Year: 1860

quagmires of DougIasism-know vel


(Which side of their bread is buttered.


We presume that, when they make up thei


minds whose cause to espouse, they reasoI


in this wise:


"'Choose ye whom ye will serve Her


is Douglas-he is not the regular candidate
because he did not get two-thirds vote, ant
the votes he got came mostly from Republt
can States which can give no aid to Democ
racy. Douglas can not get an electoral vote
in the South it is impossible. And at th'
best, he can not get over fifty or sixty in tht
North, which would only throw the election
into Congress. But it is not likely that hc
will get any.


! "In the South, Breckenridge will certainly
get at least as many, and probably twice a:
many, votes as it is possible for Douglas tc
get all together. Neither of them can by
any possibility be elected by the people
Either Lincoln will receive clear maj ority
Of the electoral vote and thus be elected, or
the contest will be throw into Congress. In
the former event we are tolerably dead set OF
fellows whether we are Dug. or Breck. men.
In the latter, Douglas can not get votes
enough to bring his name in with the three
highest that 90 into the House And even
il he does, he only controls one delegation
(IIlinois) The other thirteen Democratic
delegations will be as much opposed to him
then as now when they are trying hard to
defeat him, and even if they should all go for
him, be would still lack three States Of an
election. The American delegation ten
nessee) might possibly go for him, but none
Of the Republican delegations would, so he
can't be elected by the House. That is i'm
possible. Therefore Douglas stands not the
remotcst chance of success.


Can johnson be elected? IF Douglas
is not likely to 90 to the House, more un-
likely is it for Johuson to go to the Senate
rs one of the two highest candidates. Ifhe
should, there is only one Senator besides
Douglas likely to vote for him in that body.
The majority of Senators are Administra-
ton Democrats, and unalterably opposed to
the Douglas ticket. And certainly none of
the Republicans would vote for johnson.
So there, and everywhere, immoveable OBJ
stacles prevent the success of the Douglas
and johnson ticket.


" How is it with Breckenridge and Lane?
Are their prospects any better? The truth
is, the whole thing looks mighty squally,
but while Douglas and Johnson can't by
any possibility be elected, Breckenridge and
Lane may be. Douglas has killed himself
in the South and cannot get one electoral
vote there, and is so odious to the North
that he can't get enough electoral votes
there to carry his name into the House on Il
failure to elect by the people.


"Breckinridge and Lane, while they stand
no chance of an electoral vote in any free
State except California, may get the entire
South. In any event, they will carry all
the South except four or FIVE States thatmay
60 for Bell and Everett-they will surely
get enough to place Breckinridge second on
the list if the election goes into the House
Breckinridge cannot, of course, by any com
bination in the House, be elected, but his
friends have the power to prevent an cleo
ton in that branch until the 4th of March,
1861, when, the Senate having elected Joe
Lane Vice President as it has the strength
to do, that individual will become President
under the operation of the Constitution


" Then the men who, in this trying time for
our party, stick to the ticket nominated by
the reliable Democratic States, will be re-
membered kindly. Then the friends of the
Administration will be rewarded and its
enemies punished. Therefore, I intend to
be on the safe side, and shall support Breck-
inridge and Lane, and war against Douglas
and Johnson


We do not doubt that many Democrats
are now reasoning with themselves in this
way, and we must confess that there is great
force in such logic.