Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-07-26
SPEECH OF THE HON. s. A. DOUGLAS.


At the Democratic Celebration of the Annirersary
Of American Freedom, in Independence Square,
Philadelphia, July 4, 1854
The Hon. S. A. Douglas, Senator from Illinois, was
introduced by the Hon. John L. Dawson, amid great
cheering. Mr.. Dawson said he had the honor OF
presenting the Hon. Stephen 4. Douglas of the Uni
ted States Senate. Judge Douglas, you we'll know,
represents with high distinction in the councils OF
the nation one cf that noble cluster of States in the
Ohio valley. whose transition from the condition of
primeval sotudes to that of populous and flourish
ing empires is of the marves of the times. His
presence among us upon this occasion is an agree
able monitor of the extent of that glorious march OF
republican liberty, which began three-quartefs OF
century ago under the banner of independence, hrst
reared upon the very spot on which we are now ga
thered. Conspicuous for his high abilities ana IN
domitable energy, which have won for INN an non
orable fame at early age, his PATRIOTISM has oeen
illustrated by the stornest trials, and TO borro" the
language of another in reference to orother Scna
tor upon very different OCCASION may say, WITH
out fear of exaggeration that he would have done
for a senator of Rome when Rome survived"
Mr. Douglas then spoke as follows:
Ar President and FelLoac-citiZens:
While am profoundly grateful for the generous
enthusiasm with which you have received the Klnu
remarks of my friend General Dawson, Know not
whether | ought to make my Acknowledgements 10
him for having created in your minds expectations
which it is impossible for me to fulfil feel that 1T
Is good for US to be here on this day Inc Gay anu
the place consecratcd to liberty IL Is hailo"-
ed spot. enter Independence Square, approach
Independence Hall on the Fourth of July, with feel
ings akin to those of the pilgrim when he approach
es the holy places 1t is the birth place OF Amcll-
can liberty Here the Declaration of independence
was first promugatcd-here the Constitution OF the
United States was formed. On this very spot were
proclaimed in that declaration and embodied in that
Constitution those glorious principles OF CIVIL ana re-
Ngious freedom which our fathers have transmitted
to the most precious OF all earthly blessings.
Great applauSe.) -.
Ioxy 1x.ho nffOr tic hp
ND sectional strife and organize political parties on
geographical lineS-when religious intolerance ana
persecution are being practced through the agency
of secret associations when men IN high places
sacrlegousy deny all obligation to carry INTO eHect
the plain and imperative njunctions OF the Constr
tuition which they have sworn to support, 1t Is well
for good men and true patriots to assemble on our
national birthday, at the places OF our hheres
and unite their efforts to preserve our republican m
situations by pcrpctuatng the principles upon which
they rest (Applause)
On the 4th Of July, '76, from the place where l
now stand our foreathers declared that these Col
onies are and of right ought to be- free and indie
pendent States" That the starting point. Thir-
teen British colonies were that day converted in
to thirteen independent American States. The lam
guace is clear and explicit. The causes which led to
the separation and the instructions which the sever
al colonies gave to their delegates m the Congress-
prescribing the conditions upon which the Declara-
ton of Independence was to be made, clearly show
why this emphatic language used. The colo
dence They were willing to acknowledge their al
lceiance to the British crown provided they were
left free to manage and regulate their own Internal
affairs and domestic concerns in their own way, with
oat the interference dictaton Of the imperial gov
eminent. They were willing to recognize the right
of Great 1itan to grant colonial charters, like the
organic laws of territorial governments by which
the people of the colonies might make their own
laws through their representatives in their local leg
isatures; but they solemnly protested against the
right of the imperial parliament, in which they had
no representation, to make laws, affecting their per
sons and property without their consent. Upon this
point the separation took place, and the Declaration
of Independence which you have just heard read, de-
cared the thirteen colonies to be free and ndepen
dent States. But before the declaration made,
the colonies gave instructions to their delegates pre-
scribing the conditions upon which each would con-
sent to s'ch declaration These instructions all
prescribe the fundamental condition that the people
Of each colony shall hare the right to manage their
internal affairs and domestic to them
shall seena meet and proper. (Hearty cheers)
The instructions which Pennsylvania gave to her
delegates as the condition upon which they to
vote for the Declaration of independence contained
this emphatic clause:
"Reserving TO the people of this colony the sole
and exclusive right of regulating the internal gov
eminent and police of the same
The Constitution of the United States formed |
and adopted by the people of these thirteen States,
CHI acting for tsefand upon its responsibility,
az distinct and Independent sovereignties. BY the |
CONSTITUTION thus formed, and under winch we now /
live, each State left entirely free to form and
control its own domestic institutions in accordance |
with the great fundamental principle of self-govern-
ment, asserted in the Declaration of independence,
and in vindcation Of which all the battles of rcvolu-
ton were fought. (Appause)
We are frequently told by the Abolitionists that
the Constitution of the United States is an anti-sla
very ipstrument-deviscd and formed for the pur-
pose of preventing the extension Of African slavery
and of Graduating and extermnating it where it
found to exist. Those who make this statement fur
nsh conclusive evidence that they do not understand
the principles of the Constitution the history of
the times when it adopted At the period of The
adoption of the Constitution twelve of the thirteen
States by whidh it was formed, slaveholding
States Is it reasonable to expect us to presume,
mere assertion, and without evidence, that these
twelve saveholdng States devised and ratified the
Constitution with the view of destroying domestic
institution which was interviewer with their whole
social system, and expressly recognized as one of
the legitimate elements of political power in the fed
eral representation Why that clause in the feder-
al Constitution providing for the surrender of fug
tives from service if the object of that nstru
nent to abolish slavery and release the slaves from
bondage? The pretenSions of the abolitionists in
this respect rendered preposterous by the terms
of the Constitution itself The idea of either estab-
fishing or notwithstanding circumscribing
slavery by the Constitution of the United States
BY the action of the federal government, never en-
tered the brain of the trainers of the Constitution.
African slavery, whether right or wrong wise or un-
wise. was at that time existing in twelve of the thir
cen States. The institution was planted by the
British government in each of the thirteen colonies
without their consent, and against their remoustran
;es The war of the revolution converted the de-
inf indie