Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-06-15

esO specially trumphed. The resistance to
tnoSe measures came from the two extremes
ol Tue Union, each equally vehement and
PerS,S'ent, aud the result was rather a tr.
pmpn oI Vn'et, OF Trade, of Stockjobbng,
lhan oi slavery or antislavery. In the
passage OF the Nebraska bill did Congress
hrSt unequlVocally assert and ratify the
doctrine OF the natural, rightfnl equality of
slavery with freedom as an object of national
concern aud encouragement.
And here let me turn aside from nv main
purpose to speak Of the author of that
measure. Mr.. Douglas is just dead, in the
prime of life, wnh his great aspiration un.
satisfied. Like Clay, Ake Webster, and
other greater men than himself, he may he
said 10 have failed Of the grand aim of his
! life. that OF attaining the Presidential chair
never admired Mr. Douglas never but
In single struggle-that ia resistance tt
the LecOmpton onstilution-co-operate
with him. Though we were scho0l.boys at
the same time aud Of nearly eqnuI years in
Vermont districts but a few mics apart |
first saw him ia Washington when he had
just Won his way through dozen minor
Statious 10 the Senate Of the United States,
with the grand goal of his ambition full 10
view before hun aud then bis training, his
modes of thought, his habits Of life, we're
SO dIderent from mine, that we could never,
save htfully, have seen eye 10 eye Listen.
ing 10 his free, familiar expositions of his
views OF the great slavery question, could
0u'y iee' more strongly than ever before the
ut'er hopelsSsness OF any attempt to recon.
cue our dIscordant ideas. To my mind, the
nrst consideration was one os abstract, fun.
daweDtal, eternal right docs this man
6eEoHg 10 that Que by any law of the uni
verse Suppose A is white anu B black
the former wise, strong, intelligent the
latter foolish, weak, aud ignOraut--does
all this give A any right to compel B to
serve him for nought through life aud be.
queath like fate to his children ? say
No, empha'icnlly No---tIle exaetion is 50
palpably, monStrously wrong that all the
priests aud legislators, scribes aud sophists
On earth could not make it even plausible.
NO matter it such q relation had existed
from the grayest dawn OF History, and
been laudrd by saints aud sages as the acme
OF holiness aud wisdom, IL is neverthe-
less ntoerable, and ought TO be denounced
and resisted 10y every righteous SOUL Mr.,
| Douglas saw the matter III u very different
light. 1u certain climates, under certain
physical conditions, negro slavery was cou.
venlent--to the Whites II enabled them
to cultivate, or rather " profit by the cul.
tiVatIon OF, torrid swamps aud tropic cane
brakes which must otherwise be surrender
ed 10 the vulturG aud the alligator-ihere-
tore 1t was light and commendable in so
tar as those conditions rendered it conTe-
nient and profitable aud every commu.
nity-that is, Its white men--were the pro.
per judges whether it was or was not adapt.
ed 10 their requirements. Mr.. Douglas be.
lieved this, aud the Nebraska bill was the
faithful embodiment of his convictions. Yet
when asked to follow those convictions to
their logical and necessary result in o pro.
vision that each State should decide for it
self whether to buy its slaves of American
or OF African breeders and traders, he
shrunk from the test, aud pleaded consti.
tulional settlement Of the slavetrade ques
tion. He was as lame in his facts as in his
logic for the constitution only empow ers
Congress the importation Of slaves it no.
where commands snch prohibition. Aud
Mr.. Douglas was imperatvey required by
his great principle to allow Mississippi and
Arkansas, Florida and Texas, TO decide for
themselves whether to buy their negroes Of
Virginia at 81 900 per head or of Dlbo-
mey for $l0o He did not see this-he
cou Id not afford to-he did see the Presi-
dency in the keeping of the pro-slavery
politicians, and hoped to win them by val.
ued service to confer it on him. But par.
AZ E,,r A. l..
ulculate-rdrely for that which has been.
Mr. Douglas had served the Slavery Pro.
Paganda SO eifecIually in framing aud car,
rying the Nebraska bill that he had made
himself their hardest man to elevate TO the
Presidency SO they would not nominate
him in 1856 and after his dsloyalty to
their supposed interest resisting the admis,
sion Of Kansas under the Lecompton bill,
they would not support nor tolerate him,
but split up their party aud let in the Re
publicans rather than permit his triumph.
The PhllislineS, in this case, pulled down
their own temple in order to bury their re.
fractory Samson in its ruins. Aud thus
1860 avenged 1884 and prepared for 1861
But let me speak of the better side oF
Mr. Douglass nature. Bold, franz, genial,
hearty, no m IN was ever less pretsnlious,
less repelant in manner the poorest aud,
the humblest. if of the Caucasian race,
found him always cordial, never sporting
airs of superiority-a public-spirited cit
zen, generous neighbor. devoted friend
No white man was ever oppressed by hi'
greatness or i'll at ease in his presence
born Of the people. he never sought to ris:
above them, bat was hail-feIlow with the
rudest or the most beGighted to the last
lie had great nal ural ability. little improg'
ed by learning or reflection bot, though
no student of books. he was q careful and
constant student Of men, aud whatever
stores Of wisdom or knowledge they pos
sessed were readily yielded to his RANK al
dress and heartfelt sympathy. Mr.. Doug
las was in some respects good specimen
of the graduates Of the New England
school and workshop and be has been
called sway Just when his cherished aspira'
lion having been crushed Out by those be
led IoDq '6lled bis mind to serve aud WIn,
lie bsdo fair 10 abandon the role OF q po'
Iljtieal aspirant for that of patriot stales
man. No voice has beer more powerful
than his in producing that unanlmity and
Lo,rtinass vii which the PeODle OF the