the life of stephen a. douglas-第7章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the party to the Compromise； including the Fugitive Slave Act； and to 〃resist all attempts to renew the agitation of the slavery question in congress or out of it； under whatever shape or color the attempt might be made。〃 Like most political platforms； it was made to win votes； not to announce moral truths； and the four statesmen who were competing for the nomination believed that platform best which would offend the fewest prejudices。
The speeches were delivered。 the first ballot gave Cass 116； Buchanan 93； Marcy 37 and Douglas 20 votes。 Day after day the managers of the three veteran politicians plotted and counter…plotted and 〃Young America〃 shouted for Douglas。 On the fourth day he had risen to second rank among the candidates； having 91 votes； while Cass had 93。 On the fifth day the four distinguished statesmen were dropped and Franklin Pierce； an inoffensive New Hampshire politician； was nominated。
The Whig convention met at Baltimore on June 16th。 Already the Whigs； though in power； were demoralized。 Their mission； never very glorious； was ended。 In the North； tinctured with the old Puritanism and sincere reverence for the primary rights of man； there was a widely diffused feeling that a party responsible for the Fugitive Slave Law could be spared without great loss to civilization。
In the South slavery had definitely placed itself under the protection of the Democratic party as the more reliable； if not the more subservient； of the two。 There was an appropriate funereal air about the Convention as it struggled with the question of who should stand on its platform of pitiful negations。 The platform solemnly declared that the Compromise Acts； including the Fugitive Slave Law； were acquiesced in by the Whig party as a settlement of the dangerous and exciting questions which they embraced。 It insisted upon the strict enforcement of the Compromise and deprecated all further agitation of the question thus settled。 If further evidence of the collapse of the party were required； it was furnished by the attitude and character of the candidates。 Fillmore was a passive candidate。 Webster； his Secretary of State； was an eager competitor。 General Scott； though without experience in civil affairs； was the third candidate and received the nomination。
This was the last serious appearance of the Whig party on the stage of national politics。 The election resulted in the overwhelming defeat of Scott and the gradual dissolution of the party。
Chapter VI。 The Repeal of the Missouri Compromise。
In January； 1853； Mrs。 Douglas died。 In 1856 he married Miss Adele Cutts of Washington； a Southern lady of good family。
He was reelected Senator in 1853 without serious opposition。 He had hitherto been one of the most earnest defenders of the sacredness of the Missouri Compromise。 He had strenuously sought to extend it to the Pacific。 In 1848 he had declared it as inviolable as the Constitution； 〃canonized in the hearts of the American people as a sacred thing which no ruthless hand would ever be reckless enough to disturb。〃 But events had moved fast and he moved with them； adjusting his opinions to the advancing demands of the dominant wing of his party。
During half a century the people of the South had been in control of the Government； but Nature and advancing civilization had been steadily against them。 They had won a brilliant victory in the Southwest； but found it barren。 The only remaining territory in which they could hope to plant slavery was that stretching westward from Missouri； Iowa and Minnesota to the borders of Utah and Oregon。 It was wholly unorganized； devoted mainly to Indian reservations。 The plan was to organize this region； embracing the present States of Kansas； Nebraska； South Dakota； North Dakota； Montana； and parts of Colorado and Wyoming； into a Territory to be called Nebraska。 The final contest between freedom and slavery for the possession of the public domain was now to be waged。
The South was at this time in peculiarly favorable situation。 The right to recover runaway slaves was secured。 Both the political parties had declared in favor of maintaining and faithfully executing the Compromise。 The people of both sections were in favor of maintaining and faithfully executing the Compromise。 The people of both sections were in favor of standing by their bargain in good faith； the South enjoying its slavery and the North its freedom in peace。 There is no apparent reason why this could not have lasted for many years。 But the South could not rest easy under the sense of increasing hostility to slavery and wanted to entrench it more strongly against assault。 It would like more Senators and was ready to stake everything on the capture of this last territory out of which new States could be carved。
Congress met for a memorable session on December 5th； 1853。 Douglas was chairman of the Committee on Territories； and his trusted lieutenant； Richardson； was chairman of the Territorial Committee of the House。 He was thus in position to control the legislation of deepest importance and greatest political interest。 During the closing days of the last session Richardson had pushed through the House a bill to organize the Territory of Nebraska。 It was reported to the Senate； referred to the Committee on Territories and Douglas attempted in vain to hurry it through。
