The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-06-07


bill. Our fundamental objection to IL, that
IL nut Good and Evil, Right and wrong
Frecdom and Slavery, on an equal iooting'
regarding and treating them as equally en-
titled 10 National protection, encouragement,
diffusion, is well known. But though MIR.
Douglas failed, in our view, to apprehend
and do Justice IN the moral aspects OF the
great question involved, we believe he eyinced
no want Of sigacity nor OF just appreciation
Of public sentiment, in propounding that
scheme. If the Northern Democracy and
their Southern allies were to be held together
at all. il must have been ON the platform SO
devised by Mr.. Douglas. Nor do we ieci'
looking back calmly over the whole herce
struggle of the last ten years, that Mr.. Dou-
glas intended to dIifuse Slavery by his NebraS'
ka policy. What he dad mean was to dcSise
and establish ground ON which the Demo-
cratic party could continue 10 stand toSeul-
er. govern the country, and elect him 10 tne
Presidency. To this end. it was Desirable II
not essential, that Freedom and Slavery
should have equal opportunities as well as
eoual rights i'm the Territories-that the
Government should regard and treat them
with like favor or like indifference. But the
gang Of political gamblers who call them;
selves "the South, never meant anything oi
the sort. They meant TO clutch the Terrific
ries for Slavery-if by fair means, very Wen !;
If not so, then by any means that could best
serve the end. Hence the Nebraska bill had
scarcely passed when their satellites rushed
into Kansas, BOwie-kniie in one hand and
revolver in the other, and began to menace,
mob, maltreat, drive outand shoot, all whom
they were pleased to stigmatize as "Aboli-
tionists" and "Nigger-stealers" that Is,
any who wished to make Kansas Free State.
Hence systematic inyasions, abominably
fraudulent elections, and all the machinery
of violence and rufianism, whereby Kansas
was sought TO be-and, but for Northern de-
vOtcdness in supplying men; money and arms
trould hare beaI-conquerc for Slavery.
Mr.. Douglas ought to have boldly and
promptly resisted these outrages-it was due
TO his convictions and his cherished princi-
ples that he should do so most emphatically.
Had he done this at once, he would have
earned great name in history, but he would
have thrown away his chance TO be nomi-
mated for President Mt Charleston in 1856.
That accursed iynis fdtus, that mirage, of
the Presidency, which misleads and ruins so
many of our prominent politicians. ensnared
Mr.. Douglas. He might in sc have estab-
lished his principle-hulty as we esteem it
by simple fidelity to it ON his own part, at
the cost of his immediate prospect OF attain
ing the Presidency. The result proved that
he had .'sold himself for nought." Popular
sovereignty was sacrificed, but the Prosiden-
cy not attained. Like Clay's, like Web
stcr's, and so many others, Mr.. Douglas ca
reer, in view Of its great, controlling pur-
pose. must be adjudgcd failure.
OF the later career OF Mr.. Douglas (saye
that noble and manly, but inconsistent cpl
sOde, his gallant resistance to the partisan
attempt to force the LecomptOn Pro-Slavery
Constitution upon outraged, resisting, strug-
Cling Kanssls) il is not pleasant to write
In March, 1857, the election of Mr.. Blu
chanan was capped by the enunciation OF
the bred Scott decision, whereby squatter
sovereignty was outlawed, and all pretence
of holding an even balance between Freedom
and Slavery in the Territories scattered to
the winds. From that moment, MIR. Dou-
clas' position became illogical, baseless, UNI
tenabic. Protesting in one sentence to honor
the bred Scott decision. in the next to still
uphold that cherished doctrine with which
il was utterly, fatally at war, he presented
that spectacle Of "a strong man in moriss,
sinking deeper with every struggle for SELF
extricltiOn, which must ever provoke the
icers Of enemies and the pity of friends
Hence, MIR. Douglas later speeches, especial
" his campaign efforts of 1860, are not wor-
thy of his reputation, and do not fairly ex-
hibit his natural yigor Of mind and fertility
of resource. He was 50 hampered, so Grip
plcd, by perils ON this side, and barriers on
that, that he was seldom permitted to 90
Justice to his abilities. Slenderly educated
and never great reader, much less stu
dent, he was not likely to extend or exait ms
fame as a debater but he need not have dis
parged it, had party necessities allowed his
faculties hair play.
Mr.. Douglas will leave children by his tirs'
wife, who are understood to inherit com
petence from their mother; he will leave a
widow and child, we fear, without any pro-
vision whatever. II such be the fact, 1t !:
simple Justice that his many friends should
take care that they are placed beyond want
He was always liberal to the extent OF hi:
means, and il is not charity-it u naked
right-that those for whom he has done and
would do anything, should do what is need
ful for those left desOlate by his untimely de-
cease.