Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-02-07


erfully aided, however, by one event,
that again renewed, in more than its
former fierceness, the Northern anti
slavery agitation. The so called Missout
ii Compromise was repealed. 1t was the
singular destiny ofthat hapless measures
to cOnvulse the country from its center
to its circumference when II passed, to
be constant source OF discord and op.
prObrium while il lasted, and yet to cre-
ate a ptill greater storm when it was
abrOgated. The throes of its death ago.
nies we're even more dreadful than those
that attended its birth, which had pros
Toundly alarmed Mr., Jefferson for .hs
future peace and harmony of the Union.
The anti-foreign excitement met With
check in the Virginia election, and was
finally defeated in all the Southern States.
But for that,i would have accomplished
its mission, and forever disfrAnchised the
foreign element. With the proVerbial
gratitude of parties. however, those whom
the South had so gallantly served, or, at
least, large and controlling portion Of
them, Immediately united with their late
Northern enemies in bitter crusade up
on those who had protected them, and
even moved at the head of the assaultiDg
column, first into the National councils
and then into the tented field.
The agitation against foreigners thus
being fOiled, all the agitators, Of every
sort and every degree, combined under
the aag of anti'slaVery agitation. TWAS
| like the rod Of Aaron, which swallowed
up all all other rods, or like the great
brazen serpent that swallowed up all
otker and smaller serpents, Again, how
ever, we obtained brief respite, In the
election of 1856 the Democracy triumph.
ed, and elected an aged ana experienced
statesman, James Buohaneu, OF Pennsyl'
yania. Presideptof the United States
over j john-G. Fremont, q young adven.
itlrer in the political field, who was the
candidate Of the anti-slavery agitAtors
then, for the first time, banded together
under the name Of Republicans. The
circumstances that attended the -GfeOsiSr
were ominous, and dshowed the tremepd.
strides the sectional party had made
Every Southern State but one had voted
for Mr.. Buchanan, but only five N NOrth'
erD States had given him their votes
and all of them by pluralities, instead Of
msjority. Indeed, be would have beer
defeated had it not been for the vote ol
the single State of Pennsylvania. Inal
the other Northern States the Radicals
we're in large and overwhelming majori'
ties. sss..., ,.,.- ....S ,sa.
Well might the Democracy exclaim
with Pyrrhus, who, after dear-bOught
victory over the Romans, declared that
another such victory would ruin him. -
The National Democracy could see. like
| NapUlepp, after the Russian. campaign,
when he reviewed his troops, that they
we're spending their last resources. The
terusof Mr.. Buchanan q Administration
was q steady and constant approach tC
the tremendous whirlpool that was roar.
ling below. Already In Virginia, under
John Brown, addin Kansas, under ar
unfortunate policy, blood had been shed
Athe passions of the people weroadaily
becoming greater and more bitter, aud
every thing presaged that a dreadful
storm Wasin the wind, and that, without
skiIlfuE pilotage, tbe country would bt
wrecked. Only one connecting linl
then held the ICohfsderacy together, ant
preserved the peace Of the land. AL
other political and ecclesiastical Organi
cations had besnsundered as ifthere wert
threads of gossamer, instead Of grea
National cables Of iron. Althoueh some,
what ruptured and broken, at Charles
ton and at Baltimore, in 1860, at thu
Democratic National Convention, by thI
IblindneSs and infatuation ofthe Southern
leaders, there was yet sufficient vitality
| in it. 10 have preserved the UniOn il
peace if il had been victorious in thC
elections Of that year. But it, was bes
ten beaten undor the lead Of an abB'
and eminent statesman, Stephen A
Douglas, whose defeat at the polls snap
ped the last link assunder that kept the
Confederacy in a unity. 3c'~ %
A greater compliment was never pait
in a result to political party. Lool
where the country was the day il wal
overthroWn, and then look at it ST,
months after--yes, six days after. Tier
IL was seen, indeed, that the last anchor
Of the ship Of State had given way, and
llbSt.the.-s -srnat -nahla that. .hald it back
from the maelstrom Of civil commotioI
had parted, and that we we're in tht
midst Of The boiling eddies and tremend
GUS sweep Of the torrent. 1t was an un'
fortunate day, the blackest in our calen-
dar. How our history would have beer
changed, if Mr.. Douglas, instead Of Mr.
Lincoln, had been eleCtedf Whatdif
ferent pages would have been put in oul
annals. How much more glorious oul
present, and how much brighter the
future. It almost makes the heart sick
to think Of the awful and irreparablt
political mistake the people then made
II was the greater even from the charac'
Ter of the man whom the people had
chosen Abraham Lincoln. We
fear Mr.. Douglas must be held respon
sible for the fatallegacy Of this man. ~
It was the acceptance BY Mr. Douglas o.
challenge for public disonssion SEM
hin, IL Iinnnln mkilA fhau u1arA nanni.