The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-08-31
Douglas ON the Maine Law..A HUI.
m0r0us Speech.

Douglas ON the Maine Law--A HUI
morous Speech.
We take the following from the report
in the Boston Herald of Mr.. Douglas late
speech in Augusta, Maine. The Herald
says:
His remarks upon the peculiar institutions
were nlgniy entertaining. You, in Maine,
Salo ne, nave some peculiar institutions.
gu nave got Maine Liquor Law. Laugh.
ter.l no doubt you think it a very good
law. But without interfering with that
question at all, so long as am in Maine
intend to live up to it strictly. If INV Ten.
nessee friend who is here with me don't like
the Maine Liquor law, he had better On
home. Applause and laughter AFTER
pause, during which Perrin spoke to Mr.
Douglas. He promises me he will not
"violate" it. Now there is difference he.
tween you and US in Illinois. You have
got the Maine Liquor law; we have not
1t may be wise IN some places and unwise
in others. 1t may be very necessary in
some places, and there may be no necessity
for it in other places. Laughter Now
if there is anything in the peculiar climate,
or character, or tastes of your people that
renders such law necessary, we are willing
you should have it. 1t is all right. We
don't want to interfere. When you sent
some lecturers out West and tried to get
Illinois to adopt the Maine Liquor law, we
referred 1T to Democratic Legislature, and
they submitted it to the people 1t was
fo0 hot in, MI 1
needed they voted for it. In the Republican
districts it had large vote. Down in
Egypt, among the Democrats, where they
were temperate, moral, and religious, they
had no necessity for the law. and they didn't
vote for it. Laughter. Hence the State
voted it down by fourteen thousand MAORI
ty. All have got to say about it is this:
You men of Maine keep the Maine Liquor
law just as long as you please, and repeal it
when you get ready. We choose Under
Democratic administration in our State, to
allow every man to eat what he wants and
drink what he pleases, subject only to his
constitution. Laughter. He then ap-
piled this principle to the peculiar institu-
tion of slavery, and further illustrated it
with reference to the relations of Kentucky
and Illinois.
While Mr.. Douglas was remarking upon
the advantages of the West he said We
have no bOOms there, no timber to fill them;
we have got some rails. Voice" And a
railsplitter."l Yes, we have got a rail.
splitter, and we intend to split our own rails,
and we advise you to keep the rail-spltter
at his old business. We believe he is better
at rail-splitting than he is at Misunderstanding.
Applause and laughter. But l don't
think be ever split rails enough to hurt him.
l have not a word to say against Mr.. Ln>
coin, except that he is not in favor of letting
every people mind their own business.
A noisy fellow in wagon bawled out to
his companion, and Mr.. Douglas remarked
if that fellow would govern himself by that
principle we should get on more quietly.
[Great applause.l
He continued to enforce his doctrine. and
told the people that he wanted them to
appreciate the fact that if they should choose
to elect him, and he should choose to accept
of the Office, be would be doing them as much
of favor as they were for him, for the COM
mon good of all. l am willing to make the
sacrifice, said he. Laughter and cheers
In his speech at Brunswick he said:
He continued to speak upon the princi-
pleof popular sovereignty in manner which
seemed to carry his audience composed, as
be said, of all ages and sexes, and of every
political organization-with him without
reserve. He declared that the idea of the
Republicans, that the different States held
their rights from Congress, was not original
with them. George the Third, Lord North,
and all Tories held to the same doctrine,
with the substitution of the Crown of Eng
land for the Congress of the United States,
in the time ofthe Revolution. Our fathers said
they held those rights from God Almighty,
and they were ready to defend them with
their lives. Applause. If the right was
| we'll founded then, it is we'll founded now.
| Applause. He spoke further upon the
rights of the people, inherent in them in the
Territories. We, said he, who have lived
on the frontiers all our lives, who have gone
| to the prairies, made our own farms, built
our own houses, and split our own rails,
| Applause, believe we are capable of gov
erning ourselves, Applause, and you seem
| to be learning to think so, too for you have
gone out to Illinois and got rail splitter
for candidate. l know that rail splitter.
He is friend of mine. Laughter. Ihave
a right to speak about him. l have done
more for him than one man ever did for an
other, for if hadn't whipped him, be would
never have been your candidate. Laugh
ter and applause. Pretty hard man to
whip. No honor in whipping common
man, but when you come to these rail split
tiers! Applause. Nothing to say against
him, and don't believe he would say any,
thing against me. He then passed on to
speak OF rhe peculiar institutions of the diff
ferent States, illustrating with the Maine
Law, and exciting much merriment. He
closed with an earnest appeal for the peo-
pie of every section of the State to mind
their own business. There were number of
prominent Republicans in the audience, who
seemed to appreciate the liberal sentiments
of the speaker, and willingly applauded
them. Nine cheers were given him at the
close of his remarks ; and, as they were
waiting for the train, Mr.. Perrin followed,
made smart speech, and the train left the
people very enthusiastic.
The kilt, like the schoolmaster, is abroad,
and creating no small sensation, we learn by
the London Court Journal, in the case OF
TNt,or