the life of stephen a. douglas-第3章

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sion；　prepared　unflinchingly　to　take　the　initiative；　to　whom　politics　was　not　a　philosophic　theory　but　a　serious　matter　of　business。

The　slave…holding　aristocracy　of　the　South　was　the　only　united；　organized；　positive　political　force　in　the　country。　　With　the　personal　tastes　of　aristocrats　and　the　domestic　habits　of　despots；　they　were　staunchly　Democratic　in　their　politics　and　had　full　control　of　the　party。　　They　had　positive　purposes　and　aggressive　courage。　A　crisis　had　come　which　they　only　had　the　ability　and　energy　to　meet。　　The　control　of　affairs　was　in　the　hands　of　the　timid　Whigs。　Decisive　measures　were　needed。　　By　a　peaceful　revolution　they　seized　the　Government　out　of　the　hands　of　the　Whigs　in　the　midst　of　the　Administration　and　embarked　on　a　career　of　Democratic　conquest。

President　Tyler；　having　quarreled　with　his　party；　eager　to　accomplish　something　striking　in　the　closing　hours　of　his　abortive　Administration；　with　unseemly　haste　rushed　through　the　annexation　of　Texas　under　a　joint　resolution　of　Congress。　　Mr。　Polk；　the　new　President；　did　not　hesitate　in　carrying　out　the　manifest　will　of　the　people　and　the　imperious　behest　of　his　party。　　The　South　was　clamoring　for　more　territory　for　the　extension　of　slavery。　　The　West　was　aggressive　and　eager　for　more　worlds　to　conquer。　　New　England；　impelled　by　hatred　of　slavery　and　jealousy　of　the　rising　importance　of　the　West；　opposed　the　entire　project　and　earnestly　protested　against　annexation。

In　the　feverish　dreams　of　the　slavery　propagandists　rose　chimerical　projects　of　conquest　and　expansion　at　which　a　Caesar　or　an　Alexander　would　have　stood　aghast。　　Mexico　and　Central　America　were　contemplated　as　possible　additions　to　the　magnificent　slave　empire　which　they　saw　rising　out　of　the　mists　of　the　future。　　They　began　to　talk　of　the　Caribbean　Sea　as　an　inland　lake；　of　Cuba　and　the　West　Indies　as　outlying　dependencies；　of　the　Pacific　as　their　western　coast；　and　of　the　States　that　should　thereafter　be　carved　out　of　South　America。　　The　enduring　foundation　of　this　tropical　empire　was　to　be　African　slavery；　and　the　governing　power　was　to　rest　permanently　in　the　hands　of　a　cultured　aristocracy　of　slave…holders。　　The　people　of　the　North…Atlantic　States　and　heir　descendents　in　the　Northwest；　who　churlishly　held　aloof　from　these　intoxicating　dreams；　were　to　be　treated　with　generous　justice　and　permitted　to　go　in　peace　or　continue　a　minor　adjunct　of　the　great　aristocratic　Republic。　　Already　the　irrepressible　conflict　had　begun。

Douglas　heartily　accepted　the　plans　of　his　party。　　He　was　by　temperament　an　ardent　expansionist；　a　firm　believer　in　the　manifest　destiny　of　his　country　to　rule　the　Western　Continent；　a　pronounced　type　of　exuberant　young　Americanism。　　He　was　an　unflinching　partisan　seeking　to　establish　himself　in　the　higher　councils　of　his　party；　which　was　committed　to　this　scheme　of　conquest。　　On　May　13th；　1846；　he　delivered　in　the　House　a　speech；　in　which　he　defended　the　course　of　the　Administration　in　regard　to　the　Mexican　War　and；　in　a　spirited　colloquy；　instructed　the　venerable　John　Quincy　Adams　in　the　principles　of　international　law。　　He　based　his　defense　of　the　war　upon　the　treaty　with　　Santa　Anna　recognizing　the　independence　of　Texas。　　Adams　suggested　that　at　the　time　of　its　execution　Santa　Anna　was　a　prisoner　incapable　of　making　a　treaty。　　Douglas　insisted　that；　even　though　a　captive；　he　was　a　de　facto　government　whose　acts　were　binding　upon　the　country；　and　to　establish　his　proposition　cited　the　case　of　Cromwell　who；　during　his　successful　usurpation；　bound　England　by　many　important　treaties。　　The　niceties　of　international　law　were　not　very　punctiliously　observed。　　His　arguments　were　warmly　received　by　men　already　resolved　on　a　career　of　conquest。

