The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-07-20
WELLINGTON WEEKLYHAWK.EYE
SPEECH OF
SENATOR DOU GLAS
on THE OCCASION OF HIS
PUBLIC RECEPTION AT CHICAGO,
Friday Evening. July 9th, SO.
NJ. nauGLAa said

Friday Evening. July 9Th, SO.
Mr. DOUGLAS said:
Nv Chairman and fellow-citizens: I g,
srano language which can adequately e
rrsss my profound gratitude for the magni
sspt welcome which you have extended
"a on this occasion. This vast sea Of h
~sn faces indicates how deep our interes.
=, by our people in the great questio,
Hs;,b aei.ate the public mind and which Vi
,.rgis the foundations of our free instit
.;a,. 4 reception like this, SO great
'nmhers that no human voice can be hear
ia countless thousAnds-so enthusiast
", 10 one individual can be the object
s..r rsnthus;asm-clearly shows that thel
- .ome great principle which sinks deep i
~ heart fAhe masses, and involves th
IN. and the liberties of q whole peopl,
.ss. has brought you together with . una
.;m;,v and a cordiality never before excelleC
q ;,deed equalled on any occasion. Cheers
isaye not the vanity to believe that it is an
nsr.onsl compliment to me.
ve;es. III ISL "You have deserved it,;
snd great applause ,.:
c,s., pripcple Of self-government, (eries o
.hearh ehesr, to whi h my life for man.
rs.rs mast has been, aud in the whole futu-'
iii he devoted. Immense cheering /
,hars /. any one principle dearer and NOR,
s...aa than all others in free governments
;,,s ,sa, which asserts the exclusive right O.
frsa neople to form and adopt their owr
f,nJ.men,al law, and to manage and regu,
ia,e ,beir own internal affairs and domestic
institutions. Applause.
when found On effort being made during
The recent session Of Congress to force a Con.
sti.u,ion upon the people of Kansas against
tbpir will. and to force that State into the
Union with Constitution which her people
had rejected by more than 10000, | felt
bound, as y man of honor and a representa-
tive of Illinois, bound by every considera-
tiou of duty, of fidelity, and of patriotism, to
resist to the utmost Of my power the consum-
nation Of that fraud. (Cheers.) With 9th
ers did resist it, and resisted it successfully
until the attempt was abandoned. (Greai
applause We forced them to refer thai
Const tuition back TO the people of Kansas, t
be accepted or rejected rs they shall decide
At an election, which is fixed for the FIRST
Monday of August next. Ii is true that the
mode of reference, ana the form of the SUBJ
mission was not such as could sanction with
nv vote for the reason that it Disseminated
between free States and slave States; proyi.
ding that if Kansas consented to come in un-
der the Lecompton Constitution it should be
received with 8 population OF $4,000 but
,hs, il she demanded another Constitution,
more consistent with the sentiments Of her
peop,e and their feelings, that it should net
be received into the Union until she had 93,-
42o inhabitants Cries of "hear, hear" and
cheers. | did not consider that mode of
submission fair, for the reason that any elec-
tion is mockery which is not free-that any
election is a frsud upon the rights of the peo-
pie which holds out inducements for affirma-
tive votes, and threatens penalties for mega
tive votes. Ilear, hear But whilst was
not satisfied with the mode OF submission,
whist resisted it to the last, demanding a
fair just, q free mode Of submission, still.
when the law passed placing it within the
power Of the people Of Kansas at that elec-
tion 10 reject the Lecompton Constitution,
and then make another in harmony with
their principles and their opinions. bravo,
and applause did not believe that either
the penalties on the one hand, or the induce
nents on the other, would force that people
10 accept Constitution TO which they are
irreeoncIlably opposed. (Cries Of GLORIOUS
and renewed upplause.) All can say is,
that il their votes can be controlled by such
considerations, all the sympathy which has
been expended upon them has been mispla-
cei, and all the efforts that have been made
IN defence Of their right TO self-government,
have been made in on unworthy cause
Cheers
Hence, my friends, regard the Lecomp
Ton battle as having been fought and the vic.
orr wcn because the arrogant demand for
he admission of Kansas under the Lecomp-
on Constitution Internationally, whether
aer people wanted il or not, has been aban.
daaed and the principle which recognizes
ihs right Of the people to decide for them
tres has been substituted in its place |
Immense applause
Fellow citizens; While devoted my best
iergies--asl nv energies, mental and phys
al-'o the yindisatiou Of that great princi-
lie, and whilst the result has been such as
III enable the people OF Kansas to come into
e MON with such Constitution as they
'slre, yet TIE credit Of this great moral vic
r. is to be divided among large number
men Of various and different political
eeis Prolonged a? lausc.) | was re-
ised when found in this great contest the
publican party coming up manfuliy and
staining the principle that the people of
ea territory, when coming into the Union,
I'VE the right to decide for themselves
aeersl whether slavery shall or shall not
is, within their limits. "a voice, "Hope
ey will stick to il" and great cheering. y
have seen the time when that principle was
ntroyerted. l have seen the time when all
rites did not recognize the right Of q peo
G to have slavery or freedom, TO tolerate or
ohloit slavery, rs they deemed best; but
AIMED that power for the Congress Of the
aied States, regardless of the wishes of
people TO be affected by it, and when l
and upon the Crittenden- Montgomery bill
e Republicans and Americans of the North,
ID may say, too, some glorious Americans
ID old line Wings from the South (cheers,
se Cfii'enden and lis patriotic associates,
'iuel With portion Of the Democracy TO
'rFT cut and vindicate the right Of the peo-
e to decide whether slavery should or should
~ exist within the limits Of Kansas, l was
sjoieed within my secret soul, for saw an
aeshon that the American people, when
y come to unders, and the principle, would
e II their cordial support. (Cheers.)
The 0rit'enden- Montgomery bill Was as
and as perfect an exposition Of the doc
he Of popular sovereignty as could be car
| out by any bill that man ever devised.
proposed to refer the Lecompton Constitu-
D back to the people of Kansas, and give
N the right to accept or reject it - they
ased at fair election, held in pursuance
law, and in the event Of their rejecting it
forming another in its stead, to permi.
m to come into the Union on an equol foct-
With the original States. II was fair and
! in all Of its provisions gave it my
faal support, and Was rejoiced when |
aha that il passed the House Of Represen-
ases, and a. one time entertained high
lsuse
: regard the great principle of Popular
'''aeignty as having been vindicated and
aae triumphant in this land as q perma- {
" f4le ofpnblic policy in the organization
'ssfltor.es and the admission of new i
''ss, tCleers.) Illinois took her position 3
- y, TINS principle many years ago. You ell b
o1ieet that in 1850, after the passage Of 8
Compromise measures Of that year, when |
,'arned TO my home there was great dis :
sfsction expressed a, my course in sup /
uhg those measures. (Shsne.l | appear. o
before the people Of Chicago ct mass a
nng, and vindicated each and every one n
hose measures, and by reference to my .
zen on that occasion, which was printed a
circulated broadcast throughout the 4
e - the time, you will find that then q
there said that those measures were ell !