The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-04-13
NEW SERIES-NO. 225.

the fugitive slave law /; we had been lost in
admiration, after the city councils of Chica-
60 had passed resolutions denouncing him
as recreant and uniaithful representative,
and the fugitive slave law as unconsttution-
al and tyranical, when he boldly demanded
hearing and invited his assaiants to meet
him in discussion in that infuriated city;
we bad never ceased to wonder at the match
less power of reasoning which enabled him
to convince, not only Chicago, but the ma
tion, that the fugitive slave law was not only
constitutional, but just and proper we
knew that when be spoke, thousands filled
the galleries and crowded the avenues to the
capitol, and that even the ladies, in their
eagerness to hear " the winged words d" as
they fell from his lips, invaded the senate
chamber and drove the gallant senator's
from their seats we knew that when he
spoke all men were silent; we knew that
when he arose his enemies trembled, for
they knew be was covered all over in i'm
penetrable armor, and that his battle ak
would strike down the greatest of his foes
we knew be was the king of the senate, and
the greatest living debater; we knew that
then, as now, when the Democratic party
was assailed, his shield always was inter-
posed to receive the blow but we did not
know that he would sacrifice the brightest
hopes of his life, rather than desert princi
pie and that he would rather be right than
to be president ! This was all shown in the
LecomptOn controversy; and men love and
admire him for it, and will confde the gov
ernment of the nation to his hands, because
he is incorruptibly honest, as we'll as capa-
BILE. He is the hero of the people" the
blue eyed man of destiny" The paths of
right and principle, which once seemed to
carry him away from the presidency, are
found, at last, to lead to the White House
door, and to its inner chumbers. And he
who was once the cabinet makers boy will
soon himself be the maker of cabinets.
Ofall the Presidents who have ruled over
this nation, l think General jackson has
the deepest hold on the popular heart. That
enduring fame, that wealth of love which
attaches to his memory, does not arise from
his great military services. 1t does not
spring from his veto of the United States
Bank, nor from any one act of his admins
tration but from glorious principle which
underlaid all the acts of his public life, and
is embodied in these emphatic words: "The
Federal Union-it must and shall be pre>
served" That is the sentiment which makes
bis grave Mecca, to which the heart of
the nation turns in every day of danger to
pray that our ruler may have the spirit of
the glorious Jackson. Over that grave a
golden haze fingers like halo, and on its
arch is written, in letters of fame, "The
Federal Union-it must and shall be pre-
served" Yes, General jackson was true
to his country; and wherever treason and
disunion reared their front, his hand and his
voice were against them. Since his death
secession and disunion have grown bold,
both north and south. But 1 do thank God
that no disunionist, in either section of the
land, is in favor of the nomination of Judge
Douglas. They are men who disguise their
opposition under the pretext of "congres~
sional intervention" Refusing themselves
to be bound by the action of Democratic
conventions, they claim the right to dictate
our principles and control our nominations.
They hope to appear strong by assuming
airs of confidence and boldness. We know
that their yells will 60 up against Judge
Douglas at Charleston; but they will find
that they cannot frighten the delegates from
the discharge of their duty. We will meet
them there, as we meet them here, and bid
defiance to their power and their influence.
The whole public life of Judge Douglas has
been devoted to strengthen and preserve the
Union. His motto has ever been, "My
country, may she ever be right but right
or wrong, my country"