The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1852-02-24
Corrected remarks Of Hon,
y. A. DOUGLAS.
AT THE DINNER OF THE JACKSON DEMOCRATIC
ASSOCIATION, JANUARY 8, 1852.

% '0"NihS todst hafluS Oeen Teau
and received with three hearty cheers
I +" Hon. Stephen A. Douglas" A noble
specimen of the young democmcy--the
Architect of his own fortune; he never
will forget first principles
Mr.. Douglass rose, and was greeted with
hearty applause. lie spoke as follows
Gentlemen: This is a festival of the
Democratic Association. 1t is not ont OF
place, therefore, upon this occasion to in.
dulge in remarks which may be considered
Of partisan nature. Yet would say moth
ing that could not be verified but the truth
of history. The distinguished gentleman
from Michigan has said truly that every
acquisition that has been made to the United
States has been accomplished by the demo-
cratic party under democratic admnistra-
tions! cheers. Louisiana, Florida, Texas,
California-every inch of ground that we
have acquired has been the result not only
of the principles, but of the action of the
democratic party. (cheers Each and all
OF those measures were stfenously opposed
by our political opponents upon principle -
they taking the ground distinctly that our
territory is already too large for any one sys-
TEN Of government. Their policy seems to
have been always in perfect harmony with
the principles of their party--that is. retro
grade, instead of progressing, for they as
sumed the ground that the country was too
large, and therefore no additions should be
made TO it. Mr.. Madison, in defence ofthe
Constitution of the United States, said that
no country was to large to be emoraced nm.
tder one republic, which would enable the
representatives to assemble, perform their
official duties, return to their constituents,
and, after arranging their private affairs re-
sumo their public duties during the same
year. Rapid as has been our growth, and
| wide as has been our expansion, yet the ad-
vance of science, of the mechanic arts, the
means ofintercommuncation the spread OF
intelligence, have been far more rapid than
has been our increase either of territory or
population [Great applause Young as
| am, as your toast would indicate, have
seen the time when congratulated myself
upon making very quick trip if Icould go
from Washington to my residence in three
weeks, and now lament my misfortune if
it takes me four days to accomplish that
same journey. At the time of the adoption
ofthe Constitution, you could make the trip
to Georgia in about forty days, now takes
nearly two-thirds of that time to 90 to Cali
fornia, and when a railroad shall have been
made direct to the Pacific. as it will be un-
der democratic administration. il will take
nearly five days to make the trip! ZAP.
planse Iallude 10 the progress in science
and the mechanic arts in connection with
the means accommodation for the purpose
of showing that no matter how rapid may
be our growth, or how wide may be ouI
expansion of our territory, or country, viii
never be to large for one Republic, even il
we should include the entire continent
IGreat Applause. ! find that in my expires
sions | have been rather loose and vague
When speak Of our country been wei
adapted to an ocean bound Republic, O
course I mean to include the Islands on thi
side of the main channel of the two grea
seas. Tremendous Applause.l
Mr.. President. our system Of Goyernmen
is as well adapted to the entire continen
as it was to the space occupied by the origi
nal thirteen States, provided Democrat,
principles are strictly and religously obscr
we'd in the administration of the government
The great conservative and renovating prir
ciple in or institutions is the rights of tn,
States. If State Rights are observed anc
respected--if the federal government is con
fined within its legitimate limits--if the re
served rights Of the States and the peopl,
are held sacred--there can be no danger re
sulting from the indefinite extension and in
crease Of these States. (Great Applause.
Why sir, my friend before me (Mr. Cass
vel! recollects when there was no Stat,
west Of the range of the Allegheny noun
tains and the prevailing sentiment wa
that that range constituted such barrie
that it was impossible even for Ohio aut
New York to belong to the same coniedera
, ton. and yet every State that has been ad
ded to this Union in the northwest has heel
band OF Iron to hold the State together
[Applause.l a
I am by no means certain bat that tn,
sectional strife, jealousy, and ambition en-
geudpred between the North and the Soutt
would ere this have dissolved this gIoriou
Union had il not been for the great West
. There she stands with an intelligent and pa
sriotic population, born in about equal nam
bers in each Of the great geographical divi
sions Of the Union, with her trade fowin
down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexic
; and down the great chain Of lakes, and owe
. the numerous lines Of railroads and canal
70 the Atlantic, and with her fervent afTet
ton for friends for kindred. and for nativ
land, binding her with equal tenacity to til
; North and to the South. EApplause