the life of stephen a. douglas-第13章

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　crude；　coarse；　blustering　youth；　as　described　by　the　accomplished　Adams　whose　social　ideals　were　borrowed　from　the　courts　of　Europe。　　But　he　had　readily　adjusted　himself　to　his　new　environment　and　taken　on　the　polish　of　the　Capital。　　Though　never　rich；　he　made　money　with　ease　and　spent　it　with　princely　munificence。　　He　was　not　only　the　political　dictator　but　the　social　lion　of　Washington。　　He　lived　in　splendid　style；　in　harmony　with　his　exalted　station；　entertained　generously　and　responded　freely　to　the　numerous　invitations　of　friends　and　admirers。　　〃His　ready　wit；　his　fine　memory；　made　him　a　favorite。　　*　*　*　*　He　delighted　in　pleasant　company。　　Unused　to　what　is　called　etiquette；　he　soon　adapted　himself　to　its　rules　and　took　rank　in　the　dazzling　society　of　the　Capital。　　*　*　*　To　see　him　threading　the　glittering　crowds　with　a　pleasant　smile　or　kind　word　for　everybody　one　would　have　taken　him　for　a　trained　courtier。〃

Tradition；　backed　by　General　McClellan；　says　he　was　a　heavy　drinker；　though　not　a　drunkard；　and　some　of　his　finest　speeches　at　this　period　of　his　life　appear　to　have　been　delivered　after　unrestrained　carousals　that　would　have　prostrated　ordinary　men。

Ever　since　1852；　when　his　youth　and　indiscretion　had　defeated　his　presidential　aspirations；　he　had　been　waiting　impatiently　for　the　Convention　of　1856。　　During　the　past　four　years　he　had　been　conspicuously　〃riding　in　the　whirlwind　and　directing　the　storm〃　of　politics。　　He　had　perhaps　intensified　the　hostile　prejudices　of　the　New　England　Puritans；　but　they　were　austere　moralists；　rather　than　progressive　politicians。　He　had　certainly　alienated　many　friends　in　the　Northwest；　which　was　slowly　withdrawing　from　its　old　alliance　with　the　South；　and　falling　into　sympathy　with　the　stern　and　uncompromising　East。　　But；　while　he　regretted　the　necessity　of　giving　offense　to　any　section　of　the　country　or　any　body　of　the　people；　he　had　deliberately　chosen　what　he　deemed　the　less　of　two　political　evils；the　alienation　of　the　Puritans　of　New　England　and　the　Northwest　rather　than　a　breach　with　the　salve　holding　baronage　of　the　South；　which　had　established　a　prescriptive　right　to　control　the　Presidency。　　And　yet　the　fact　could　not　be　blinked　that　all　his　services　and　sacrifices　to　the　South　had　failed　to　give　him　its　confidence　and　the　enthusiastic　loyalty　that　springs　from　it。　It　viewed　him　with　mingled　emotions　of　admiration　and　fear。　　It　desired　to　retain　his　service　but　was　unwilling　to　trust　him　with　power。　　It　could　not　forget　that　in　his　zeal　for　its　service　that　he　had　trifled　with　the　North　and　suspected　that；　if　self…interest　prompted；　he　might　break　faith　with　the　section　which　he　now　served　with　such　ardor。

The　South；　a　decided　minority　in　population；　had　long　held　its　sway　by　artful　appeals　to　the　selfish　ambition　of　Northern　politicians。　Although　the　undisputed　command　of　the　Democracy　was　in　its　hands　and　the　burning　question　of　the　time　was　that　of　slavery；　no　Southern　man　had　in　late　years　been　permitted　to　enter　the　field　as　a　candidate　for　the　Presidency。　　The　Southern　leaders　inexorably　insisted　on　giving　the　nomination　to　Northern　men。　　There　were　at　this　time　three　candidates　from　the　North；　Pierce；　how　would　have　joyfully　submitted　to　any　terms　and　pledged　himself　to　any　service　for　another　four　years　of　office；　Buchanan；　the　great　lawyer　and　distinguished　statesman；　who　had　just　returned　from　the　English　mission；　and　Douglas；　the　giant　of　the　Senate；　the　recognized　head　and　practical　dictator　of　his　party。

