The Washington herald., 1911-08-27
CHAPTER XIII.
In Washington.

In Washington.
Meantime, the storm dreaded as SO i'm
mediate by the administration at WASH
ington-the organization of a new politi-
cal party, born Of the unrest over the
slavery questton-had spent its force,
and, temporarily, long since had NUT
tered away in the distance, leaving scarce
a trace behind it on the political sky.
Austria. England, the Old World creeds
Of monarchies arrayed against popular
governments, had their way at our Capt.
tai, where the birth of an actual de-
mocracy impended. Active leadership by
revolutionists trained in Europe was sup
pressed, removed; as in one instance we
have seen. One abolitionist mass-meet-
ing followed another in those days, but
the results of all were much the same.
Protests and defamation abounded, plan
and leadership lacked. The strained COM
promise held. Neither war nor q new
party came as yet, disunion was not yet
openly attempted. Moreover, there was
a deliberate intent upon an era Of good
feeling. Wing and Democrat alike forced
themselves to settle down into the belief
that peace had come. II men were slaves,
why let them be slaves. At that time the
national reflex was less sensitive than It
later became with increased telegra phic
and news facilities Washington was not
always promptly and exactly advised of
the political situation in this or that
more remote portion Of the country. This
very fact. however, meant a greater sta
bility in the political equilibrium. Upon
the Western borders the feeling of unrest
now became most marked; and more
swiftly than was generally recognized,
important matters there were going for
ward; but even in that direction, declared
the prophets of peace, all now was more
calm than 1t had been for years.
Six years before this time Mr.. Wilkins,
Secretary of War, had proposed to or
ganize Nebraska Territory and to extend
thither the army posts; and in that same
year stephen A. Douglas, then of the
House, had introduced a bill for the or
ganiZation of Nebraska, but neither ef-
fort had had result. Two years lateH
Douglas, then in the Senate once more
sought to test the squatter sovereignty
idea regarding the new Western lands,
but once more a cold silence met his at
tempts. Six months after that time the
same bill, with the intent of attaching
Nebraska to the State of Arkansas, was
killed by Congress, becadse held to be
dangerous. A third bill by Douglas, later
in the same year was also recommitted.
The Territory OF the Platte" was the
next attempt to be dropped All these
crude attempts were merged in the great
compromise Of 1850 The might of party
was brought to bear upon all questions Of
principle, and the country was COM
manded to be calm; indeed for a time
was calm. It was the time of manacled
hands and Of manacled minds Our
government was not a real democracy
The great West had not yet raised its
voice, augmented by new millions of
voices pealing the paean of liberty and
opportunity for man.
In this era Of arrested activities. the
energies of a,restless people turned other
where for interest. To relieve the mo-
notony of political stagnation. popular
attention was now turned toward the
affairs Of Hungary. We could not solve
our own problems, but we were as ready
to solve those of Europe as Europe was
to offer us aid in ours. Therefore, in
slant interest attached to the news that
Hungarian committee of inquiry had
landed upon our shores. with the pur-
pose of investigating a possible invita-
ton from our republic to the Hungarian
patriot, Kossuth, then in exile in
Turkey.