morning. He is playing His
game with wonderful skill, and that he will
come out winner we entertain hardly doubt
In the Charleston Convention, the delegates from
the non-slaveholding States will be almost unan-
imously in his favor, while very large number
if not majority, of the Southern delegates will
be prepared to take him up as second choice
We regard his nomination as nearly certain, OF
at least as far more probable than that of any
other prominent aspirant. Already we see sew
eral prominent Southern politicians who were
lately active and bitter in their opposition,
changing front and preparing to give him their
support. Mr.. Pryor. Of this State, has found out
that Mr.. Douglas "squatter sovereignty" notions
are not worth the Importance which has been
assigned to them, and that they should consti-
tute no bar to fellowship with the Democracy.
This will no doubt be the prevailing sentiment
at Charleston, Notwithstanding the impolitic
declarations of O few knights-errant like Mr.
McMullen, of Little Tennessee that they will
under no circumstances vote for a candidate who
holds such doctrines. There is, however, one
hope left to his irreconcable opponents Ben
ton is said to have expressed the opinion that
Douglas coat tail was too near the ground for
him ever to be President. ~
We have always regarded Senator Douglas as
~ -erv obnoxious politician. His fllibusterism
4. .liesslis.0 generally are distae teful to u.s.
lis position IL .egard 10 slavery in the Terrific
ries is the very least o5jection we feel to min.