In　point　of　ability　and　energy　there　was　no　comparison　between　Douglas　and　either　of　his　competitors。　　Pierce　had　laboriously　earned　for　himself　the　lasting　contempt　of　the　world。　　Buchanan　was　an　eminently　respectable；　dignified　old　gentleman　of　great　professional　attainments　and　diplomatic　experience；　an　admirable　Ambassador；　a　good　Secretary　of　State；　who　might　even　have　adorned　the　Supreme　Bench；　but　whose　vacillating　will　and　temporizing　character　hopelessly　unfitted　him　for　the　arduous　duties　of　the　Presidency　in　the　great　crises　that　ensued。　　Had　the　positive；　combative　and　masterful　Douglas　been　nominated　at　this　time　it　may　be　safely　said　that　the　most　momentous　chapter　of　American　history　would　have　been　widely　different　from　what　it　is。

The　Convention　met　at　Cincinnati　on　the　2d　of　June　and　continued　in　session　for　five　days。　　The　platform　was　adopted　without　dissent；　declaring　the　firm　purpose　of　the　party　to　〃resist　all　attempts　at　renewing；　in　Congress　or　out　of　it；　the　agitation　of　the　slavery　question；〃　and　〃recognizing　and　adopting　the　principle　contained　in　the　organic　law　establishing　the　Territories　of　Nebraska　and　Kansas　as　embodying　the　only　sound　and　safe　solution　of　the　slavery　question。〃

Buchanan's　candidacy　was　engineered　with　rare　skill。　　He　was　fortunate　in　having　been　absent　from　the　country；　representing　his　Government　at　the　Court　of　St。　James；　during　the　three　preceding　years　crowded　with　great　and　stirring　events；　while　Pierce　and　Douglas　had　been　skirmishing　for　the　advantage；　each　seeking　to　outbid　the　other　in　eager　competition　for　Southern　favor。　　The　South　was　deeply　indebted　to　Douglas；　but　fear　is　strong　than　gratitude。　It　was　well　satisfied　with　Pierce；　but　hesitated　to　nominate　him　lest　he　might　be　overwhelmed　with　a　storm　of　just　contempt。　　Without　an　element　of　positive　strength；　Buchanan　was　a　formidable　candidate。　On　the　first　ballot　he　had　135　votes；　Pierce　122；　Douglas　33；　and　Cass　5。　　Pierce　lost　steadily　for　14　ballots　while　Buchanan　and　Douglas　gained。　　Pierce's　name　was　then　withdrawn。　　On　the　next　ballot　Buchanan　had　168　and　Douglas　118　votes。　　Douglas　then　sent　a　dispatch　to　Richardson；　his　manager；　to　withdraw　his　name　and　make　the　nomination　of　Buchanan　unanimous。

On　June　17th　the　first　Republican　National　Convention　was　held　at　Philadelphia。　　It　was　not　yet　a　united　and　well　organized　party。　It　made　little　pretense　of　agreeing　in　anything　but　unyielding　opposition　to　slavery…propagandism　and　the　fixed　resolve　to　curb　the　intolerable　arrogance　of　the　slave　power。　　It　was　made　up　of　those　who　were　opposed　to　the　repeal　of　the　Missouri　Compromise；　to　the　further　extension　of　slavery；　and　to　the　refusal　to　admit　Kansas　as　a　free　State。　　It　consisted　of　Whigs；　Free…spoilers；　Know…nothings　and　Democrats；　who　were　inclined　to　apologize　for　their　temporary　association　under　the　name　of　this　mushroom　upstart　and　were　not　willing　to　have　it　forgotten　that　their　essential　political　creeds　were　unchanged。　　They　were　Republicans　for　a　time　until　their　own　parties　reformed　or　gathered　strength　for　more　effective　work。

Yet；　imperfect　as　was　the　organic　unity　of　the　party；　it　contained　a　large　part　of　the　best　political　ability　of　the　country。　　The　real　leaders；　who　had　evolved　it　from　the　incoherent　chaos　of　earlier　years；　impressed　their　energetic　characters　upon　the　organization；　and　prescribed　for　it　such　formula　of　faith　as　it　yet　had；　were　Seward　and　Chase。　　To　one　of　them　the　nomination　was　clearly　due。　Seward　preferred　to　wait　four　years。　　It　was　not　deemed　prudent　to　nominate　Chase。　　On　the　first　formal　ballot　John　C。　Fremont　was　nominated。　　For　the　office　of　Vice…President　Abraham　Lincoln　received　110　votes；　but　was　fortunately　defeated。　　The　platform　declared　it　to　be　〃the　right　and　duty　of　Congress　to　prohibit　in　the　Territories　those　twin　relics　of　barbarism；　polygamy　and　slavery；〃　condemned　in　scathing　terms　the　conduct　of　affairs　in　Kansas　and　demanded　its　immediate　admission　under　the　Topeka　Constitution。

