The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-01-15
From the Philadelphia Press, Jan.
Senator DOuolas IN phtladelnbta

! From the Philadelphia Press Jan.
Senator Douglas IN Philadelphia.
HIS Reception at Independence Hall by t
the Mayor and C0uncils-G Glorious demo
stration ofMe People-Senator Douql
Speeches, de-, de-,
Yesterday Senator Douglas parlors at Il
st. Lawrence Hotel were crowded with vi
itors. From an early hour in the mornir
our citizens thronged the hotel anxious
get glimpse Of the great statesman, ar
during the day committees representing IL
Democracy Of the surrounding and some di
tant counties of the State, who had come
the city for the purpose, paid their respec
to him, bringing with them the assurant
that the people in their respective localti,
regarded his course with high admiratio
and respect, and were anxious to testii
their dsvotion to the man who, regardle:
OF consequences, had stood ksvoted to prir
cipte and right. The Senator received a
who called on him in that easy and gracef,
manner which never fails to make the visiI
! or feel satisfied with his reception. 1t
impossible to calculate the number Of hand
he shook yesterday, but it must have bee
immense, for, until a late hour last nigh,
the people surrounded him. About a quar-
ter after ten O'Clock, yesterday morning on
eit'Iens committee waited upon Senate
Douglas, ano conducted him to Independ
ence Hall, where the Mayor and Conncl
were waiting to receive him Chestnut st.
in front of the State House, was crowded
with people, who were waiting tr gain admit
lance, and 1t was with the utmost difficult,
that the police forced passage through tn
almost impenctrabie mass of the Phladel
phia and New York committees and gu
guest to pass into the Hall. Before the peo
pie were admitted, the in,esestng ceremony
ST the formal welcome Of Senator Douglas t
Philadelphia, by our city authorities, tool
place.
VIM. f. Lehman, Esq, on behalf of tn,
committee, introd iced Senator Douglas to
tho Mayor and Councils. lie said:
MAYOR HENRY 1t was my agreeable du
ty TO be one of the committee appointed tt
go &c New York, and wait upon the distin
guished Senator of Illinois, and extend Il
him cor dial invitation to visit our city. In
the performance of that duty, not only
represented his personal and political friends
but, IN measure, the corporate authorities
of the city. | informed Senator Douglas
that the Councils Of the city, without dis
unctlon Of party, had unanimously rendered
him the use of Independence Hall to re.
ceive his friends, and that it was your in
tention, as Chic, Magistrate Of this munich
patty, TO welcome him. | deem il proper
10 state that the Senator in his reply, con-
sented TO waive all his private arrangements
and TO forego engagements Of a pressing
public nature, TO accept this grateful tribute
of respect. II IL now with great pleasure
that now Introduce TO you the ilustrious
Senator.
Mayor Henry then addressed Senator
Douglas IN .he following most appropriate
remarks:
Nh SENATOR: The Councils OF Philaiel-
pha have rendered you, in passing through
thus city. the use the Hall OF Independence
for the reception Of your friends, and in
their name welcome you upon this occa-
sion
This sps, is the common heritage Of Amer
ican ireeu.rn. Within these walls, memor-
able for the most illus,ricus deed in our
history, hallcwed raorc than onco
by the ashes Of the mighty dead, cherished
as the depository of the uemeutoes ofpatri-
OTIS end heroes. all other sentiments merge
in that Of funalloyed devotion to the Union,
its pcsterity an.: rs prrpctuity.
! greet you, sir, as member OF those ma
tional councils on whom devoiyes the guar
dianship Of our nations interest and desti-
ny; as one whose eminen. position in those
councils has elected the admiration and res
pect OF so many Of ouI fellow citizens.
Permit me individually 10 express nv
wishes for your personal welfare, in the as
surance that the hosp tality Of Philadelphia
Will De cared for ly yeur surrounding friends.
,c'
Senator Douglas, in response, said: Mr.
Mayor-lt has fallen ;e my lot, as 4 public
man and politician, 10 receive many testi-
monlais from political and partisan friends,
which, under the circumstances, were most
grateful to my feelings; but the tender of
the use OF this hall voluntarily, as | am in.
formed, by the unanimous sentiment OF the
corporate authorities of the CITY of philadcl
phia, this hall. within whose sacred pre-
cincts no thought or no sentiment can enter
any citizens breast inconsistent with the
peace OF the Republic and the perpetuty Of
the Union-is a compliment that oycrwhelms
me with gratitude. IN this hall we find the
pictures, and we feel the influence of the
spirit, Of those sages and patrio to whom
we owe our independence and our constitu-
tona! form OF government. (Chcersl Here
that SentImen which now anInates all the
free governments of the earth first found it's
authoritative exposition and proclamation.
There stands the bell which proclaimed lib
erty throughout the land, unto all the inhab-
itants thereof; and it seems as if the inscrip-
ton it bears was directed by the hand of Di-
vine Providence, tor il Mas placed upon il
lar in advance of the period when any hu-
man brain could foresee that it was to be
used to proclaim the independence Of Amer
'ca over the arbitrary DEGREES Of a British
Parliament. (CheerS.) A great principle
proclaimed by the fathers Of the Republic
in this hall, was the right Of the people of
all the States, CT all :he provinces and depen-
lcncies OF every community, to regulate its
own domestic concerns and internal affairs
in its own way. (Chesrs) Pennsylvania
has always been true to that cardinal princi-
Pile of representative government. Pennsyl
vania, who, with her Franklin, and those
spirits who gave impulse to The
revolution, foresaw that the time might come
when, after having maintained her indepen.
1ence against the British Parliament, anoth-
er imperial parliament might be established
on her own continent equally destru tive to
the liberties Of the people and the rights Of
the citizens, and hence Pennsylvania, in her
to her delegates who represent
ed her in this hail when she anticipated the
declaration of Independence, empowered
them to give her assent to that declaration
on the fundamental condition that Pennsyl-
vania retained unto heaseif forever the right
to manage her local and domestic concerns
and police regulations in her own way, indie
pendcnt ofany stAer power on the face of
the globe. Great applause.)
Sir, If We remain true to those great prin-
ciples of constitutional liberty proclaimed
by our forefathers in this hall, and consum
mated by the Constitution Of the United
States within the precincts OF Philadelphia,
this Union uiay last forever as our forefath-
ers made, each State retaining just such To-
cal and domestic institutions as it shall
choose. (Cheers.) Sir, if my devotion to
these constitutional, conservative principles
Of liberty have attracted to me the attention
of the constituted authorities of this vast ci.