Did you just happen to read what the “exalted” Stephen Douglas had to say concerning the speech?
Even a Yankee Senator knew the speech was provacative.
Considering that Sumner lit into Douglas almost as hard as he lit into Butler then I doubt Douglas had much good to say about the speech.
One of the funniest quotes I ever heard addressed to Stephen Douglas was made, I believe, by Salmon Chase. "Douglas," he said addressing both the man's ambitions and his racist attitudes, "No man will ever be president who spells 'Negro' with two g's."