The　war　was　a　romantic　military　excursion　through　the　heart　of　Mexico。　　There　were　battles　between　the　triumphant　invaders　and　the　demoralized　natives；　which　were　believed　entitled　to　rank　among　the　supreme　achievements　of　genius　and　courage。　　Americans　had　not　yet　acquired　that　deep　knowledge　of　carnage；　those　stern　conceptions　of　war；　which　they　were　destined　soon　to　gain。　　Military　glory　and　imperial　conquest　have　rarely　been　so　cheaply　won。　　The　war　gave　enduring　fame　to　the　commanding　generals　and　shed　a　real　luster　over　the　lives　of　thousands　of　men。

The　material　results　were　stupendous。　　We　acquired　nearly　twelve　hundred　thousand　square　miles　of　territorya　region　one…third　larger　than　the　area　of　the　United　States　at　the　close　of　the　Revolution。　The　extravagant　dream　of　making　the　Pacific　the　western　boundary　of　the　Republic　was　realized　and　no　one　seriously　doubted　that　this　vast　domain　was　surrendered　to　slavery。





Chapter　IV。　　The　Compromise　of　1850。




Douglas　served　two　terms　in　the　House　and　was　again　elected　in　1846；　but　in　January　following　was　chosen　Senator；　taking　his　seat　on　March　4th；　1847。　　In　April　following　he　married　Martha　Denny　Martin；　daughter　of　a　wealthy　North　Carolina　planter　and　slave…owner。

The　Senate；　during　the　early　years　of　his　service；　was　in　its　intellectual　gifts　altogether　the　most　extraordinary　body　ever　assembled　in　the　United　States。　　Rarely；　if　ever；　in　the　history　of　the　world；　have　so　many　men　of　remarkable　endowment；　high　training　and　masterful　energy　been　gathered　in　a　single　assembly。　　It　was　the　period　when　the　generation　of　Webster；　Clay　and　Calhoun　overlapped　that　of　Seward；　Chase　and　Sumner；　when　the　men　who　had　set　at　the　feet　of　the　Revolutionary　Fathers　and　had　striven　to　settle　the　interpretation　of　the　Constitution　met　the　men　who　were　destined　to　guide　the　Nation　through　the　Civil　War　and　settle　the　perplexing　questions　arising　from　it。

Webster　was　now　an　old　man；　his　face　deep　lined　with　care；　disappointment　and　dissipation。　　Though　sixty…eight　years　old　and　the　greatest　orator　of　the　century；　his　heart　was　still　consumed　with　unquenchable　thirst　of　the　honor　of　succeeding　John　Tyler　and　James　K。　Polk。　　Calhoun；　now　sixty…five　years　old；　a　ghastly　physical　wreck；　still　represented　South　Carolina　and　dismally　speculated　on　the　prospect　of　surviving　the　outgrown　Union。　　Cass；　equal　in　years　with　Calhoun；　still　held　his　seat　in　the　Senate　and　cherished　the　delusive　hope　of　yet　reaching　the　Presidency。　　Benton　was　closing　his　fifth　and　last　term　in　the　Senate；　and　Clay；　the　knightly　leader　of　the　trimming　Whigs；　though　now　in　temporary　retirement；　was　soon　to　return　and　resume　his　old　leadership。

Within　the　first　four　years　of　Douglas'　service；　Salmon　P。　Chase；　William　H。　Seward　and　Charles　Sumner　made　their　appearance　in　the　Senate。　　A　new　generation　of　giants　seemed　providentially　supplied　as　the　old　neared　the　end　of　their　service。　　Douglas；　though　serving　with　both　these　groups　of　statesmen；　belonged　to　neither。　　Running　his　career　side　by　side　with　the　later　school　of　political　leaders　and　sharing　in　the　great　struggles　on　which　their　fame；　in　large　part；　rests；　his　character　and　ideals　were　those　of　the　older　generation。

The　questions　confronting　Congress　were　of　transcendent　interest　and　incalculable　importance。　　A　sudden　and　astounding　expansion　had　occurred；　calling　for　the　highest；　wisest　and　most　disinterested　statesmanship　in　providing　governments　for　the　newly　acquired　domain。　　A　million　and　a　half　miles　of　new　territory；　extending　through　sixteen　degrees　of　latitude；　was　now　to　be　organized；　the　future　destiny　of　this　vast　territory；　and　indirectly　that　of　free　institutions　generally；　was　supposed　to　depend　on　the　decision　of　Congress。　　Above　all；　the　fate　of　the　American　apple　of　discord；　human　slavery；　was　understood　to　be　involved　in　the　construction　of　territorial　and　State　governments　for　these　new　possessions。　　It　was　deemed　by　the　South　indispensable　to　the　safety　and　permanence　of　slavery　to　plant　it　in　them。

