The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-07-04
A Correction that Fails to Correct.

| these internal fanatics and abolitionists ever
get the power into their hands," &C., denying,
as hundreds of Republican papers have done
before, that Webster ever uttered such Ian
guage. The same extract was largely quoted
by the democratic press four years ago. and
its authenticity denied by the republican pa
pers, and color OF truth was given to the de-
NAL by the fact that the extract is found in no
printed collection of Webster's speeches.
That Webster did utter the language, how
ever, was settled at the time by the Boston
Courier we believe, or at least by conser
vative Journal in Boston that quoted from the
Courier, showing that the language was ut
tered by Mr.. Webster, not in his great Faneuil
Hall speech in 1850, 1--WE have not the precise
date, but it was soon after the passage of the
compromise measures,) but at the banquet in
the evening which followed that speech.
The Boston paper to which we allude, gave
the speeches and toasts at that banquet, and
among them was short speech by Mr. Web
ster in which the language was used. We
have not preserved the paper which thus set-
tied the controversy, but our recollection is
very distinct as to the general contents of the
article as is that of many others to whom we
have named the matter; and we have little
doubt, if COL Dickey, who is now absent, were
appealed to, he could give name of paper, date
and extract.
But suppose the precise language attrib-
uted to Webster never acos used by him: that
it was quoted and attributed to him as long
ago as 1856, the Republican can prove by its
own files. What difference, then, whether the
prophecy was uttered by Webster or Ben But
Ter! The point of it, which has ever proved
so singing to the republican party is not uho
uttered it, butts remarkable fulfllment The
Democratic press, and Democratic orators in
a thousand ways, made substantially the same
prediction five, ten and fifteen years ago
Such prediction, from the least reflection on
the tendency of the principles and actions of
the radical party ten or twenty years ago, nat
urally formed itself in the mind of any man of
ordinary intelligence and forecast, not wholly
warped and debauched by fanaticsm. Steph-
EN- A. Douglas, in speech in the L. S. Senate
in March, 1860, made predictions whose full
tillment is quite as complete and remarkable
as the prophecy Of Daniel Webster. Said he,
contemplating the threatened rebellion by the
south and civil war;
A great civil war and the continuance of
slavery are in my Judgment. utterly incom.
patible. The men who have been ready at any
time, to sacrifice the Union to emancipation, will
have exclusive control of the Government. 1t is
folly to suppose their efforts will be limited in
the restoration of the Union.
1t will not be a careful inquiry whether they
possess legal authority, by virtue of the Federal
Constitution, to do that which they have ever
been ready to do in contempt of that compact
They will make a new law suitable to the ends
they wish to accomplish while professedly enga-
ged in the great work of restoring the integrity
OF the Union The foremost evil of such state
of things is that which shall bring into power
that nomadic class of mind, those wandering
humanitarlans those fierce and turbulent spirits
whose atmosphere of life is hurricane and the
storm Starting with the conviction that civili-
cation and good government are a long way be-
hind them, they have respect for consttu-
tons, however wise, and no regard for rights
however sacred Suspicious and ungenerous in
mind, vindictiye and cruel in resentment, pro-
scriptive and unprincpled in action, and tyran.
meal and mercess in the exercise of authority,
their subjugation of the South will leave us an
inheritance of evils scarcely less appalling than
those inseparableifrom struggle to maintain the
integrity of the Union.
The attempt will be made to cor fer upon two
races equal political rights and privileges am
irrevocably opposed to any such policy. This is
white mans government, and it can never be
anything else and preserve the public peace. The
abolition of slavery is one of the most probable
events of the future, but that will only exhibit
the folly of all attempts to confer political power
upon the negro race. The latter by the consti-
tuition of their nature are dependent people
They are entitled to protection and if made free,
either by their own vindcation---an event have
never contemplated--or by the coMvulsons which
would inevitably attend effort to break up the
Union, would regard it the duty of the United
States, as it would be the dictate of justice and
philanthropy, to extend over them, as we have
extended to the Indian tribes, the vigilant guar
danship of the National Government.
1t is not permit us to suggest to the Rep45-
Hcaa, the part of good taste or good sense, to
sickle about the authorship Of these predic. |
tions. Nor is it the important question, in
decd, whether such predictions were made at
all OR not, though it is notorious that they
were made seven and ten and twenty years
ago, Dor the matter of that, by thousands of
the Democratic press and Democratic speak
crs. The question is, is the state Of things |
thus described really verified, and is this de-
plorable condition of things in this once proud
and happy republic the direct result of rad