The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-09-07
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT
DOUGLAS AMONG THE SoUTHERNERS.

DOUGLAS AMONG THE S0UTHERNERS.
His Reception and Speech 1t Norfolk,
m9 glla II vtrginir. 3ag9 .rp f
q Judge DOUGLAS arrived at Norfolk, Va,
on the 26th ult., and met with most en-
thusiastic reception: On the evening of bis
arrival, immense crowds gathered in the
streets-bon6res were lighted band played,
and an enthusiasm created, says the New
York Herald, altogether foreign to the Nor
folkerites. Judge DOUGLAS spoke for two
hours, from the Court House steps, to an
audience Of at least 5000. We quote the
following report of the conclusion Of his
speech, from the special correspondent Of
the Herald: a.erIa. 3D.. Ge. ..
In the middle of his address q slip Of
paper was handed to him. It was cut
from the Norfolk Daily Argus, and con-
tanned two polite questions for Judge
Douglas. g 81.
Having ascertained the questions thus
propounded, he said thereon, am not in
the habit OF answering questions propounded
to me in the course Of an address, but on
this occasion I will comply with the request
and respond very frankly and unequivocally
to these two questions.
The first question is: If Abraham Lin
coin be elected President of the United
States, would the Southern States be iusti.
fled in seeding from the Union ?"
To this emphatically answer, no. [Great
applause. The election of man TO the
Presidency by the American people, in con.
formity with the Constitution of the United
States, would not justify any attempt at dis
solving this glorious confederacy. TAP.
plause. Now will read to you the next
question, and then answer it.
Question" If they, the Southern States,
secede from the Union upon the inau-
gurati0n of Abraham Lincoln, before he
commits an overt act against their con-
stitutional rights, will you advise or vindi.
cate resistance by force to secession"
Vo1cEs-"No, no." "Bell men say no,
Douglas"
Mr.. DoUGLAs-I answer, emphatcally,
that it is the duty of the President of the
United States, and all in authority under
him, to enforce the laws of the United States
passed by Congress, and as the courts ex.
pound them. Cheers. And I, as in duty
bound by oath of fidelity to the constitution,
would DO all in my power to aid the gov
ernment OF the United States in maintaining
the supremacy of the laws against all resist,
ance to them, come from whatever quarter
it might. Good. In other words think
the President of the United States, who.
ever he may be, should treat all at.
tempts to break up the Union by resist
ance to its laws, as Old Hickory treated
the Nulli6ers in 1882, Applause I
The laws must be enforced, but at the same
time, be it remembered, it is the duty Of
every citizen OF every State, and every pub
lie functionary, to preserve, maintain and
vindicate the rights of every citizen and the
rights of every State in the Union. l hold
that the Constitution has remedy for
every grievance that may arise within
the limits of the Union. l am very frank
in answering these questions. am not in
favor of any policy which would tend to
give rise to complaints or murmurings,
much less to such as would call for resistance
from any quarter. I acknowledge the in
herent and inalienable right to revolution
whenever grievance becomes too burden.
some to be borne. acknowledge the right
OF every man to rebel and change the form
OF government under which he lives when
ever it proves destructive to the ends for
which it was established. That is a right,
however never to be resor!ed to until the
operations of the government become more
grlevous than the consequences of revolution.
And therefore l say that the mere inaugur-
alton OF President of the United States
whose political opinions were in my iudg-
ment hostile to the constitution and safety
OF the Union, without an overt act on his
part, without striking blow at our consti-
tuition or our rights, is not such grievance
as would justify revolution or secession.
(Cheers.) Hence l say whoever may be
elected President Of the United States, be
must be sustained in the exercise of all his
just constitutional prerogatives and powers.
Ii he transcends them we will punish him
with all the rigor of the law, as you pun
ished John Brown when be violated YOUR
laws. IA storm of applause.) I for one
will sustain with all my energy the Presi,
dent whenever he may be in the exercise Of
all the powers conferred upon him by the
constitution. but 1 would take just as much
pleasure in hanging him if be transcribed
those powers, as feel pleasure in knowing
that you hanged John Brown when be was
guilty of murder and treason against the
State of Virginia. RENEWAL of stormy I
am law.abiding man, Union. loving man,
and l believe the Union can be maintained
by faithful observance of the constitution.
but | insist in exaoting the fulilment in
good faith of every provision of that con.
stitution; | insist on q line of policy
which will place all the people of all the
States in an exact equality, and maintain
and protect them in their Just rights but
which will also compel obedience to the
constitution and the constituted authorities
of the country. Now, these questions nut
to me the first day landed on Virginia soil.
having emanated from the friends of the
secessionist candidate, l ask that like cues
lions may be also put to those candidates.
and that you insist upon such frank and
unequivocal answers as have given.
A Vo1cE-"They could not do it square. !"
Mr.. DOUGLAS Remember that Mr..
Breckenridge was nominnted on the theory
that the election of Lincoln was preferable
to that of Douglas. Now, no man doubts
that if Disadvantages friends had not sece.