the life of stephen a. douglas-第10部分

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　bill　now　went　to　the　House；　where　its　management　was　entrusted　to　Douglas'　lieutenant；　Richardson；　chairman　of　the　Territorial　Committee。　　But　the　country　was　aroused。　　The　loud　storm　appalled　the　Northern　Members；　whose　votes　were　needed。　　Pierce　hesitated　until　goaded　on　by　his　Southern　counselors。　　The　attempt　to　refer　the　bill　to　the　Territorial　Committee　failed。　　It　was　referred　to　the　Committee　of　the　Whole　and　went　to　the　foot　of　a　long　calendar。　This　alarmed　Douglas；　who　now　spent　most　of　his　time　in　the　House　assisting　Richardson。　　The　Administration　brought　all　of　its　power　to　bear　on　the　refractory　Members；　and　on　the　8th　of　May　the　forces　were　ready　for　the　attack。　　The　House　resolved　itself　into　a　Committee　of　the　Whole；　laid　aside　all　previous　business　and　proceeded　to　the　consideration　of　the　bill。　　The　struggle　at　once　began　between　the　domineering　majority　and　the　rebellious　minority　and　continued　with　increasing　bitterness　all　day；　all　night　and　until　midnight　of　the　9th；　when　the　session　broke　up　in　angry　riot；　the　enraged　members　leaping　on　their　desks　and　shrieking　in　frenzy　or　striving　to　assault　each　other　with　deadly　weapons。

All　were　exhausted　by　the　long；　sleepless　strain；　and　many　were　drunk。　　Douglas　was　on　the　floor　during　most　of　the　session；　passing　about　swiftly　among　his　followers　and　directing　their　movements；　the　master…spirit　who　guided　the　storm　of　his　own　raising。　　At　midnight　the　House；　now　a　mere　bedlam；　adjourned。

The　struggle　dragged　along　from　day　to　day；　the　minority　stubbornly　contesting　every　inch；　and　the　majority；　under　the　personal　direction　of　Douglas；　hesitating　to　use　their　power。　　At　last；　on　May　22nd；　at　nearly　midnight；　the　final　vote　was　forced　and　the　bill　passed　by　a　majority　of　thirteen。　　Among　those　voting　against　it　was　Thomas　H。　Benton　of　Missouri；　now　a　Member　of　the　House；　after　his　thirty　years'　service　in　the　Senate。　　His　terse　characterization　is　more　generally　remembered　than　anything　else　said　against　it。　　Speaking　with　a　statesman's　contempt　of　the　explanatory　clause；　he　said　it　was　〃a　little　stump　speech　injected　in　the　belly　of　the　bill。〃






Chapter　VII。　　The　Brewing　Storm。




The　powerful　will　and　effective　energy　of　the　young　Senator　had　achieved　a　legislative　revolution。　　Perhaps；　like　Geethe's　apprentice；　he　had　called　into　action　powers　of　mischief　which　he　would　not　be　able　to　control。　　With　the　instincts　of　the　politician　he　had　sought　to　devise　a　fundamental　principle　to　meet　a　passing　exigency。　　He　had　cooked　his　breakfast　over　the　volcano。

The　whole　doctrine　of　popular　sovereignty　which　became　thenceforth　the　central　article　in　his　creed　did　such　violence　both　to　law　and　philosophy　as　to　discredit　the　acumen　of　any　statesman　who　seriously　believed　it。　　It　was　a　short　lived　doctrine；　speedily　repudiated　with　disgust　by　the　South；　in　whose　interest　it　had　been　invented；　and　rejected　as　a　legal　heresy　by　a　Supreme　Court　of　learned　advocates　of　slavery。　　It　is　hardly　possible　that　Douglas　believed　that　Congress　could　delegate　its　highest　duties　and　responsibilities　to　a　handful　of　chance　squatters　on　the　frontier。　　This　doctrine；　to　the　establishment　of　which　he　devoted　a　great　part　of　the　remaining　energies　of　his　life；　〃meant　that　Congress；　which　represented　the　political　wisdom　of　an　educated　people；　should　abdicate　its　constitutional　right　of　deciding　a　question　which　demanded　the　most　sagacious　statesmanship　in　favor　of　a　thousand；　or　perhaps　ten　thousand；　pioneers；　adventurers　and　fortune　seekers；　who　should　happen　to　locate　in　the　Territory。〃

