DIALOGUE ON THE DOUGLAS DIFFICULTY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 573, 1 May 1858, Page 3

DIALOGUE ON THE DOUGLAS DIFFICULTY.

(From 'Punch.') Mr. Punch.—l don't seem quite to understand this disturbance between your President and Mr. Douglas. Can you tell me in a fewwords what is its character, Mr. Slick ? Mr. Slick.—Guess I can. Buck's in a fix. Mr. P.—By Buck, if I apprehend you aright, Sir, you would indicate the head of your republic ? Mr. S.—That's the critter. Promised Leeompton Con. should be overhauled. j Mr. P.—Promised the gentleman what ? Mr. S.—Who on airth said gentleman ? By Kansas. Mr. P.—Promised Mr.—a—Lecompton Con that he should go to Kansas. Mr. S.—Guess you've a brick in your hat, stranger. Mr. P.—My facetious friends, Sir, have been pleased to say there is a brick under it. Mr. S.—'_T ain't that. Have you liquored ? Mr. P.—i never take anything before dinner. Mr. S.—More fool you. Yes, si-ree. Guess I've a kinder liking for ye, but I don't hanker after your old world habits. Take notice, now. Walker throws up, his dander being riz by Buck. Mr. P.—Mr. Buchanan should hang the ruffianly Filibuster. Mr. S.—Jerusalem and snakes! Don't be in such a darned hurry. There's a brace of Walkers, and one's not t'other. Mr. P.—Oh, I beg pardon. Mr. S.—Hold hard, and grin. You see, Douglas has peeped through the hole in the blanket, and seed a bit of light. Mr. P.—The blanket—Oh! Ah! A bit of light, eh ? Mr. S.—Spex you don't see none. We'll begin at fust causes, and come on promiscuous. Air the great and glorious republic, the only nation in the world where the golden eagle of liberty can wave her alablaster wings, and scream her— Mr. P.—l know all tliat. Mr. S.—Guess you're hard to please, stranger. Wall, are we to have more slave-states than we've got? That's the question. Mr. P.—l trust not; and that the abominable Mr. S.—Calculate you'd better shut up. Slaves or none, we'll always be ready to whip you. Besides, look at your Irish, ;md your Jews, and the others that you keep in abject and grinding slavery. Cock-a-doodle-doo! Mr. P.—l am silent. Mr. S.~Wall, then. Buck's with the South, and meant to have it all his own way in Kansas, and make a slave State of it, but the Kansas boys kicks, and Governor Walker (not the Filibuster, mind, you old opossum) — Mr. P.—Keally* Mr. Slick

Mr. S—Shut up, I tell 3 Tou. Governor j Walker, who was sent by Buck to Kansas to do the work, finds it ain't to be done, says Buck promised him that the Leconipton constitution should be submitted to the "people, and. so throws irp. Buck's a wide-awake b'hoy, but Douglas he's a wide-awaker, and he sees that to force laws on free and enlightened citizens like ourn won't pay, special when a critter has his eye on the election in 1860. So he just throws "Buck over, and there's a difficult}-. Mr. P.—Mr. Douglas being, if I am" right, the most influential man in the States, his opposition to the President would be formidable. Mr. S.—That's it, reeled out uncommon fine. Mr. P.—Sir, I thank you for your explanation, and I hope that no serious "trouble will arise in the United States, for which I always entertain the warmest regard. Mr. S.—Don't worry yourself into no sort of perspiration about that, stranger. In a corrupt and debilitated old-rotten country like yourn a political difficulty might brhig^ ruin and dismay, but where a western sun .gilds the proud pinnacles of American liberty such things air but the wandering breezes that cool the wings of our glorious eagle, and help him to fty v still higher towards the transcendental firmament ? Will you liquor?