the life of stephen a. douglas-第17章

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s　expressly　established　slavery；　it　was　not　within　the　power　of　Congress　or　its　creature；　the　territorial　legislature；　to　abolish　it。　　This　was　not　the　creed　of　the　Northern　Democracy；　which　had　embraced　the　popular　sovereignty　doctrine　of　Douglas　and　Cass。　　To　abandon　that　doctrine　was　to　alienate　the　Northern　Democrats　and　lose　the　presidential　election。　　To　carry　it　out　in　good　faith　was　to　surrender　Kansas　and　the　remaining　Territories　to　anti…slavery　institutions；　for　it　was　already　evident　that　popular　sovereignty　meant　free　States。　　It　was　at　no　time　a　part　of　the　serious　political　philosophy　of　the　South；　but　the　ingenious　invention　of　the　Northern　leaders　to　hold　their　following。　　The　South　had　permitted　is　Northern　allies　to　give　currency　to　the　doctrine；　but　the　more　sagacious　saw　that　it　was　a　failure　and　were　preparing；　when　the　election　was　over；　to　cast　it　aside　and　announce　the　true　Southern　dogma；　that　no　sovereignty　except　that　of　a　State　could　forbid　slavery　anywhere　in　the　Union。

Already　the　Dred　Scott　case　was　pending　in　the　Supreme　Court　and　had　been　once　argued；　but　the　decision　was　reserved　until　the　elections　were　over　and　the　new　President　inaugurated。　　Well　informed　Southern　statesmen　did　not　doubt　that　this　ultra　doctrine　of　their　party　would　receive　the　authoritative　sanction　of　that　tribunal　and　the　temporary　scaffolding　of　popular　sovereignty　would　then　be　summarily　kicked　aside。　　They　could　not　afford　to　adopt　Trumbull's　declaration　of　power　in　the　Territory　to　abolish　slavery；　for　they　secretly　expected　to　establish　that　it　had　no　such　power。　　They　could　not　afford　to　frankly　declare　against　it　while　still　courting　the　Northern　Democrats。　　Benjamin；　who　was　an　accomplished　lawyer；　and　with　the　lawyer's　instincts　depended　more　on　constitutional　defenses　than　on　wavering　popular　majorities；　moved　to　add　the　words　〃subject　only　to　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States。〃　　Now　that　the　Constitution　had　become　the　bulwark　of　slavery；　there　was　nervous　dread　that　Congress　and　the　people　might　forget　that　it　was　the　supreme　law　to　which　all　legislation　was　subject。　　Douglas　earnestly　objected　to　Trumbull's　amendment。　　He　protested　against　it　as　wholly　unnecessary。　　He　also　voted　against　it　as　did　the　great　majority　of　the　Senators。

The　bill　passed　the　Senate　by　a　vote　of　33　to　12；　but　the　House　declined　to　consider　it；　and　on　the　3d　passed　an　act　to　admit　Kansas　under　the　Topeka　Constitution。　　No　compromise　of　differences　so　radical　was　possible。　　Douglas　remarked　truly　to　his　biographer　that　〃it　was　evident　during　all　the　proceedings　that　the　Republicans　were　as　anxious　to　keep　the　Kansas　question　open　as　the　Democrats　were　to　close　it；　in　view　of　the　approaching　presidential　election。〃





Chapter　IX。　　The　Conventions　of　1856。




Douglas　was　now　at　the　zenith　of　his　success；　master　of　all　his　resources；　the　most　admired；　dreaded　and　powerful　man　in　American　public　life。　　History　must　inexorably　condemn　much　of　his　most　brilliant　and　successful　work；　but　the　very　emphasis　of　its　condemnation　is　an　involuntary　tribute　to　the　matchless　efficiency　of　the　man。　　At　this　period　he　was　the　most　masterful　and　commanding　personage　of　purely　civil　character　that　has　〃strutted　his　hour　upon　the　stage〃　of　American　politics。　　The　cabinet　maker's　apprentice；　the　village　schoolmaster；　the　Western　lawyer；　had；　by　sheer　force；　established　his　right　to　this　position　of　real　master　of　his　country。　　A　weak　President　was　cringing　at　his　feet。　　He　had　overcome　the　brilliant　and　powerful　opposition　in　the　Senate。　　The　aristocratic　South；　which　instinctively　dreaded　and　despised　a　plebeian；　was　paying　him　temporary　homage。

He　was　barely　43　years　old。　　So　strenuous　and　effective　had　been　his　youth　that　people　hesitated　to　set　bounds　to　his　future　possibilities。　　So　strongly　had　his　overmastering　force　impressed　the　popular　imagination　that　the　sobriquet；　〃Little　Giant；〃　suggested　by　his　small　stature　and　enormous　energy；　had　become　household　words。　　He　had　come　to　Washington　fifteen　years　before；　a　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