Year: 1859

The Petersburg Press is distinguished for
its ability and prudence, and never fears to
express its opinions frankly and timely.
Regarding the coming presidential election,it
says " the Charleston Convention will have
to decide the fortunes of the Democracy for
years to come, and may determine the exis-
tence of the confederacy, tor it is idle to
attempt to disguise the fact that the ques-
tion of Union or disunion will rise through
all disguises to mould the conduct of t be
next national campaign"


The Press then proceeds to define its
position on the question of candidates and,
while it admits that Senator HUNTER, of
that State, is its first choice, it very strongly
presents the case of Mr.. DOUGLAS in the
following mild and truthful argument. 1t is
we'll worthy of further circulation over the
country 1:


For our own part we are free to confess
our decided preference for gallant son of
our own State. We conceive him the man
of all men in the country to present as the
embodiment of just this issue-a dauntless
assertion of our rights to the ultimate limit
"a friend loyal to the extreme of devotion
to the Union-a man who is not afraid to
be logical. But next to him, we have no
hesitation in avowing our preference for that
long tried and true friend of the South,
Stephen A. Douglas, and this for reasons
which We propose to sketch very briefly.


He is the only Northern politician THAT
may be considered as Presidential aspi-
rant) who has been able to sustain himself
for TIE last ten years, in the front rank of
aggressive assault on Abolitionism.


We makeno imputation upon the honesty,
the courage or the ability of any man, but
we point to the fact, and challenge contra.
diction, that he is the only man that has
weathered the storm. Dickinson and Cush-
ing and Dallas and Shields, in short, every
other prominent Northern man who dared
to offer resistance to the fanatical tide, was
swept away, and not even the venerable
name and eminent services of General Cass
could purchase exception from the general
fate.


Nothing is easier than to charge man
with inconsistency by contrast of has opin-
ions with those of others-nothing is easier
than to convict man if you permit evidence
of anothers guilt to compromise him, but
the justice of such course is less obvious
than its facility. What we want, and what
we have never yet seen, is conviction of
Douglas of insincerity, inconsistency, of
disloyalty to the South on the evidence or
his own acts and utterance, and till this is
produced, we claim for him the praise and
position of admitted services and sacrifices
in the cause of the South and the Union.


We believe he is the only Northern ma
tional man who can carry more than one
Northern State.


This, of course, is matter of opin
but the opinion is based upon the notocio
fact of the last four years campaigning.


We remarked above that only thirteen of
the new Northern members were Demo-
Gratis; and it is worthy of notice that four
of those thirteen came from Illinois, and
comprise every ,aew member that halls from
that State. In almost every other instance
throughout the North, in which the member
has been changed, Black Republican has
followed Black Republican or superseded
Democrat.


That this exception in Illinois is due to
the personal exertions of Judge Douglas, no
one will doubt who remembers his laborious
services in the local contests in that State,
for the last three years particularly. The
same qualities and labors which produce
such effects in Illinois, would accomplish
similar results elsewhere throughout the
North in Presidential canvass; and the
very decided preponderance which his
friends manifestly possessed in all the north
ern State conventions which have been held
within the last months confirms our opinion
of his availability. -.


If, then, it should be the pleasure of the
Charleston Convention to honor him with
nomination, we shall extend to him and
challenge for him hearty support, confident
that the honor, interest, and security of the
South will be compromised by no act or
word Of his. ~ Z s's
Such being our feeling and position, we
confess we view with great regret the un-
generous and unjust course of many south
ern papers, Democratic PROFESSIONALS
Mr.. Douglas. Anticipating the contingency
Of his nomination, they arraign him at the
bar Of public opinion, and gravely proceed
to try, convict, and sentence him on the evil
deuce Of unscrupulous enemies and politica-
rivalsonlY less unscrupulous. Surely, even
if he be all that be is charged with being his
past services entitle him to faircr dealing
than this He is not q man of conceal
ments, and upon the particular subject Of
those charges he has, as he claims with
proud defiance OF contradiction, written and
spoken more than any other living man,