Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-08-14
. spEEoH OF nENRY :. FITCH, ESQ,

At tie meeting Of the odkersnts TO the present. Va
tionas Adniaistration, IN the Csty Of Chacago
Illinois, o., the eoesing ct the 23d Of o|uty 1858
1t is not my Intention gentlemen, at this late hour
to detain you more than very lev minutes. we
on the eve of an exciting, important trenchant
campaign in Illinois, for the election Of State officers,
State Legislature and Congressman. The people are
divided into three distinct parties, and present for
the suffrage of electors three distinct tickets-the
Republican, the Douglas, and the National Demo-
cratic. This meeting has been called to ratify and
endorse the latter, and to present to the public a
few of our for so doing say reasons plain
solid earnest reasons. Our appeal is TO your judg-
ment We have not the taste, nor the training nor
the trckery to substitute for the merits Of this con-
troversy a melange of fireworks and sophistry The
rhetoric of rockets and the logic Of Roman lights
the political patents Of Douglas We leave him to
the enjoyment of his persuasive pyrotechncs.-
[Cheers.
We are opposed to the Republican party, as being
only one Of the Protean shapes of the old hered-
tary enemy that Democracy has fought for half
century. We are opposed to their principles as re-
pugnant to the peace welfare, and good will of the
Republic. We are opposed to their leaders as being
the lawless, vulpine, and inscriptions devoees OF
sectional fanatcism. We are opposed to its entire
organization, from core to circumference, as being
the political embodiment Of pharasaical philan-
thropy, without single Christian patriot trust.
As affiliator of this party and disorganzer
of the Democracy, we are opposed to Judge Douglas
and his partisans. l shall not attempt on this &C.
casion to enumerate the achievements Of Mr.. Doug
las that distinguished Senator has himself given
so many mastery calculations of this subject, that
it would be folly in less enthusiastic admrer to es-
say so exhausted topic. That the Judge is one OF
the greatest of living men, is fact within his own
knowledge, and the gallant frankness with which he
imparts this information to his auditors cannot be
too highly CONNIE ,ded [Arpause, and cries OF
"Good."1 Any one who has had the pleasure of
hearing one of his late speeches. has heard far fin.
er autobiography of the orator than any could give
AS to his patriotic virtues, even the 7ies-the Judge
is not the idol of himself alone-though happiest in
hctions, has failed to do him justice
The simple question for is, what is the Judges
position what its merits discussed in his opening
speech of this campaign? l cannot approach this
speech without involuntary admiring the delicate
modesty with which he barely alludes to his own
gigantic services in defending this great principle
that underlies free institutions. The entire ab-
sence of all egotiscal and compacent illusions to
SELF of all boastful platitudes and personal vanites
which characterized this speech, is exceedingly re-
freshing and reminds of the best efforts of the
late Mr.. Benton.
Hath borne his faculties meek, hath been,
So clear in his great Office that his virtues,
Will plead like angels, trumpettongued. against,
The deep damnation of his taking of.
From the Democratic Articles of Faith he culls
out some pleasant points for parade lie snsains
the bred Scott decision; citizen o: the United
States could not conveniently do less than uphold
the calm, convincing judgment of so august tri-
bunal. Secondly, he maintains that this is not
government for negroes We have yet to see the
Republican, even negro, who asserts what Mr.
Douglas so laboriously denies. The point for US is
how stands Douglas the leading measures Of
the Administration and Democratic party. and es-
pecially on the colnpr omise of the English bill
do not propose to rehearse the arguments Of
the Lecompton issue. The public is familiar with
them. The President held, and the Democracy
agreed with him. that there was nothing in the Kan
sas bill requiring direct vote of the people the
Constitution; that that measure did not deprive
them of the right enjoyed by the people of every
other territory-the right to delegate that it did
not deprive legally elected and unrestricted dele
cation from using their delegated powers in convcn
ton they deemed most expedient; that the right
conferred of regulating their domestic institutions
their own way, could scarcely be interpreted to- suit
the convenience Of Judge Douglas into prohibi-
ton to manage their domestic institutions in any
other manner than that suggested by the author of
the bill that having formed constitution with all
the formulas and legal requisites in conformity with
the act of "a, they entitled to admission under
it. Douglas, upon the other hand, contended that
Popular Sovereignty a very limited sovereignty,
without the power OF appointing authorized repre-
sentatives to act their agents constituting their
State Government that this great Popular Soyer-
eighty was very lame and mpotent sovereignty,
requiring an enabling act to enable them to do any
fundamental principle which underlics free in
situations, of which the Judge is the original discov
erer and to which he has devoted his past life and
pledges his future, practically clothed the people OF
| territory only with those humble rights in.
| hercnt in them by the Constitution Of the United
| States-to petition for redress of grievances. Z
very prayerful and suppcatng sort of sovereignty,
for which the people of Kansas ought to be very
thankful! [LaughterI
The contest upon this issue ended in the com.
| promises of the English BILL which Mr.. Douglas
claims a surrender on the part of Mr.. Buchanan
and victory for himself, and yet lie denounces its
provisions and refuses to abide by its results. Il
Lecompton is accepted by the people of Kansas
Douglas will generously accept it Also for the salts
factory reason, he can't help it. But If Lecompton
is voted down, he is not for keeping Kansas under
Free State Constitution of the Union, until SHE
has the ratio which, by the English bill, will entitlt
her to a representation
Everybody who differed from Mr. Douglas in BIZ
Interpretation Of the Kansas BILL were consprator
against the liberties of Kansas Congress was en-
deavoring to consummate fraud, and the Presi
dent was ignorant of the very ordinary language o
the Senator's bill; and now, everybody who pro
poses in good faith to abide by the fruits of the Eng
fish compromise, are attempting to coerce the inba
bitants Of Kansas by bride and threat. al
those who failed to support him in his rebelous op
position to this bill. in defiance of the express vii
of Democratic Congress and Democratic admin
istration, are boiters and renegades.
1t was the misfortune Of Mr.. Douglas not to dis
tinguish between himself and the party he had tn
honor to represent. Blindly he applied to the Lit
tie Giant" the devotion due to Democracy. [Cheer
and hisses.] He had seen the Wings die in Clay
and be believed the Democrats lived in Douglas
[Cries that's sou He fed this fancy till it be
came his cardinal article: that " hen Senator Doug
las buttons his coat about his sinewy chest, tn
whole vital fold of the Democracy was warmed an
cared for. [Laughter] In this humor he talke
freely of "my party" and "nny principles" I'LL
bis will is his scotf Sections veered at his wore
State platforms were his property. In his unbr
| dled lnst IF rover oDd VANITY bo dorad ro;neo