The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-05-19
CON CIR ESSI0N AL.
SPEECH OF HON. $. A. DOUGLAS


IN the bill delivered in the Senate May
1854 in yndicaton Of his character and of his posi-
lion on the Nebraska bill
Mr. DOUGLAS said E-
NJ pprsIpESr have been charged with the presepta-
son Of a remonstranee purporting 10 be signed, and
have no doubt the appended, by authority, OF
large number OF the elergymen OF the northwestern
States against the passage Of the Nebraska bill have
not counted the names but there IS memorandum at the
ot AZ the enonstrance stating that 1t Is signed by ye
hundred and four This protest copy OF the pre-
sented some time ago from New England with the excep
ton that the words in the name Of Almighty God are
stricken out and the words citizens well minis
tors Of The Gospel are inserted in terplaoe. Appended
10 he protest Is letter TO authenticate the paper All the
names seem to be in the handwriting of and the
letter appended for the purpose Of showing that the doe
ument is genuine.
will read the letter;
a E CHrcAoo, April 20, 1854.
certify that this is correct copy OF protesto twenty
FIVE cergymen Of Chicago adopted at meeting hea arch
2 lsA to be addressed TO the Senate and House OF hepre
snotiyes committee appointed at said meeting OF
which was made chairman, to receive and engross the
names of other ministers in this region wishing 70 sign the
protest The attached five hundred IN number,
have been received and here transmit them They are
circulated in various parts of the northwest already,
understand embracing hundreds OF signatures 1t Is honght
hest not to dean this document longer We send the pro-
M dear sir you and respectfully ask you to present it
to 'n' senate - '''' :" "a A. NJ STEWART, Chairman.
Itmay appear little remarkable, at first view, that it
should be deemed necessary important 10 certify that
the paper presented is precisely the the
adopted by the meeting of twenty-five clergymen at Chi
cago when this pnrp0rs to come from five hundred and
four cergmen of the various northwestern States The
real point of that memorandum which is to go upon our
files this replied, in letter which senators may
have SEEN to the proceedings of those twenty-five clergy
men, In my letter set out their protest. word for word,
as had received it through the mail BY close compar-
son find that there is material variance between the
protest presented and the copied into my letter
The variance this In the first the sgners protest in
the name of Almighty God while in the latter they pro-
test in their citizens and ministers of the
Gospel should now present this modified protest. to-
gethe with the certificate of the chairman of the meeting
that was identical in terms with the other without any
explanation statement of the facts it would enable those
who felt disposed to asten upon me the charge which
has been elsewhere made of having sfed the proceed
ngs Of that meeting For this reason sir deem It my
duty in order TO acqut myself OF the charge to call the at
tention Of the Senate to the facts
In my regular mail received printed slip in letter
envelope from Chicago containing the proceedings OF the
meeting referred to- atested and authenticated by the
of the chairman and secretary The material pro-
Ceedngs consisted of protest against the Nebraska bill
and four resolutions The protest bore the signatures OF
twenty-five clergymen, most of whom knew to be minis
tes OF the Gospel in the city of Chicago and the whole
attesed by the Of the chairman and secretary
their o6scia, capacity such both of whom were also
cegymen. Under these circumstances had any reason
doubt but what these proceedings authentic and
truly stated Besides, in the mail received several
Of the daily papers of Chicago and among them the Tr
bune and Democratic Press, which present to the
senate containing the same proceedings ana authenticated
in the same manner The proceedings were received by
me In the mode in which all other memorials and pc
itons are usually transmitted They published in
the daily papers where the meeting held and where
nearly all the signers resided They purpored to be a-
hentic and official
now present TO the Senate copy of the Chicago Daily
Tribune Of the 18th of March, and Of the Chicago Daily
Democratic Press OF the date both antNebraska pa
~ and each containing the protest in precisely the same
language in which il is set forth in my printed letter in
ply ask each senator compare the two, and satisfy
himself this point in order that it may be made clearly
and concluvey to appear that whatever change modi-
hon has been made in that paper made at Chicago
and not in Washington and that there is
text for charging the variance viii read the
protest and the four resolutions from of those papers
Of the 10th Of March, sent to as
To ne honorable Senate and House Of Representatives, Of The
Utited Sutes, ~ Congress asseabtsd;
The undersigned Sergymen Of different religious denomi
nations the northwestern States citizens and minis
m OF the Gospel Of Jesus Christ hereby in the OF AL
mighty God and In His presence do olemny protest agas,
the passage of what il known the Nebraska bl any
repeal modification OF existing legal prohibitions OF slavery
IN that part OF national domain which 1t is proposed 10
organize the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas,
We protest against IL great moral wrong breach
Of faith emineny injurious to the moral principles Of the
community and ubversive Of all confidence in national
gagemens full Of danger 10 the peace and
existence Of beloved Union and exposure Of the righteous
judgments of the Almighty.
And your protesants in duty bound will pray
A. NJ. Stewart, !. NJ. Weed