The Van Buren press., 1860-07-20
MI Douglas Speech of Acceptance.


MI. Douglas Speech of Acceptance.
/ ne following were the remarks of Mr..
Douglas, addressed to the crowd that as
semblei At his residence in Washington. on
Saturday evening, 10 Congratulate him ON
his nomination
Fellow CrrizEi,s IL thank Won for
this manifestation Of yorf kin lne,s. and /
vassls sfs~s p vYsa7-1s...ss
dei winch t}is s31st crowd ha4e sscFyl igie}.
spontaneously and without previous notice |
demonstrates al earnestness ofiealinc which !
fills my heart with gratitude. 70 be the |
chosen standard bearer of the onlv political |
organization which is conservative ana |
powerful enough to save the country from |
abolitionism and disunion. is, indeed an |
honor OF which any citizen may be proud. |
| am fully impressed with the responsible |
ty OF the position, and trust that Divine |
Providence viii impart to me the strength |
ami wisdom TO comply with all its require
ments (APplausc.) Our beloved coun-
try Is threatened with fearful sectional
antagonisrn which places the Union itself
IN imminent peril. This antagonism is |
produced by the effort on one section Of the |
Union TO use the federal Government to re-
restrict ami abolish slavery, and a CORES |
pondinS effort in the other section for the |
purpose of forcing slavery into those re-
gions where the people do not want it. Th-
ultra men in each section demand CongrcSc
sional Intervention upon the subject in the
Territories. They agree in respect to tht |
power and duty of the federal governments
to control the question, and differ only ac
to the mode of exercising the power The |
one demands the Intervention of The federal
government for slavery and the other against
IT. Each appeals to the passions and pref !
udiccS OF his own section against the har-
manv of the whole country. On the other
hand the position of all conservative and
Union loving men, is, or ought to be, that
OF non intervention hy Congress with slave
~ in the Territorics. (Applause) This
was the position OF the Democratic party III
the Presidential contest Of ISiS, So and
1886. This was the position upon which
Clay. Webster, Cass, and the friends of the
Union Of all political attinities Of that DAY
established tho compromise measures oil
lS3o. Upon this common ground of non
intervention they contcnlcd, and put to
flight the aboiitionists of the North and the
seccssionists of the South in that memora-
hln e"atr4t. (Cries Of We'll do it
again. and three checrs) 1t was on,this
common sro,hn, oI non intervention tiEit
wings and democrats agreed to stand on
their respective party platforms of 1852.
The Wing party adhered faithfully to this
principle SO long as its organization was
maintained, and the democratic party still
retains it rs the key ystonc of the political
arch which binds the fcleral Union together.
(AppIausc.) To this cardinal principle of
non-interventon has the democratic party
! h. lnl. ,,fi f1it a.,
ton and Baltimore.
AS the chosen representative Of that
great party, it is my fixed purpose to keep
the faith, and redeem that pledge at all haz
ards and under all circumstances. Crhree
cheers for Douglas.) The safety OF the
Union depends upon a strict adherence TO
the doctrine of non intervention. Inter-
vention means disunion. Intervention,
whether by the North or by the South,
whether for or against slavery tends direct
ly to disunion. Upon this Identical qucs-
ton an attempt is now being male to divide
and destroy the Democratic party. Because
the minority of interventionists could not
intimidate the majority into an abandon
ment of the doctrine of non-intcrvention,
they have seeded from the organization Of
the Democratic party, and are endeavoring
|
cession from the Democratic party means
secession from the federal Union. Those
who enlist under the secession banner now,
will be expected. on the 4th of March next,
to take up arms against the constituted au
thorities in certain contingces. We have
been told that in Il certain event The South
must finally. must torcibly resist the inau
guration of The President elect. while we
4 al. al
Of such resistance, engaged in the scheme
to divide and destroy the Democratic party
and thereby secure the election Of a Repub
lican candidate. Does not this line of pol
icy look to disunion ? Intelligent men
men must be presumed to understand the
tendency and consequence of their own ac-
ton. Can the scceders fail to perceive that
their efforts to divide and defeat the Demo
] cratic party, if successful, must lead direct
" to the secession Of the Southern States.
! 1 trust they will see what must he the result
of such policy and return to the orSani
zatinu AMI platform Of the party before it
! is too late to save the country. The tnion
must be preserved. The constitution must
/ be maintained inviolatc-( Removed cheer
ing and it is our mission under Divine
Providence, As believe, to save the consti-'
tuition and the Union from the assaults of
Northern Aboltionists and Southern dis
unionists. Enthusiastic applausc.) My
friends, | have detained you too long, and
will close by renewing the expression of
my sincere thanks.
MANY VolcEs-Go on, go on.
Mr. DouGLAs-No it is nearly the Sab
bath morning.
| A VoIcE-Wc will listen to you for Il
year, Judge.
Ma. DoUGLvs-Anl | merely made my
appearance to acknowledge the compliment
YOU have paid me by SO large a meeting az
this hour of the hight. l recognise among
you many old friends. and large number
of my immediate neghbors from
Illinois, as well as from every State in the
Union. | regret my house is not large
enough to invite you in, and take you indi
vilual!y by the hand.
Nor An UYcoNYoN CAsE.-A traveller,
from Virginia, as his appearance indicated,
stopped at a comfortable wayside inn in