The weekly Arizonian., 1859-03-17
Speech of Senator Douglas.

cltiZenS or the new SJate celeDrateu the OcCa- f sion by serenading several distinguished gentle men in Washington, whose efforts in the Senate and House in behalf of the measure had beon very prominent Senator Douglas being called upon, made the following excellent speech:
 Gentlemen; Most heartily do I join with you in your congratulations upon the occasion which has brought you here tonight Anotfa4g State has been admitted into this glorious coE-8 federacy. 1 confess that it is grateful to my feelings to be thus remembered, although F have ceased to be connected with the Territorial Committees of Congress, in the celebration of the admission of Oregon into the Union.
 For many years took peculiar interest n the Territory of Oregon. She is bright ex- republication of the great principle of popular sovereignty Settled at aitime when the laws of the United States had not extended over her. the hardy pioneers of progress scattered ir9 the Valley of the Willamette and other smattT valleys assembled together, and formed them selves e government as perfect and complete az Congress ever framed for the other Territories For years they governed themselves we'll ere ated their legislative their judicial and their executive departments and administered the government in all its branches with fidelity and energy; enacting such laws as were well adapt ed to the wants of the people, and executing them faithfully and promptly Oregon thus showed herself capable of self government bf fore she had the protection of the United States
 In l848 I had the honor of reporting the bill organizing the Territory of Oregon, and after ten years of her Territorial period l have seen her admitted into the Union as one of the States In Oregon all was peace and quiet There has been no rebellion, no riotng, and no necessity for the employment of the military i to force her people to obey the laws of the land. True" and applause Oregon, therefore, stands forth with a proud historxsrs Agell 4rsls she earned the ffohor Hiicn sne ras now achieved, of being in the confederacy of the other States 1 shall receive her Senators upon the floor of Congress with heartfelt wei come when they present themselves during the coming week. and shall raise my voice in con gratulations as sincere as theirs on this glori- ousconsummatiOn.
 l am glad to see the States increasing in number on the Pacific coast l wish to see as grand power on the Pacific as we have on the Atlantic; and both held together and bound together by the great Mississippi Valley This continent must become one ocean-bound repub- lic cheers, and if the principle of self gov ernment and of State rights shall be fairly car ried out in the future, our confederacy will eX- tend over the whole continent and adjacent islands. All we have to do is to preserve
 clearly and distinctly those principles on which our government is founded, maintaining self government in the Territories, and the sovcr-
 eighty of each State, preserving the Constitu-
 ton inviolate, and allowing every State to
 form andregulate its domestic institutions to sHi'
 itself, without interference from any power on
 earth
 We must repudiate and reject that fatal her esy, lately proclaimed, that this governmen
 cannot endure as our fathers made it, divided } into free and slave States. Let the principles of popular sovereignty, State rights, and the
 Federal Constitution be carried out in good faith, and this conledcracv will extend over the , whole continent and endure. forever; eacl
 State having just such institutions and loca regulations as it desires even if no two of then ) are precisely alike Oregon is another eXem
 plifcation of this principle. The admission o anew State under circumstances so suspicious ) and with history of which our citizens are SC = proud, is just subject of congratulation, anC renew my thanks to you for remembering m on this interesting occasion, and giving me tn privilege of mingling my felicitatiOn with yours POPULATION OF TExAs-The population c : Texas, as given by the late census, shows total of 458, ,62O, of whom 38,2G5 are slaves
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