The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1858-12-24
rHx RECEPTION OF yup0x DOUGLAS AuD HIS
SPErCN IN NEW 0kLIAM0

While yet this heart shall b~at-faFr~cii farewell
s'''s
TINE RECEPTION OF JuDox DOUGLAS AID HIS
sPxHcH IN NEW 0RLEANs
The reception of Judge Douglas in
New Orleans is one Of the events of the
day. An immense crowd gathered at
Odd Fellows Hall 10 greet him. Mr. Soulc
introduced him to the audience in a speech
Of great carnestness, saying that on no
occasion had be been called ON to per
form more agreeable task Judge Doug.
las spoke for upwards Of two hours. The
Picayunc gives the subjoined condcnsa-
tion Of his remarks
1t was with much persuasion, he said
and nu small fear for the result, that he
bad been induced To consent to address a
meeting of the citizens Of New Orleans,
having Just passed through fierce CON
/ test III his own State. which had rcqur
ed him 10 ~ through more than was
agreeable to- him ur consistent with
health, and since undergoing considcra-
I bic fatigue from travel But when he
came to New Orleans unhcfaldcd, as he
thought entirely OH private business of
an Imperative character with no coiincc-
tion whatever with politics, he was amaz.
ed when he approached a, the magnlf-
cen, reception accorded 10 him on the
I lcvcc of this magnificent city. by the
/ constituted authorities aud i'y individual
citizens. and felt his hcag, hll, with
| gratitude at the compliment and this
/ prevented him from declining ;hc first re-
/ quest in return made of him. lie would
take this occasion, then. To- say few
words upon some subjects that at pre-
sent agi'atc the public mind throughout
the Republic.
/ First, in respect to the great question
Of slavery. He held tina, there il no doc
/ trinc with respect To il which is not
equally orthodox in free and IN slave.
holding State The doctrine which is not
safe, AS well in Louisiana as in Illinois,
is unsound, aud it must be unsafe 10 up
hold il anywhere. The tendency Of things
| for fifteen years has been to force upon
| the people Of this country the doctrine
/ that there is something irreconc,lable be-
( tween the interest of one section Of il and
those Of another. For twenty-five years
that be had been in Congress he had de.
voted himself to the discovery Of some
/ condnon ground on which Northern and
Southern men might unite on terms oi
| equality and justice II the history Of
/ this subject be regarded. it will be found
that the antagouism to which he had al.
/ ludc. had grown out of the attempt Of the
/ Federal Gorernmcnt - assume or usurp
the exercise OF powers, not clearly CON
ferrcd by the Fedora! compact. When
our Government was formed, t.r Confed-
eracy consisted of thirteen States, Ut
which twelve were slavcholdng Now,
If the fatal hercsy Of the Black Rcpubli.
cans in Illinois, Of Mr. Seward in New
York, and If other members of the abo-
lition party, that we must all be either
free or slave States, and cannot exist as
part one and part the other, had prevail
ed at that time what would have been
the consequence Why, Of course, that
the one free State would have had to
snccomb to the slaveholding majority.
But the providing for any such uniform.
ity as this was not desired by the trainers
Of the constitution, because they had
more regard for the prcat principles Of
self government, Of State rights and
State sovereignty, than for sectional
power or advantage. Our forefathers
knew when they were preparing "a form
of government, that a variety Of climate,
soil, productions and interests, must rem.
der any such uniformity neither dcsira-
BILE nor possible, but must make different
laws and different institutions essential
for each locality These are the princi-
pies OF democracy. and hence the differ.
encc between them aud the abolitionists,
and ultimately. as their views are held
in the North. and those Of the democracy
in the South, that sectional distinction
between the two parts oi the one coun-
try. lie could well understand how un.
scrnpulous politicians Of the North could
prefer to encourage and cndeavor to per-
pctuate this scctionalism rather than 10
seek to secure the harmony Of the whole
country. They see that the doctrine
promises to forward their own elevation.
And how long has this abolition, free
State doctrine prevailed ! A long as
the Tree States were in "a minority, they
strcnuously maintain I'd the right Of each
State to settle its own institutions and
manage it's own affairs but now that
the progress Of the country has given
them So very different position, hstlc
short Of preponderance Of power, they
dcnouncc those rights aud deny them u
Southern and slavcholding States which
insist IN their jnst claim To them. Hence
Inc q,'es''"" now pu, 10 candidates 10
4 - al. 4