An　exciting　campaign　followed。　　Rallies；　parades；　fireworks　and　theatrical　displays　were　lavishly　provided　by　the　sanguine　Republicans。　　Their　orators　filled　the　land　with　eloquent　denunciation　of　the　Pierce　Administration　and　the　Buchanan　platform。　　Much　as　it　outwardly　resembled　the　log　cabin　and　hard　cider　campaign　of　1840；　it　was　wholly　different　in　character。　　The　Republicans　were　in　serious　earnest。　　They　had　well　defined；　though　discordant　opinions　and　convictions。　　But　before　the　end　of　the　contest　it　was　clear　that　they　had　blundered　in　nominating　the　picturesque　〃pathfinder。〃

Douglas　was　not　inactive　during　the　campaign；　being　deeply　interested；　not　only　in　the　election　of　Buchanan；　but　in　restoring　Democratic　supremacy　in　Illinois。　　He　sold　a　hundred　acres　of　land　on　the　western　limit　of　Chicago　for　a　hundred　thousand　dollars　and　contributed　with　great　liberality　to　the　campaign　fund；　not　only　of　his　own　State；　but　also　of　Pennsylvania。　　The　Democrats　won　both　States；　which；　with　the　entire　vote　of　the　South；　elected　Buchanan。

Millard　Fillmore；　a　rather　ghostly　reminiscence　of　other　days；　had　been　nominated　by　the　American　and　Whig　parties　and　carried　Maryland。　　The　combined　vote　of　Fremont　and　Fillmore　exceeded　that　of　Buchanan　by　nearly　half　a　million。　　The　Democrats　were　evidently　approaching　a　crisis；　and　harmony；　never　so　imperatively　needed　as　now；　was　never　so　hopelessly　unattainable。





Chapter　X。　　Popular　Sovereignty　in　the　Supreme　Court。




The　anger　of　the　world　was　rising　against　American　slavery。　　It　was　confessedly　a　shocking　anomaly　in　our　system　of　universal　freedom　and　democratic　equality。　　The　people　of　the　slave　States　were　inflexibly　resolved　to　maintain　and　extend　it　in　defiance　of　the　rising　sentiment　of　the　age。　　For　many　years　they　had　succeeded　in　holding　their　ground　and　stifling　the　anti…slavery　agitation。　They　had　vigilantly　kept　control　of　the　Government。　　During　sixty　of　the　first　sixty…eight　years　the　presidential　chair　had　been　occupied　by　Southern　men　or　their　dependents。　　The　Senate　had　uniformly；　and　the　House　usually；　been　under　their　sway。　　The　Supreme　Court　had　also　been　composed　of　Southern　men。　　Now　that　slavery　was　forced　to　fight　for　its　life；　the　South　with　increased　energy　sought　the　active　support　of　all　the　departments　of　Government。　　Pierce　was　its　humble　servant。　　The　efficient　and　imperious　Douglas　was　serving　it　in　the　Senate；　and　Cass　was　an　eager　rival。　　The　Northern　Democracy　followed　their　lead。　　A　majority　of　the　Supreme　Court　were　zealous　advocates　of　slavery。　　It　was　unfortunate　for　the　South；　and　for　Douglas；　that　the　champions　of　Southern　rights　on　the　bench　and　their　advocates　in　Congress　could　not　have　understood　each　other　in　advance。　　They　were　seeking　to　plant　slavery　on　a　safe　foundation　and　gird　it　round　with　impregnable　defenses。　　Douglas　had　promulgated　the　doctrine　of　squatter　sovereignty　with　which　the　South　was　not　satisfied。　　It　was　possible　for　the　Court　to　devise　a　safer　remedy　for　the　threatened　dangers。

In　1834；　there　was　an　army　surgeon　named　Dr。　Emmerson　living　in　Missouri　who　owned　a　slave　named　Dred　Scott。　　He　was　transferred　to　Fort　Snelling　in　the　Territory　of　Wisconsin　and　took　his　slave　with　him；　but　in　1838　he　returned　with　him　to　his　former　home。　　He　then　sold　Scott　to　a　man　named　Sanford；　who　resided　in　New　York；　but　kept　his　slaves　in　Missouri。　　In　1854　the　slave　brought　an　action　in　the　United　States　Circuit　Court　of　Missouri　to　recover　his　freedom；　on　the　ground　that　he　had　been　voluntarily　taken　into　the　Territory　of　Wisconsin；　where；　by　the　act　of　Congress　known　as　the　Missouri　Compromise；　slavery　was　prohibited。　　His　case　rested　upon　the　rule　that　slavery；　being　the　creatur