Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-09-21

was ashamed he had ever been caught "a
such company that they we're q set of I'M
principled demagogues, bent upon perpetu-
ting slavery, and, by the exercise of that
unequal and unfair power, to control the
government Or break Up the Union; and
shst he intended to prevent their doing Ell
ther His denunciations of the fre-eaters
were at times very severe, and couched in
language fs neither for the parlor or the
newspaper.
''He insisted that he would never be
driven from the party, but would remain in
it until he exposed the administration and
the disunionists; and vhsa be went out, he
weuld 60 of his own accord He was in the
habit Of remarking that it was policy for
him to remain in the party, in order to hold
certain of the rank and file, so that if he
went over from the Democracy to any other
party he would be able to~take.the crowd
along with him and when he got them all
over, he would cut down the bridges and
sink the boats
On one occasion, I waited upon him. to
ascertain if the report was true thas he aud.
Buchanan had had an interview for the pur-
pose Of settling their dispute. said TO
him that as the correspondent of Leading
Republican organ, | had represented him
fairly, and the report, if true, tended to
compromise my position, and l thought,
therefore, that was entitled to fair ~
swer to q fair question.
Il asked him to say to me frankly If
there was any truth in the report. Putting
a hand on each shoulder, and looking me
square in the face, he said I authorize
you to say that there is not a word of truth
in the report Adding, that there never
would be any union between him and Bu-
chanan, unless the latter saw fit to come to
him and stand by his side on popular SOW
ereignty
:'In the interview he repeated many things
that he had said before, to convince me and
others that be was earnestly and honestly
on the side Of the North, against the slave
power, and should be found fighting in the
ranks CT the great Northern party in 1860.
In this interview he also used an expression
which distinguished Republican member
of the Thirty fifth Congress informed me
he used to him in conversation he held
with him at the commencement Of the Lee
compton struggle, to ascertain his views
concerning his douglas future intentions.
After talking awhile with Douglas, in
quired of him if he knew where his present
course (meaning his opposition to Lecomp-
tony would lead him. Douglas replied with
emf hasis II do; | have checked all my
baggage and taken through ticket
''1n using this expression to me, as he
| did several times, be conveyed 10 my mind
as | think he intended to do, that he was
going from the Democratic party, over, bag
and baggage, to the Republicans great
Northern party, as be used TO call it. AL
who conyereed with hin at that time, and
during the Lecompton struggle, who rela-
ted, their interviews with him to me, reesived
the same impressions from his conversations
shat | did; and the number was net only
large, growing out of nay position here, bu'
they embraced some of the leading Senators
and Representatives In Congress, represen-
tatives Of leading Republican journals Of the
country, as well as many CT the most dis
tinguished citizens Of the different States.
"Mr. Douglas plan for destroying the
Missouri line, and thereby opening the way
for the march of freedom beyond the lin
its forever prohibited by the existence Of
that line, and the opening up of the FREE
States in Territory which it was conceded
belonged to the slave States. and its march
westward embracing the whole lire of the
Pacific, from the British possessions to Meg
leo, struck me as the most magnificent
scheme ever conceived by the human mind.
This character Of con versatioa, so frequent
Fly employed by Mr.. Douglas with those
with whom he talked, made the deepest i'm.
preston upon their minds, enlisted them in
his behalf, and changed, in almost every
instance, their opinion Of the man. Will:
it is not surprising that the men who were
in the daily habit of hearing MIR. Douglas
give expression TO his sentiments, should
have given the sdvice they did to the Hi
nois Republicans. it is surprising that they
should now deny it. More remarkable ii
the fact that none Of the interviews | had
with Judge Douglas on the subject of his
political position. were confidential Or
the contrary, always talked with him as s
member of the press, he being fully aware
of my position"
| Remember, now that Mr.. Douglas aeve'
called for the name of this man-4sever ever
denied his statements, though the charges
were made against him in the House Of Rep
resentatives,. before the entire American
| people AS Democratic voter, the writer
of this demands an answer of Stephen A
Douglas.
LIST. He wants to know what his politica
conference With Horace Greeley was about
If it were political, he has a right to know
Cd. He wants to know how man like
Burlingame, who believes in IAN ant.-sla-
very Bible and an anti-slavery God, can
say that ''the Douglas men have Kept the
faith" and yet be good Democrats :
Sd. He wants to know what authority
Senator Wilson had for saying that he "knev
Douglas was all right y
4th. He wants to know what the Scope
or ultimate object of the understanding re-
ferred to BY Blair is
9Th. He wants to know why you, Mr. :
A. Douglas, do not deny the charges made
in the letter Of ''H 2"
! It will not do to say that these charge;
are not properly endorsed. They are. They
are made by reliable member OF Congress
on the floor of Congress, and in the face Of
the world.
They charge you with saying that yo1
"were ashamed. Of the company of southern
coon.D .h,t s.ro,,,romainnd in the Democrats