The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-11-30

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SPEECH OF on ysEs. DAVIS A. yACxsoA
Col. Davis spoke In the hall ol Ne Henes Of
by invitation o. the Legisla-
'ure, on last Thursday night, and ~, both from
lis position aud reputation, HE views and opin-
ons are looked TO with great interest by all
parties, We give brief synopsis Of bis speech.
Il was charged against him, he hid, that he
had changed his ground; that In 1851, and
sc, he had advocated disunion, and In his
ate speeches in Maine and New York, he had
lauded the Union and the blessings flowing from
il. This uas mes trne. Hs had not changed in
the least particular. He stood now where he
stood 10 1851 and had ever stood. he spoke
now q he had spoken in New England, and Is
he had spoken in the memorable struggle which
this State in that great contest which
resulted in the defeat OF the State Rights De-
unocracy. He acouiesced then in the will Of
the people, and the party had again eunited and
become harmonious. He thought then, and he
still thought that the bill abolishing slavery. in
the District Of Columbis, was unconstitutional;
and that the admission of California into the
Union vas but the adoption of the odions Will.
mot Proviso in another form. The question in
1852 was not disunion--it was simply whether
the Southern States should take counsel as to
the steps TO be adopted BY them in consequence
of the unjust legislation Of Congress. The PEG.
pie had decided against taking action, and he
acquiesced, but he had everywhere proclaimed
then that be was no dsunionist; that whoever
stated that he was, stated what was false; that
disunion was the extreme remedy, the last re-
sort, and it should not be resorted to while the
Union was tolerable. The question Of dsunion
was not the question of the canvass of 1851, and
he had never advocated it. So, too, the charge
that he had advocated disunion in 1882, was I'M
true. The Democratic party vas then unit,
and the question was then Presidential one
At no time in bis political career had be advo-
Gated dsunion.
That another charge preferred against him
was that he had made a speech, at Bangor, in
Maine, in which he had ayowed the 0dous doc
tame Of squatter sovereignty; and an extract
from the alleged speech, torn from its context,
had been produced to sustain the charge. He
had never made speech at Bangor of any kind,
nor had he ever at any time uttered any senti-
ment which could fairly be construed into a
recognition by him of the doctrine that Terri.
torial Legislature could affect in any way the
status Of Slavery doctrine worse even than
the Wilmot Proviso, and against which he had
warred ever since it had been preached. Mr..
Douglas, in his recent canvass for the United
States Senate in Illinois, had seized upon this
alleged passage from speech never made, and
had claimed that his own sentiments delivered
in bis speech at Freeport were identical with
those promulgated in that paragraph. Mr..
Douglas well knew that his (Mr. Davis) delib-
erately expressed opinion on this subject in the
Senate of the United States, expressed in de-
bates with Mr.. Douglas himself, in which he
had forced Mr.. Douglas to abandon the doctrine
as untenable, were the Very reverse OF those at
tributed now 10 him; and that in bis Portland
speech he had so expressed himself. He tho't
the very reverse Of Mr.. Douglas. He consider
ed Mr.. Douglas opinions az questionable as
those of his adversary, Mr.. Lincoln. They were
both equally destructive Of the rights of the
South, both at war with the Constitution and
with his f,iend, the editor Of the Mssssippiaa,
he would have been glad if they had made a
Kilkenny fight oft, and neither had been left
to proclaim victory.
Col. Davis then proceeded to give his opinion
Of the future prospects of the country. He de :
clared his firm conviction of the fidelity of the
present Chief Magistrate to the Constitution to
be unimpaired; that be would never recede one
inch from his present stand, but on the contra
u.
That the clear indications were that the Black
Republicans would have the majority in the
next Congress, and would thus control the leg
islation OF the States; that in his opinion their
policy would be to have such multiplicity of
candidates for the Presidency, as TO prevent u
choice by the people, and thus they would Sc
cure, by an election by the House, one OF their
own men. That If this should be so, or if they
should elect President by vote of the peo-
pie, the question would be presented, what
should the South do? For his part he had but
one answer to give. When that happened; when
the Governm ent was ia hostile hands; when the
Presidency and the houses Of legislation were
controlled by the enemies Of the South, he was
for asserting the independence of Mississippi; he
was for immediate Withdrawal from the Union
He advised them to turn their old muskets
into Minnie rifles, prepare powder, shot, she'll,
OF all kinds, and Notifications, so
as to be ready against any emergency. Get
skilled artfcers who could cast cannon, make
guns and manufacture all the necessary imple-
ments OF warfare; that this was but the part of
prudent precaution. Its effect would be to
strengthen and not weaken the bonds of the
Union; to cemera and not separate the States
II the North saw and felt that We were in ear
nest, and weald not permit aggression beyond
a certain point, they would cease their efforts.
That for his part, while he was senator in the
United States and bound by his oath to support
the Constitution Of the United State he would
enter into no combinations, he would unite in
no plots that looked to the dissolution of the
Union. But if the evil hour should come when
the State could no longer remain in the Union
W it'll honor, and he heard the voice of his be-
loved State calling him home, he would throw
off his Senatorial robes, and be among the first
to tear from its place the star which now shone
with such bright lustre in the flag of our coun
try, and placing it with its brightness undim-
med upon a new banner, unfurl it to the winds;
and while he had head to think, tongue to
speak, or an arm to strike, they should be de-
voted to the defence of the sovereign and indie.
pendent State of Mississippi.
Col Davis hoped that henceforth he would not
De considered unfaithiul to the State in which
ne had lived from a child, or wanting in fealty
% the State Rights party, which had honored
lin so highly. If, said he, am to be condemn.
ID, let the man who has labsred for you more
stood by you more faithfully, through
rood and i'll report, suffered more, or done more
or you, be my executioner.
He congratulated the people of the State upon
he recent progress in their system of railroads.
de urged the speedy completion OF those now
n progress; and the construction of the Gulf
md Ship Island road. Every mile OF road built
" the State, is q weapon OF defence for it. 1t
nables the State TO concentrate its means and
is men, and makes available its resources. The
iuli and Ship Island road would build up city
pon our sea coast, and would give TO Mississip-
ii direct importation, the control of exchang-
9, ard makes her independent of the monetary
risis which might elsewhere convulse the great
commercial centres.
A Montreal paper has the following: "a few
lays ago a respectable man in the employment
# one OF the largest mercantile houses in Que
ee took passage in a schooner for Bal St. Paul,
N visi. to his relations. He carried with him
good stock OF wearing apparel, and check
or the amoun; of his wages-a considerable
Jun. On the voyage he fell sick, and apparent
y died-or, what is more probable, became in.
ensible from some narcotic administered to him.
he captain of the schooner having taken pos
ession of his clothing and money, sent two of
he crew ashore to bury the dead passenger
hey dug the grave, threw him in, and had be-
un to cover up the body, when the dead man,
ontrary to all law in such eases made and pro-
ided, suddenly sat bolt upright, and inquired, |
Have we arrived at last? Tire amateur sections |
COX to their heels and fed, leaving their task
ut half accomplished. The corpse vindicated |
= vitality by cries which brought the assistance |