the life of stephen a. douglas-第23章
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A Senator's first duty was to his State。 〃If the will of my State is one way and the will of the President is the other； am I to be told that I must obey the Executive and betray my State； or else be branded as a traitor to the party and hunted down by all the newspapers that share the patronage of the Government？ And every man who holds a petty office in any part of my State to have the question put to him； 'Are you Douglas' enemy？ If not； your head comes off。'〃
What despotism on earth could equal this？ The obedience of Senators was demanded on this question only。 On all else they were free。 The President was evidently guided by the old adage that a man needs no friends when he knows he is right and only want his friends to stand by him when he is wrong。
The President regretted that the Constitution was not submitted to the people； although he knew that if it had been submitted it would have been rejected。 Hence； he regretted that it had not been rejected。 Would he regret that it had not been submitted and rejected if he did not think it was wrong？ And yet； he demanded their assistance in forcing it on an unwilling people and threatened vengeance on all who refused。
〃For my part；〃 he continued； * * * 〃come what may； I intend to vote； speak and act according to my own sense of duty； so long as I hold a seat in this Chamber。 * * * I have no professions to make of my fidelity。 I have no vindication to make of my course。 Let it speak for itself。 * * * I intend to perform my duty in accordance with my own convictions。 Neither the frowns of power nor the influence of patronage will change my action； nor drive me from my principles。 I stand firmly and immovably upon those great principles of self…government and State sovereignty upon which the campaign was fought and won。 I stand by the time honored principles of the Democratic party； illustrated by Jefferson and Jackson； those principles of State rights； of State sovereignty； of strict construction； upon which the great Democratic party has ever stood。 I will stand by the Constitution of the United States with all its compromises and perform all my obligations under it。 I will stand by the American Union as it exists under the Constitution。 If standing firmly by my principles I shall be driven into private life； it is a fate that has no terrors for me。 * * * If the alternative be private life or servile obedience to the Executive will； I am prepared to retire。 Official position has no charm for me when deprived of that freedom of thought and action which becomes a gentleman and a Senator。〃
When he closed； Toombs rose to reply。 The speech was offensively bitter and personal； in one memorable passage of which he announced that the slave States would take care of themselves and were prepared to bid defiance to the North and to the world。 Green of Missouri answered in coarser strain； both intimating that Douglas had been guilty of deliberate perfidy in his change of front。
On the 23rd the vote was taken and the bill passed； 33 being for it and 25 against it。
The Administration now declared war on him。 The patronage was unsparingly used against his friends and it was better for an applicant for Federal appointment to be accused of any crime than suspected of friendship with Douglas。 This separation from his party touched his feelings more deeply than any other event of his life； and we find surprising evidence of his being shaken by deep emotions that seem out of harmony with his robust and unsentimental nature。 But when we remember that all his life had been spent in the activities of politics； that his thoughts； sentiments and passions had all been political for twenty years； that the Democratic platform was at once his creed and his philosophy； we can understand something of the choking emotion that threatened to overpower him as he announced that he was thenceforth a rebel and a heretic。 After December 9th； the Administration press attacked him bitterly and he found himself everywhere proclaimed a traitor and deserter。 He told the Senate that he knew the knife would be put to the throats of his followers。 The Administration Senators assailed him。 But he was equal to all emergencies and his new position as the recognized leader of the anti…Lecompton revolt gave him the enthusiastic applause of the Northwest。
On March 23rd the bill went to the House。 A motion was made to refer it to a special committee。 A contest over this motion arose； lasted all night； and degenerated into a general brawl； in which a Member from Pennsylvania knocked down a South Carolina Member； and many others were engaged in fisticuffs。 At last a reference was agreed to。
On April 1st； while the House had the bill under consideration； Montgomery of Pennsylvania offered a substitute which had been offered by Crittenden in the Senate and there rejected； providing that the Constitution should be submitted to a vote； and； if adopted； the President should at once proclaim the admission of the State； if rejected； the inhabitants should hold a new Constitutional Convention。 This substitute passed the House but was rejected by the Senate。 A conference Committee was appointed； which reported the notorious English bill； providing that a generous grant of land should be offered to Kansas； and the people at a special election vote to accept it。 If they so voted； they were to be admitted as a State with the Lecompton Constitution。 If they rejected the grant； they could not be admitted until they numbered 93；000； which meant indefinite postponement。 The bill was merely an offer of a bribe to the people to accept a Constitution which they abhorred。 Its form was such that men who still believe it well to maintain the guise of decency could vote for it on the pretence that it was a land grant。
Douglas； who had now tried the thorny path of rebellion； faltered。 He was tempted to support the bill and seek reconciliation； but decided to vote against it。 It passed the Senate by a majority of nine and the House by a majority of eight。 In the following August the proposition was submitted and rejected so decisively that the maddest fanatic must have seen that all hope of making Kansas a slave State was gone forever。
Chapter XIII。 The Illinois Campaign。
Congress adjourned on June 16th and Douglas； after spending a few days in New York； returned to Chicago。 Meanwhile the people of Illinois had awakened to great political activity。 On April 21st the regular Democratic Convention was held at Springfield and without opposition passed a resolution endorsing his candidacy for re…election。 On June 9th the 〃Administration Democracy；〃 consisting of the Federal office holders and those democrats who condemned his anti…Lecompton battle； held a Convention at Springfield； the purpose of which was to divide the party and insure his defeat。 On the 17th the Republicans held their Convention at Springfield and chose Lincoln as their candidate for United States Senator。
The nomination of Lincoln was not an accident。 He was prepared to accept it in a speech that should serve as the text of his campaign and was destined to great fame in after years。 Against the resolve of his friends he announced the dangerous doctrine that the Government could not endure permanently half slave and half free。 〃A house divided against itself cannot stand。〃 He did not expect the Union to be dissolved or the house to fall； but that it would cease to be divided。 〃Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it； and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction； or its advocates will push it forward till it shall become alike lawful in all the States； old as well as new； North as well as South。〃
The repeal of the Missouri Compromise and the establishment of squatter sovereignty was a great step towards the nationalization of slavery。 This was followed by the Dred Scott decision forbidding Congress to interfere with it in the Territories。 All the legislation of Congress had carefully reserved a place for this expected decision。 Douglas had hinted it in the Senate long before it was announced。 Pierce and Buchan
