The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-08-15
A Fine Reception to Mr.. Douglas
in his Native State of Vermont.

In the Burlington (Vt) Times of the :
10Th we find an account of the reception :
# Judge Douglas in Burlington on the
lay previous. He was escorted from the :
lepot to the Town Hall, and welcomed ;
" SAKE, the poet, as follows: /,
JOHN G. sAxE's ADDRESS.
Fellow. Citizens: have the honor to
introduce to you-not an alien and
one born and nurtured
among our own green hills of Vermont.
One, who, not many years ago, an indi-
gent and obscure, but Industrious and
,opeful mechanic boy, went out from
among Us to find for himself, if so he
might, useful aad honorable career in
The ample space, and more encouraging
promise, of the then "far West F." He
took his departure, we may well believe.
with many "longing, lingering look"
toward the scenes of his boyish pastimes
and youthful struggles and affections. He
took his departure-like many anothes
Green Mountain Boy-with few coins in
his purse; bearing no letter Of recon-
mendation save that which it had pleased
God to write in his manly face; and with
no assurance of the future save that which
he felt in mothers benediction. and in
the conscious throbbing of brave and
manly heart. That ingenious lad, then SO
humble and unregarded. has returned to
us in the perfection of his physical and
intellectual manhood-distinguished by
the highest honors in the gift of his adopt
ed State; and yet more illustrious for
those superior talents and statesman>hke
achievements which governments may in
deed recognize and profit by, but which
they are impotent to confer; talents and
achievements to describe which an admir-.
ing people eschew ss weak and of little
worth such fair prescriptive titles as
Judge" and "Senator," to embody their
pregnant thoughts and fervid feelings in
a name of their own choosing, 1.-The Lit
tie Giant Of the West!"
Honored sir, it is my pleasing privilege
to address you, not in phrases of courtly
panegyrie, but in words of cordial con-
graduation. Let me, then, congratulate
you upon your eminent success in the pub
lie career to which your talents and the
voices of your fellowmen have called you,
success rendered only the more signal
and triumphant by the assaults of power
ful and sometimes of unscrupulous oppo.
| nents. Let me congratulate you upon
being the foremost champion in these lat
ter days of the ancient and honorable
doctrine of the sovereignty Of the people
as well in colonies as in home govern
ments; as wellin Territories as in States
o doctrine, honored sir, which you may
well have learned in your youthful reading
of the history of your native State, where
in the heroic days of Warner and Ethal
Allen, / venture to affirm, it was better
understood and more thoroughly practicet
than in any colony or province of tn
!, American continent. Permit me furthe
to congratulate you on your personal goo
health, and most manifest connubial goo
fortune and felicity; and may God gran
II you and yours in health and prosperit
f long to live. s8
1t remains to bid you, in the name {
. these good people, welcome-welcome
Burlington and to your native soil of Vel
mont. 9N . d,aal8 Il :
0f REPLY CT MR. DOUGLAS.
In response to Mr. Saxe's handsou
o Introductory speech, Judge Douglas al
d dressed the audience for an hour. F
e said he could not command language
/. express the gratitude he at that nome
l. felt. He had been long accustomed
i address large assemblages. in the discu
j. sion of political topics, and with no 9th
le feeling than the subject would animal
J. Here he was met by people of his natl
rs State, aud, he was well aware, of all pol
k ical parties, and he repeated that he fou1
', lit difficult to command language to e
J. press his grateful sense of the genero
g. reception extended to him.. Thirty yea
b. ago he left Vermont, and under the C
Id cumstances SO well described by N
t. SAKE, he left his native State with pa
ry that no one before him could know. !
10 man can tell how we'll be loves the seen
es of his childhood. till after long separati
ii. he returns to them. The mountains, t
IS, valleys, the streams. remain as they we
in but human faces have changed; the {
ID. have dropped into their graves, and
RI lconntenances Of his school-mates are
al changed that they are unknown to hi
n, In Brandon, the place of his birth. he v
nd received in manner that overwheln
tt. him. It seemed to him that every m
er woman and child had assembled to v
come him. It was honorable to me, 81
the Judge, it was honorable in the
y. Applause.
10 He was moi unmindful that la
w portion of those whom he was address
y differed from him in political sentimer
and he should endeavor to utter no ser
ments that could wound the feelings of /,
ew of the mixed audience, who extended
lie him so generous > welcome. Applaus
lse On proper occasions he could willin
it, discuss the principles that he believed
1T the foundation of the safety and per
tuity of our Government. It sometir
ers struck him as strange that there sho
,re exist such differences as too national ,
-jlocal politics. But difference of locat