M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-08-16
3)oIidtaI
DOUGLAS IN CONCORD
GREAT SPEECH AND GLORIOUS ENTHU,
SLASH,

The Hon. Stephen "A. Douglas was
greeted with loud cheering as he rose
to address the vast assembly. lie
said:-
Mr.. Chairman and Fellow Citi2ena
ofNew IIalmpshre, You will receive
my grateilt thanks for the kind terms
in which you have been pleased t.
welcome, ne; and you will accept my
grateful Acknowledgements for the cor.
diy.Iity with which you have endorsed
tthosc sentiments OF welcome. For
tie first time | visit the capital Of
your noble State. When | wanted to
make brief trip through Vermont
Z anG New Hampshire, Oh my way from
Saratoga to Newport, r. l., ] did not
expect any public demonstration. -
My object was to make quiet visit, a
pilgrimage to the grave 81 NY father
and to the scenes Of my childhood. -
From the moment | trod the soil OF
Vermont, | found i was welcomed by
the population en- ma88e. Men Of all
parties joined in the reception. 1t
filled my heart with gratitude, and
rendered it impossible for me to dis
cuss any of those political topics abort
which the mblage di titrod in
opinion. | had supposed that when
left the borders Of my native State,
would be welcomed oEly by q few
friends, as | passed along tie road -
Imagine my surprise at this vast aG.
semblage, this imposing reception,
which exceeds in its magnifcence ard
grandeur anything have previously
witnessed. From the bottom Of my
heart thank you for this demonst.a.
tion Of your good will.
You have been pleased, Mr.. Chair
man, to refer in terms OF appreciation
to my course upon the Lecompton
Constitution. While | have ceased
to discuss the merits Of that question
since it was finally discarded by the
people Of Kansas, yet ! will not re-
train from a slight allusion to it now,
lest my silence might be miscopstruat
Ibid fight that Lecompton Constitu.
ton with all the energy and all the
powor could command. Cheers. ]
Reluctant as was to differ in opin-
ion or action with President that
had used all my efforts to place in the
executive chair, yet duty was para
mount to any personal or party obi.
cation. Cbeers.] stood pledged
as every Democrat in America stood
pledged by his vote for Jamee Buch.
anan, in 1856, to maintain the right
of the people OF every State and every
Territory to form and regulate theil
own domestic institutions. That's
it."] In my opinion, tie attempt tc
force upon an unwilling peoplea Con
stitution which they did not like, was
not only in violation ofthe Democratic
creed, but it violated the American
creed. [Cheers.l 1t violated the Re
publican creed. 1t violated the creed
of all free men, in all free countries
[Applause.] | did not oppose the
Lecompton Constitution on the ground
of its provisions in respect to African
slavery. | held then, as | hold now,
that if the people OF Kansas wanted q
slave State, they had right to it.
["That'S good doctrine."l If, on the
contrary, they did not want slavery,
no power on earth should force it up.
on them. | opposed the Lecompton
Constitution becauSeit was NOT the
act and deed of the people of Kansas,
proposed that the question should
be referred back to the people ofKar.
sas, with the privilege Of voting tor it
or against it; and if majority of all
the legal voters of Kansas ratified it,
then Kansas should come into the Un
ion with that Constitution. If, on the
contrary, a majority voted against it,
the people Of Kansas might proceed
to make a new Constitution, with or