Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-01-09

warm expressions Of friendship and attachment,
which greet YOU on every side, a. the mention Of
his name yon are irrcsistbly impressed with the
conviction that he was truly beloved By those
who knew him best
No sketch OF The character Of Judge Douglas i
complete, which on:ts 70 refer 70 his watchful.
zeaious and efficient services in preserving the
Constitution from the construction contented for
By many, N relation 20 a preference given In the
protection OF one class Of property over another.
IL Is true. Executives Of States, and others in
high Official pos tons, labored, some Of them in
scores OF columns. 20 prove that. ~ some Urde-
lined. mysterious. unaccountable means, not per
ceisAble to the ordinary intellect, our fathers did
give a special protection and preference 20 pc
cuIilr kind Of property He Il was who rescued
the memory OF the trainers Of our national Con
stitation from such charges. by maintaining and
establishing this great truth: The Constitution
does not hx property relations. They are the
subjects Of local law. All the property owned
BY citizens Of The United States. under State
laws. must legally stand in the same attitude be
fore the Constitution. The power 10 say what
shall or shall not be property rests with the peo
pie, in their State and Territorial organizations.
and not in Congress. Upon this principle we
can alone maintain the peace and security Of our
diversified and various interests. IL is the corner
stone upon which the security and perpetuty of
this Union must rest.
II has been said that Sr Douglas was anbi-
tious-that his efforts were made for his own ag-
grandisement." What act OF his life sustains
these assertions7 His history Is before the ma
ton Let the faithful student go and search his
records Examine his conduct upon the compro
mise measures of 1850 Hear HE language. in
reply 20 ar. Clay. who had Unlimited that it
would be unjust 70 take the bills. reported by Mr..
Douglas from the Committee Territories.
he was their author and entitled 10 all the honor
of prepsring them. Mr. Douglas then said" |
respectfully ask you, Mr.. Clay, what right have
You. to whom the country looks for much. and
rs an eminent statesman having charge of great
measure for the pacifcation of distracted coun.
try. 10 sacrifice 70 any extent the chances Of snc-
cess on mere punctilio as 10 whom the credit
msy belong of having first written the billsI i.
sir. waive all claim and personal consideration in
this matter. and insist that the committee shall
pursue that course which the, may deem best
calculated 20 accomplish the great end we all
have in view. without regard TO any interest
merely personal to me"
The great statesman of Ashland then anil
extending his band to Mr. Douglas. said-"You
are the most generous man living will unite
tbs bill. and report them but justice shall never
theess be done 10 you as the real author of the
measure" Most faithful n his promise Mr.
Clay always awarded 10 him the highest praise
for his devotion TO the country. throughout that
memorable session.
Perhaps no effort Of his life exhibits the true
man. in all his motives, feelings and spirit more
clculy than his memorable speech of March -
1855. In the most n,iste:ly manner he vindca-
tel the principles OF our Government, and
posed the mocsery of admitting the pretended
St,te of Kansas. Ter the Lecompton Constitu-
tion-pressiny upon listening Senate argument
after argument. fact after fact, while surrounded
by the multitudes who had besieged the doors,
aises and windows 10 witness the scene aud her
aid the issue. SO intense was the interest in
speaker and subject. one well said-"The life OF
our American Democracy seems breathing in this
orator for constitutional interest" On this oc-
casion. when he triurnphantly passed through
one of the many ordeals which tried and prov ed
his fidelity to his country. he alluded to some per
sonal matters "a follows 81 make
no defense of my Democracy. | have pro-
LESSONS to make of my fidelity. The insnuation
that am acting with the Republicans has ter
TOR. and will not drive me from my duty or pro.
priety. Ny position is taken. know not what
its consequences will be personally to me. Ii |
can not remain in public life, holding firmly, i'm
movably 10 the great principle of self government
and State equality. shall go into private life
where | can preserve the respect Of my own con-
science. under the conviction that have done my
duty, and followed the principle wherever its log
ical consequences carried me-
Truly he ambitious!
Douglas died poor. He lived in an age remark
able Tor speculation. frauds. and pcculaton which
seemed ike epidemics, n0t only IN the General
but in the State Governments. Not confined to
our own country, but most of the Governments
of Europe have felt its whitening blight. The
country is familiar with the records of the fraud.
upon the English Government. growing out oil
the Crimean war, as they have been exposed b.,
the Press and Parliament of Great Britain. The
war carried on BY Austria. Italy. and France, has
developed some OF the most gigantic schemes oil
speculation. amounting To millions. Scarcely Q
Government. or city. stands without record
exposing either indirect dishonest speculatons, oil
open frauds.
In our own country we do not seem to be fully
aware of fhe extent to which these things have
been carried The records of the amount oil
morey rilde directly and indirectly. in the pur-
chase and sale of Navy Yards aud Military sizes
in schemes relating to Ocean Steamers and Mai
service. Public Buildings, Texas Scrip, Stocks
Grants OF Lands for Railroads, Locations o
Towns and Cities, in connection with the ntu
ence thereby effected in the State Legislatures of
the country, would. il fully exposed, strike tn,
nation with astonishment
A suit is pending in the District Court o
the United States of Wisconsin. concerning the
La Cross and Milwaukee Railroad Company
Among the facts brought to light, by this suit, Is
that Of the issuing Of two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars Of what is Justly called Cor
ruption Bonds-the proceeds of which were used
by q State Senator for "defraying sundry ex
pcnses incident 10 procuring a grant of land
from Congress for the continuation of certain
railroads, &C. The distinguished Senator RAISED
a large sum of money these Bonds; and, ~
on On investigation of this Bribery Fund, TIL
sage Senator declared that. in discussing the
same to certain persons, he remained "purposel,
ignorant" as 20 their names; and could not, o
would not. expose them
The legitimate effects of these examples wcr
seen in the decline of public morals and financial
honesty. and in the impulse given to rcckles
schemes of speculation all over rho country
We NAV form a faint idea of the effect Of thes
schemes. when we remember that single shar
in tho stock of Superior City was said to b
worth sixty thousand dollars ten DAYS before III
ranic of 1887. and could not have been sold,
month afterwards, for one-tenth Of that sum.
The example set 10y the General Government
and bv some Of those who were officially con
nected with IT, has extended itself like ragin,
mania, to the different State. county. and loca
Governments Hence. during the last twent
yesrs. scfsicstion>. sn-l l.lanSsrilg of luesl
State and official moneys, have been commo
occurrences They have become common
that the deialcation of a million of dollars by
public servant under the State or General Goy
ernmens does not create half the interest ex
citement that was manifested in the earlier day