The　proposition　to　give　the　squatters　actual　sovereignty　in　all　things　was　an　evident　reducto　ad　absurdium。　　And　yet　it　was　the　inevitable　result　of　Douglas'　reasoning。　　The　only　excuse　for　the　existence　of　territorial　governments　was　that　the　inhabitants　were　not　yet　ready　for　the　duties　of　self…government。　　Squatter　sovereignty　rested　on　the　assumption　that　there　was　no　such　period　of　immaturity；　and　hence　no　period　in　which　territorial　governments　were　justified。　The　clear　logic　of　the　doctrine　would　entitle　the　first　band　of　squatters　on　the　public　domain　to　organize　a　State。　　But　it　was　a　superficially　plausible　proposition　that　appealed　with　peculiar　power　to　the　uncritical　popular　prejudice。　　The　equality　of　men　and　the　right　of　self　government　were　the　central　truths　of　the　American　polity。　　The　sentimental　devotion　to　these　two　principles　was　passionate　and　universal。　　A　dogma　that　seemed　to　embody　them　was　a　rare　invention；　the　supreme　feat　of　the　highest　order　of　practical　political　genius。

But　the　omens　were　not　good。　　People　seemed　absurdly　in　earnest　about　this　harmless　political　maneuver。　　Throughout　the　North　rose　a　storm　of　vehement　protest；　not　merely　from　Abolitionists　and　Whigs　but　from　insurgent　Democrats；　which　resulted　in　the　consolidation　of　the　incoherent　anti…slavery　factions　into　the　Republican　party　and　its　early　conquest　of　the　Democratic　States　of　the　Northwest。　It　developed　later　that　the　Northern　Democracy　was　hopelessly　ruined　by　this　political　masterpiece　of　the　greatest　Northern　Democrat。

Lincoln；　who　had　been　quietly　maturing　in　modest　retirement；　was　roused　by　this　shock　and　began　that　memorable　battle　with　Douglas；　which　finally　lifted　the　obscure　lawyer　to　heights　above　the　great　Senator。　　A　resolution　endorsing　the　Nebraska　bill　was　pushed　through　the　Illinois　legislature　with　difficulty；　several　of　the　ablest　Democrats　denouncing　it　bitterly。　　Other　Northern　legislatures　either　protested　against　it　or　remained　ominously　silent。　　Throughout　the　North　pulpit　and　press　thundered　against　the　repeal　with　startling　disregard　of　party　affiliations。　　Three　thousand　New　England　clergymen　sent　a　petition　protesting　against　it　〃in　the　name　of　Almighty　God。〃　　The　clergy　of　New　York　denounced　it。　　The　ministers　of　Chicago　and　the　Northwest　sent　to　Douglas　a　remonstrance　with　a　request　that　he　present　it；　which　he　did。　　He　was　deeply　hurt　by　the　angry　protests　from　the　moral　guides　of　the　people。　　He　denounced　the　preachers　for　their　ignorant　meddling　in　political　affairs；　and　declared　with　great　warmth　that　they　had　desecrated　the　pulpit　and　prostituted　the　sacred　desk　to　the　miserable　and　corrupting　influence　of　party　politics。　　He　afterwards　said　in　bitter　jest；　〃on　my　return　home　I　traveled　from　Boston　to　Chicago　in　the　light　of　fires　in　which　my　own　effigies　were　burning。〃

Congress　adjourned　early　in　August；　but　he　lingered　in　the　East　and　not　until　late　in　the　month　did　he　return　to　meet　his　constituents。　The　intensity　of　popular　indignation　at　the　North　was　a　disagreeable　surprise　to　him。　　In　Chicago　the　sentiment　was　openly　and　overwhelmingly　against　him。　　It　was　dangerous；　now　that　he　had　fought　his　way　up　to　the　head　of　his　party　and　seemed　assured　of　the　coveted　nomination；　to　permit　himself　to　be　discredited　at　home。

