The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-07-14
Douglas, speech at Chicago.

.
Mr.. Douglas, after returning thanks for
the magnificent reception, reviewed the ac-
ton of the last Congress ON the Kansas bill.
lie extolIed Crittendens bill as honest, and
the very best proposition for practical illus
tration OF popular sovereignty. He claim
ed that the struggle with Lecomptonism
was for integrity of principle; that struggle
was triumphant. LscomptOnism IS virtu-
ally abandoned by its friends, and been de-
teated forever. lie bad opposed the English
bill, although it practically sent back the
constitution TO be accepted or rejected by
the people of Kansas, because the manner
as well as the form of that submission was
at variance with every just principle of
popular government. Ii was submission
OF the constitution TO the people with the
threat if they did not accept the slave con-
stitution with 1000 inhabitants, they
should not come in as free State until they
bad $4,000. lie could never cOuntenance
such discrimination between free and
slave State.
Lincoln endorsed not only this doctrine,
but proclaimed line of policy which is IN
compatible with the existence Of the Union.
He declared that the Union divided with an
equal number of free and slave States cam
not endure.
Mr. Douglas showed the dangerous tenden-
ey of the doctrine-that it invited and pro-
claimed war Of determination of one sec
ton against the other. He regarded il sub
versiye to the fundamental principle upon
which our complex system of government
rested, and denied that uniformity of local
policy on the domestic institutions of the
different States is either desirable or possible.
On the contrary, our political system rested
upon the theory and practice Of diSsimilari-
" of local policy of the domestic institutions
of the heditferentStates. Our forefathers clear
ly perceived thatdomestic institutions which
suit New Hampshire are totally unfit for the
rice plantations of Carolina. Hence they
adopted a constitution that provides for each
State being sovereign and supreme in her
own limit.
The best energies of his mind have been
several years devoted to the great principle
Of the right of the people of the territories
to frame their own fundamental laws and
he intended to devote all the future of his
life to the same doctrine. He contended
the compromise measures of 1850 were
led on that principle, carried out in the
as-NebraSka bill affirmed in the Cincir-
platform, and reaflirmed in President
.hanans inaugural. He regretted To see,
,.owever, a powerful party in this country
I determined not 10 acquiesce in this line OF
policy. The Republican convention, recent
ly assembled at Springfield nominated Mr..
Lincoln as his successor in the Senate. He
/ (Mr. L. repudiated the doctrine of popular
sovereignty, and claimed that Congress- and
not the people of the territories, can estab-
I lish the domestic institutions o! The terrific
ries.
/ On the supposition that they would he as
/ diversified as the States are numerous, it
/ thus would seem that the diversity and dis
/ similarity of the domestic institutions of the
/ sovereign States are the cardinal principles
underlying the Who'll, system t govern
ment. Its strength, harmony, and adapta-
/ ton to the wants and interests OF the people
all depend on the right of each State 10
form and regulate its internal policy, without
I reference to their similarity to those OF other
States. He repeated that uniformity is
neither desirable nor possible. If possible.
how can it be obtained? There is but one
process through which it can be accom-
plished-that would DC to abolish State
Legislatures and convert the government into
with full power TO adopt police regulations,
regulate internal policy, and adopt domeSt C
institutions for all the States. Let this he
done, and there would be uniformity. Then
the States would be all free or slave; then
negroes would vote everywhere or nowhere;
then our glorious confederation of thirty
two sovereign States would be merged into
one consolidated empire; the uniformity OF
deSpOtism would reign triumphant through
out the land
Mr.. Douglas noticed Mr.. Lincoln's crusade
against the Supreme Court ON account of the
Drcd Scott decision. He couldnot sanction a
crusade against the highest judicial tribunal
in the land, and was prepared to Yield obe-
dience TO the law as expoundedb by the court.
He did not agree with Lincoln that il was a
great wrong to deprive negroes of the rights
of citizenship. He didn't believe that they
were ever intended to be citizens Our
government is founded on white basis,
created by white men for the benefit oi
) white men. True humanity required that
negroes aud other inferior races should be
. permitted to enjoy such rights and privi.
leges as they We're capable of exercising
consistent with the good of society. ii,
adverted to the necessity of maintaining tn,
organization of the Democratic party.
; While there might be differences of Opin
ion in respect TO the true construction o
particular articles of the creed of the party
tolerance must be INDUCED. There Shoull
be no prescription of sound Democrats be
, cause of such differences. He said the of
= flee holders and Republicans are working il
: union for the purpose of defeating the regu
!. lar nominations. He would do like tn
: Russians at Sebastopol, keep firing; h
o didn't care which he hit, French or English
4 Mr.. Lincoln was present. and hear
Douglas. Fireworks were discharging i
z several parts of the town. The number G
| persons in attendance was variouSly est
: mated at $4,000 to $4,000.
e BaE~ \ new channel to Executive fave