Dodge of Iowa； now introduced in the Senate a bill for the organization of the Territory which was a copy of the House bill of the last session。 It was referred to the Committee on Territories。 Douglas as chairman on January 4th reported it to the Senate in an altered form； accompanied by an elaborate report。 It provided that when the Territory or any part of it should be admitted as a State it should be with or without slavery as its Constitution should provide。 The report justified this non…committal attitude by citing the similar provisions in the Utah and New Mexico bills。 It declared it a disputed point whether slavery was prohibited in Nebraska by valid enactment。 The constitutional power of Congress to regulate the domestic affairs of the Territories was doubted。 The Committee declined to discuss the question which was so fiercely contested in 1850。 Congress then refrained from deciding it。 The Committee followed that precedent by neither affirming nor repealing the Missouri Compromise； nor expressing any opinion as to its validity。 It intimated that in 1850 Congress already doubted its constitutionality。 The Compromise was now doomed。 The inventive genius of the Senate now applied itself to the task of shifting the odium of its repeal upon the previous Congress。
While this bill was pending in the Senate Douglas was anxiously scanning the field to ascertain what effect it was producing among the people。 The South was not likely to be duped。 If the Missouri Compromise was in force that alone excluded slavery； and no advantage could accrue from organizing the new Territory without mention of the subject。 It did not care to take the risk of proving the law of 1820 invalid。 Let it be repealed。 But the thought of explicitly repealing the Missouri Compromise； which he had been wont to declare inviolably sacred； appalled him。 He dreaded its effect in Illinois and throughout the Puritanical North； where moral ideas were annoyingly obtrusive。 The South； though not demanding the repeal of the Compromise； would surely welcome it with joy and gratitude。 The question of expediency was a hard one。
The bill； consisting of twenty sections； was printed on January 2d in the Washington Sentinel。 Again； on the 10th of January； it appeared in the same paper with another section added。 The new section provided that the question of slavery during the territorial period should be left to the inhabitants； that appeals to the Supreme Court should be allowed in all cases involving title to slaves or questions of personal freedom； and that the Fugitive Slave Law should be executed in the Territories as in the States。 This remarkable change in the form and spirit of the bill was explained as resulting from an error of the copyist； who had omitted this vital section from it as originally printed。
On the 16th of January Senator Dixon of Kentucky offered an amendment repealing the Missouri Compromise。 The next day Sumner gave notice of an amendment affirming it。 The question could no longer be dodged。 When Dixon's amendment was offered； Douglas； who was greatly annoyed by it； went to his seat and implored him to withdraw it。 But he refused。 He called upon Dixon and took him for a drive。 They talked of the Nebraska bill and the amendment。 The result of the conference was that Douglas said to him： 〃I have become perfectly satisfied that it is my duty as a fair minded national statesman； to cooperate with you as proposed in securing the repeal of the Missouri Compromise restriction。 It is due to the South； it is due to the Constitution； heretofore palpably infracted； it is due to that character for consistency which I have heretofore labored to maintain。 The repeal will produce much stir and commotion in the free States * * * * for a season。 I shall be assailed by demagogues and fanatics there without stint。 * * * * Every opprobrious epithet will be applied to me。 I shall probably be hung in effigy。 * * * * I may become permanently odious among those whose friendship and esteem I have heretofore possessed。 This proceeding may end my political career。 But； acting under the sense of duty which animates me； I am prepared to make the sacrifice。 I will do it。〃
The bluff Kentuckian was much affected； and with deep emotion exclaimed： 〃Sir； I once recognized you as a demagogue； a mere party manager； selfish and intriguing。 I now find you a warm hearted and sterling patriot。 Go forward in the pathway of duty as you propose； and； though the whole world desert you； I never will。〃
He had now decided on his course。 Cass； who had been forestalled by his alert rival； was understood to be ready to step into the breach if Douglas faltered。 He was on perilous heights where a false step would be fatal。 Already a storm of opposition was brewing in the North； which would surely break upon him with fury if he proposed the repeal。 It might fail in the House and thus leave him with both the North and South angrily condemning him；the South for his rashness and the North for his treachery。 Pierce was known to be opposed to the express repeal of the Compromise。 On Sunday； January 22d； Douglas called on the Secretary of War； Jefferson Davis； explained the proposed change and sought the help of the Administration in passing the bill。 Davis was overjoyed and at once accompanied him to the White House。 Pierce received his distinguished visitors； discussed the plan with them and promised his help。
The next morning Douglas offered in the Senate a substitute for the original Nebraska bill； in which two radical changes appeared。 The new bill divided the proposed Territory； calling the southern part Kansas and the northern part Nebraska； and declared the Missouri Compromise superseded by the legislation of 1850 and now inoperative。
On the next day appeared the 〃Appeal of the Independent Democrats in Congress to th
