Daily national Democrat., 1861-01-11
What Denver Thought.

What Denver Thought.
Gen. Denver understood very we'll the OBJ
jects of the lanceyites in the late canvass
As he is now a candidate for the u. 5. Sen
ate, it will do no harm to recur to his views
on the subject of disunion, for that is the
great question Said he, on the 2d of Au-
gust last, in reply to letter addressed him
by VIM. T. Barbour, p. Dunlap, David Mad
dux JAS W. Cofroth and others;
The division that recently occurred in the
Democratic National Convention is much to
be dcplored, and the action of the seeding
delegates cannot be too severely censured-
The delegates from the State of Alabama at
tended the National Convention with instruc
uons from their State Convention t0 submit
a set of resolutions already prepared, and II
they were not adopted, then TO withdraw
This delegation was led on by William l..
Nancey, a gentleman of commanding talents,
but who has not for many years been in full
fellowship in the Democratic party. In lSlS,
although member in the National Conven-
tion he bolted the nomination of General
Cass, and took grounds in opposition to the
Democratic ticket Since that time he has
been an open and avowed disunionist. The
manner in which this proposition was pre-
sented was exceedingly Objectionable Even
if offered in good faith-which is very doubt
ful in my mind-it presented the appearance
of an attempt on the part of one State to die
tate rule Of action for all the others 1t
was natural to suppose that this alone would
produce opposition. But was the offer made
in good faith? think not Keeping stead
ily in view the great object for which he has
been struggling for years s-disunion-Mr
Hancey has sought to take advantage of ex-
isting differences of opinion on the Terrific
rial question in the Democratic ranks to fur
thcr his own purposes. BY adroilly ovailing
himself Of the heated discussions growing out
of the debates on the abstraction to which
have before alluded, he saw chance for the
success of his schemes 10y destroying the ma
tionality of the Democratic party, aud separ-
ating it into a Northern and Southern divis-
ion. The old Wing party had long since
been divided-some of the religious denom-
nations had been divided, and the only OBJ
stacle to the success of the project of a South
ern Contederacy was TO be found in the uni
ty of the Democratic party. If that could
be broke up there would be nothing more in
the way. The whole country would be di-
vided into Northern and Southern sectional
parties, and on the happening of that event
the most sincere and disinterested patriot
would despair of the Union.
Mr.. Douglas, it was well known, would be
a prominent candidate. For years he had
been the acknowledged leader of the Demo-
cratic party on the floor of the Senate The
President had recommended the admission of
X int l,o pi, Gfata .1.r ,hof
is known as the Lecompton Constitution, and
Mr.. Douglas opposed it. The other Demo-
cratic Senators generally sided with the Pres
ident In the discussions growing out of this
difference, Mr.. Douglas advanced the opin-
ion that the Territorial Legislatures might
10y unfriendly legislation exclude slavery;
but he Arrays admitted that it was ques
ton which might properly be submitted to
the Coltrts for decision and whatever that
decision might be, that 1t should be binding.
On no other important question-and discus
sion alone has made this important-did he
differ with the Administration and the Dem
ocratic members of Congress. | did not
agree with Mr.. Douglas in his views on this
question, but thought then, and | still think,
that it would be time enough to discuss it
when it should come up in practical shape.
For reasons before given, | do not believe
that time lOiH eUer come but if it should, is it
not better to tedpe a. to tie Courts to de-
eide rather than to thrust it with all It's dis
fractions into the national councils and the
popular elections
For the expression of these views Mr.
Douglas was subjected to the severest amin
adversions. They were seized upon by his
personal enemies all over the country, and
especially by the enemies of the Federal I'm
Ion. The Administration brought the whole
weight OF its vast patronage to bear against
him. lie was not allowed to entertain an
honest difference Of opinion even on an alb,
stract proposition. The Secretary of the
Treasury, Mr.. Cobb, had radically differed
with the President on question of vast i'm
portance to the country-the collection of
revenue. He advised the ad valoreD system
while the President recommended the impo-
sition of specific duties. This was exactly
the difference between the Democratic and
old Whig parties, and yet this difference was
passed by in silence No such liberality
was, however, extended to Mr.. Douglas =
For him to differ was to involve the whole
country in the difference, no matter how
trivial it might be. Indeed it is seldom that
we have ever seen so violent an opposition
or SO vindictive persecution waged against
any man as that which has been waged
against Mr.. Douglas.
What Gen. Denver thinks now, we cannot
say, but are of the opinion that of curse he
entertains the same sentiments, since the
same set of circumstances, under which he
made up his mind remains unchanged. lie
spoke with a full view of the facts before
him, facts which constitute the history of
that period, and doubtless he is of the same
opinion now.
NED NcGowAN.-The st. Louis Bulletin,