The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-09-20

4 i,rcafdehtial elertiuR 0E tlo0ss, approved
lby both the grcat political parties, wero
lar from calming tho popular excite
ment And when Mr. Douglas, ia 1853,
as chairman Of the Committee on Terri-
| tories, introduced the Kansas-N Ncbraska
lbiIl, it led to force and protracted
discussion The object ,ns the commit
| tee declared 10 speeial report accom-
psnying il, was TO organize all Terri
tories IN the future npen the principles
lof the compromise measures Of 1867
Iand THAT these measures wcreintended
to have a much broader and enduring
effect than merely to adjust che disputed
question growing out Of the acquisition
IUf Mexican tcrriiory by prescribing GER
tain fundamental principles, which,
while they adjusted tho existing diais
cuities, would prescribe rules Of action
in al future time, when new Territories
were to be organized or new States 10
be admitted inlo tho Union That the
principle upon which The Territories Of
1850 were organized was, chat the sla-
Fcsy question should be banisbod from.
lthc halls Of Congress and the political
areua, and referred to tho Territories
and States who'll we're immediately in
lcrcstci in the question, aud alone res
.ponsiblsSior its cxistcpec.N anlkthe re-
port concluded by saying That ssllils bi!l
reported by the committee proposed 10
carry into effect these principles IL the
precise language Of She compromise
| measures 81! $50 Tho repeal Of the
Missouri coapgoIaise Was Incorporated
into the Blu ii subsequent period as
an amendment, and "a CHS form ii pass
cd both HOUSES Of Congress, aud be-
came law in 1851. Whatever differ
enccs of opinion ,aay exist, or may
heretofore have existed ii regard to
these measures, 10 one at this day will
call in question the patriotic motive by
which Sir. Douglas was actuated his
deep anxiety 10 preserve the harmony
0f the Union, bis sineerity, and The
great intellectual power With which he
maiutaincd every position he took. No
opposition in oT out of the Senate, no
popular elamor, no fear of poFsonal con
sequ noes disturbed his eqnaniTnity or
his courage. lle threw hiinsclf into
every areas IN which he was assailed,
aud defended himself with no iatrepidis
| " and manly fraukucss whiohuIways
commanded tho respect of those who
differed with him, apd wjth yigor
which oitea won tlenl ogtr % his own
convictions,
II tie State of Illinois ti,cre tas
been 40 great interest Tor a quarter of
i ccntury with which Mr.. Douglas was
Inot 10 sonc degree identified. lie
views We're cminentsy Conservative
lis opposed all nseless expenditures. al
loose interpretations Of organic OF adj
ministfatigc laws. al aitcmps to cyade
obligations resting uppn legitimats com
pacts aud yet lse was always ono Of
the foremost IL Advocating jadicious
internal Improvement lfe was partic-
ularly conspicuous for his peraeycring
efforts 70 secure thegrnHtu Ian Z from
tha United States FOR the Illiuos Cen
tral raIlroa.i, 10 which 80 much ~ tho
prosperity Of the State i duo II isno
iniGstice 70 tho Representatives in Con-
gFcss from Illinois, 10 whose nctiYe and
Kcalous cooperation with him that TO-
valuable grant was obtained 10 say thgt
bal fSr BIS dc,efmined opposition il
would haze been inadt 20 q private COM
pany, aud not, as he insisted Il should
DO, to tho State You allremelpber his
earnest aud long,eontinaed excrtlcns,
cxtendina through q scries Of years, to
procure tho passsse of bill by Con-
gress for the construction of tlie Paci-
&c railroad, the most gigantic enterprise
of this or any other age lie addressed
public meetings and wrote papers to
enforce upon ihe Judgment ithe conn
try the necessity of executing work
which he regardcdas destined 70 become
one Of the strongest bonds of Gniod
between the States aud the people on
the two shores Of this continent, aud rs
essential 70 tho f1lltleycIopnente Of our IN
tcrnal resources & our commercial capac-
| ity. lie didnot live toscethe ercatenter-
prise commenecd But, thanks to.him
aud those who ike him forceaw its i'm
portanre without being appalled, by It's
magnitude, il ID now To a course Of rapid
execution. II was COMMENCED year
ago; the track layers passed Fort Kear-
ncy on tho 20lh of last month; they arc
nowmore than 600 miles estof Omaha;
they arc more than halt way across tho
continent. Ga the 1T Of april next
this city viii reach, by one unbroken
railway communication into the heart
OF the great plains which stretch from
| the Rocky Mountains eastward, and be
| within 200 miles Of Denyor, Colorado.
| OF the 3300 miles Of RAILROAD required
/ ia this parallel Of Iattitnde to cross the
continent, only 1890 viii rcmaia un-
i finished. There is every reason TO be-
| lieve, should no unforeseen event occur
to retard it, that ia five years from this
time the work will be completed, the
| Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the pop.
| hlation on their respective shores viii
| be united BY the bonds of iron which
no time can break, and large portion
of the trade with China viii be turned
from maritime into overland channels,
The results to which this Improvement
| must lead no human sagacity can fore
I see and no human calculation compute,
In connection with this subject let me
recall to your remembrance the general
gloom which oyerspread the country
rhnn the late civil rlnl hrnLn out Thn