Year: 1859

Some persons, otherwise very sensible,
wonder why we should prefer Stephen A.
Douglas for the Presidency to any other man
within the limits Of the Union. Our reasons
are plain and manifest Judge Douglas is,
in the first place great man, and we long
to see the era return when our great men
shall represent us in the Executive Chair
We have had small fry long enough. We
see no reason why men Of distinguished
abilities in the councils Of the Nation should
not be selected to administer the Govern
ment They are certainly more cabaple than
smaller men, and, as for honesty, our greatest
men have always been our most honorable
and high minded representatives. 1t is the
little pitiful specimens of humanity, known
as mere politicians, who have invariably
plundered the public treasury, betrayed
their party, and disgraced the country. Let
us have no more fourth and fifth rate men in
intellect and No. / in mednness and treache-
ru The Government worked well in earlier
days, under the management of our great
men. Let us try it once again, and see if
we cannot substitute once more statesman
ship and patriotism for piddling politics and
snesking featheryour-nestism. The country
demands great man at the helm Of the
Government.


In the next place, we want true patriot
"a man whose principles are coextensive
with the enlarged interests of the Union-a
man whose principles are as much for Ala
bama, Mississippi and Georgia, as for Maine,
New Hampshire and Illinois-a man who is
for no section, no class, no individual inter
est, but for the country, the whole country,
and nothing but the country" Such man
is Stephen A. Douglas


In the next place, we desire to see man
rewarded by the confidence of the people,
who, in these days of official corruption,
time-serving, and general laxity of political
principle, stood true to his convictions amid
the ieers and taunts of meaner men, the
kissing of the singing serpents that crawl
around the feet of power, and the vindic-
tiveness of hosts of enemies who are hire
lings of men as mean as themselves, but oc-
cupying more distinguished positions. We
say the people should stand by man who
has thus maintained his integrity and honor,
and dared to do right when it was more prof
table to do wrong.


In the last place, we think Judge Douglas
should be supported, because he is the only
leading man, with any claims to the Presi-
dency, who has had the sagacity to see that
the great doctrine of popular sovereignty, as
well iu the Territories as the States, is the
salvation of the American Union. The prac
teal effect of his doctrines is to secure the
will of the majority of the people in all
cases. on every question, and in all parts of
the Union; to take the distracting question
of slavery out of the halls of Congress and
place it where it will be localized and con-
fined-decided by the inhabitants of the 10
calities directly inter ested to set aside the
distractions of the right of Congress to dc
this thing or that, and leave the people tc
| settle everything connected with their OWL
| uUmcsllC COuCGIDS lOE W hoh II
the difference about abstract rights, of in
fnitessimal importance. as long as the great
practical idea of dllowing mqjorities to rule is
maintained. A policy which pursues this
course is harmonious with the true spirit of
our Government and can never take very
wide departure from the principles which
lie at the basis of our unequalled Republic.


These are few of the reasons which in
duce us to keep hoisted at the head of our
columns the name of Stephen A. Douglas, of
Illinois We are proud to see it there, and
we shall be still prouder to see it after the
meeting of the Charleston Convention, at the
head of every Democratic newspaper in the
Union