For　that　half…disguised　purpose　they　had　been　acquired　at　great　expense　of　blood　and　money。　　New　States；　it　was　hoped；　might　now　be　created　south　of　the　line　below　which　slavery　flourished；　balancing　those　to　be　admitted　from　the　growing　Northwest。　　Thus　far　the　adventurous　West　had　powerfully　supported　the　South　in　its　schemes　of　conquest；　but　had　no　sympathy　with　slavery。　　The　old　North；　thought　ready　to　submit　to　its　continued　existence　in　the　States　where　already　established；　was　implacably　hostile　to　its　further　spread。

It　was　not　a　question　of　ethics　or　of　sober　statesmanship；　but　one　of　practical　politics；　that　divided　the　North　and　the　South　at　this　period。　　Each　hoped　to　secure　for　itself　the　alliance　and　sympathy　of　the　new　States　thereafter　admitted。　　Each　applied　itself　to　the　task　of　shaping　the　Territories　and　moulding　the　future　States　to　serve　its　ulterior　views。

When　Congress　attempted　to　organize　territorial　governments；　the　people　of　the　North　insisted　on　the　exclusion　of　slavery　from　Oregon　and　the　territory　acquired　from　Mexico。　　The　people　of　the　South　made　no　resistance　to　its　exclusion　from　Oregon。　　It　was　already　excluded　by　〃the　ordinance　of　Nature　or　the　will　of　God。〃　But　that　the　vast　territory　torn　from　Mexico；　acquired　by　the　common　blood　and　treasure；　should　now　be　closed　to　their　institution；　was　intolerable。　　To　secure　it　they　had　sinned　deep。　　After　the　conquest　their　position　was　peculiarly　awkward。　　The　laws　of　Mexico　excluding　slavery　continued　in　force。　　Hence　in　all　this　territory　slavery　was　as　effectually　prohibited　as　in　Massachusetts　until　Congress　could　accomplish　the　odious　work　of　introducing　it　by　express　enactment。　　Calhoun　strenuously　argued　the　novel　proposition　that；　on　the　overthrow　of　the　authority　of　the　Mexican　government　by　American　arms；　the　laws　and　constitution　of　Mexico　were　extinguished　and　those　of　the　United　States；　so　far　as　applicable；　occupied　the　vacant　field；　that　the　Federal　Constitution　carried　slavery　with　it　wherever　it　went；　except　where　by　the　laws　of　a　sovereign　State　it　was　excluded。

He　announced　the　proposition　afterwards　established　by　the　Supreme　Court；　that；　as　the　Constitution　proprio　vigore　carried　slavery　into　all　the　Territories；　neither　the　territorial　legislatures　nor　Congress　itself　had　power　to　interfere　with　the　right　of　holding　slaves　within　them。

Webster　conclusively　answered　this　refined　sophistry；　pointing　out　that　slavery　was　merely　a　municipal　institution；　in　derogation　of　the　common　right　of　mankind；　against　the　native　instincts　of　humanity；　dependent　wholly　for　its　right　of　existence　upon　local　legislation；　and　that　the　real　demand　of　the　people　of　the　South　was　not　to　carry　their　slaves　into　the　new　Territories；　but　to　carry　with　them　the　slave　codes　of　their　several　States。

While　the　venerable　leaders　who　had　ruled　Congress　and　swayed　public　opinion　for　thirty　years　were　uttering　philosophic　disquisitions　on　constitutional　law　or　the　ethics　of　slavery；　Douglas　had　with　practical　sagacity　offered　an　amendment　to　the　Oregon　bill；　extending　the　line　of　the　Missouri　Compromise　to　the　Pacific。　　This　would　not　decide　the　great　moral　question　between　those　who　believed　slavery　an　unmixed　good　and　those　who　believed　it　the　sum　of　all　villainies。　But　he　thought　that　moral　ideas　had　no　place　in　politics。　　It　would　not　decide　the　great　question　of　constitutional　law　between　those　who；　like　Calhoun；　believed　slavery　the　cre