Four　years　before　he　had　conquered　the　hostile　city　by　a　speech；　and　he　resolved　again　to　subdue　its　insurgent　spirit。　　Meetings　of　disgusted　Democrats　and　indignant　Whigs　had　been　held　to　denounce　him。　　He　had　been　burned　in　effigy　on　the　streets。　　He　had　been　charged　with　loitering　in　the　East　afraid　to　meet　the　people　whom　he　had　betrayed。　　The　changes　were　rung　on　the　fact　that　his　middle　name　was　that　of　the　traitor；　Benedict　Arnold。　　When　he　entered　the　city　the　flags　on　building　and　vessels　were　hanging　mournfully　at　half…mast。　　At　sunset　the　bells　were　tolled　solemnly。　　It　was　truly　a　funereal　reception。　　Arrangements　were　made　for　him　to　address　the　people　on　the　night　of　September　1st　in　vindication　of　himself。　The　meeting　was　held　in　the　large　open　space　in　front　of　North　Market　Hall。　　The　crowd　was　enormous　and　ominously　sullen。　　The　roofs；　windows　and　balconies　of　all　adjacent　buildings　were　occupied。　There　was　not　a　cheer；　except　from　a　little　band　of　friends　in　front　of　him；　as　at　nearly　eight　o'clock　he　rose　to　speak。

The　memorable　scene　which　followed　illustrates　how　small　is　the　interval　that　separates　the　most　advanced　civilization　from　the　grossest　barbarism。　　He　began　his　speech；　but　was　soon　interrupted　by　a　storm　of　hisses　and　groans；　growing　louder　and　louder　until　it　seemed　that　the　whole　enormous　throng　was　pouring　out　its　execration　in　a　mingled　hiss　and　groan。　　He　waited　with　defiant　calmness　for　the　storm　to　subside　and　again　attempted　to　speak。　　He　told　them　with　manifest　vexation　that　he　had　returned　home　to　address　his　constituents　and　defend　his　course　and　that　he　intended　to　be　heard。　　Again　he　was　interrupted　by　the　overwhelming　hiss；　mingled　with　groans　and　coarse　insults。　　His　friends　fiercely　threatened　to　resent　the　outrage；　but　he　prudently　restrained　them。　　He　then　began　to　shout　defiance　and　rebukes　at　the　mob。　　His　combative　temper　was　stirred。　He　shook　his　head　and　brandished　his　fists　at　the　jeering　crowd。　His　friends　importuned　him　to　desist；　but　he　pushed　them　aside　and　again　and　again　returned　to　the　attack　with　stentorian　tones　and　vehement　gestures；　striving　to　outvoice　the　wild　tumult　and　compel　an　audience。

But　they　were　as　resolute　as　he　and　persistently　drowned　his　shouting。　　This　continued　nearly　three　hours。　　At　half…past　ten；　baffled；　mortified　and　angry；　he　withdrew。　　One　admiring　biographer　declares　that　he　yelled　to　the　mob　as　a　parting　valediction；　〃Abolitionists　of　Chicago；　it　is　now　Sunday　morning。　　I　will　go　to　church　while　you　go　to　the　devil　in　your　own　way。〃　　The　irrepressible　conflict　was　approaching　the　muscular　stage　of　its　development；　when　the　aroused　passions　of　the　people　must　find　some　other　vent　than　words；　when　the　game　of　politics　could　no　longer　be　safely　played　with　the　strongest　emotions　of　a　deeply　moral　race。

It　was　not　possible　to　treat　the　matter　lightly。　　Evidently　a　tide　of　fanatical　passion　had　set　against　him；　not　only　in　the　old　North；　but　in　the　new　Northwest；　the　field　of　his　undisputed　mastery。　It　was　necessary　to　bestir　himself　in　earnest　and　turn　back　this　rising　flood　which　threatened　to　engulf　him　just　as　he　came　in　sight　of　his　goal。　　The　symptoms　were　decidedly　bad。　　The　elections　thus　far　held　indicated　a　surprising　revolt　against　his　new　Democratic　gospel　of　popular　sovereignty。　　As　the　autumn　advanced　the　omens　grew