The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-11-29
Col. Baker i'm California.

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct %.
Last night we had the greatest political
demonstration of the season. 1t was the
occasion of the new Oregon Senator, Col Ba.
ker's welcome His friends rallied in such
throngs, in and about the American Theatre,
as never were packed into, and spilled out
OF, any building in California, to hear any
man before. Everybody was there, and hosts
ofladies beside. He had hard work to make
his Popular Sovereignty and his thorough
bred Republicanism travel in harness togetb
CT without hitching, but he did it. He took
back nothing Of the Popular Sovereignty Of
his Oregon speeches, nor baed hair Of his
old irreprcssb up-to-the-handle Anti-Slave-
ry. lie rode along III, lines drawn up for
the battle, assuring the timid. confirming
the courageous. He spoke for two hours
anla qu1rter, and not fellow budged an
inch from his seat till he ended He takes
down and puts out of sight all the others Of
our Pacific orators. IIeis merry by instinct,
in his most serious arguments. How he
sometimes carries away his audience an in
cident will show He had been saying that
"even where despotism is rife, ideas of per-
sonal liberty are thriving. Even under shad-
ow of the throne of Russia-on the banks Of
the Seine, where the ashes of the first Ma
poleon repose--where the British Queen in
majestic dignity presides over nation Of
everywhere abroad the great ideas
ofpersonal liberty spread, increase and fruc-
tify Here-ours is the exception In this
home of the exile, in this land Of cons;itu-
tional liberty, i. is left 'or Us to teach the
world that Slavery marches in solemn pro-
cession that nder the American stars, Sla-
very has protection, and the name offreedom
must be family breathed-- the songs offrec-
dom be family sung Garibaldi, Victor
Emanuel, hosts of good men, are praying,
fighting, dying on scaffolds, in dudgecns,
oftener on the battle fields, for Freedom
And while this great procession marches
under the arches of Liberty, we also shrink
back, trembling and afraid, when Freedom
is hat mentioned" The audience cheered,
of course, but gentleman On the platform,
whom all knew-an invilid-a apparently
carried away with enthusiasm, rushed to the
foot-lights, and with extended arms express
sive vehemence, and hollow voice, exclaimed:
"Itis true it is true, gentlemen. We are
slaves compared with the rest of the world.
The Colonel is right r'--then, pale as a
ghost, staggered to his seat
Possibly, some may think that the Colonel
since his election may be little lukewarm
in his Republcanism cooled by the fusion
with the Douglas party, Let such read the
following and judge for themselves. He had
been talking about the Union, when pausing
suddenly he said:
"But here somebody RECEIVERS his wits and
seems to address me: Col. Baker, what say
you to Stewards irrepressible conflict p
Why this /: If Mr.. Seward had that opinion,
think he had right to express it. And
apprehend it is your opinien, too. Laugh
teri You don't think Slavery is going to
last forever God is too good for that. A
thousand years is as one day in His sight,
and it may take some. time for it to utterly
decay. hope that diseases wont last forev-
er. don't know that death will l very
much doubt if Slavery will. You, Breckin-
ridge men, If there is little vein Of piety in
YOU inherited from your mothers laughter,
not practiced by you perhaps-even you
must hope that some day Slavery will be
abolished. Mr.. Clay--and he was no aboli-
tionist-uscd to felicitate himself that, by
the freed slaves of our land, civilization wo'd
vet be carried to the banks Of the Niger
Read Pope's Messiah don't know that
Pope was an bolitionist--though poets are
ant TO be. Homer was, Shakespeare was,
the Bible is, and Pope would be in very good
company If he was. Solong as there is a
slave and a master in the world, the slaves
heart will throb for freedom. Educate him
and he will fight for it--and you, to save
your soul, can't help saying: Hurrah for
the weaker party Cheers I would
shoulder my rifle to suppress insurrection !;
and yet in my own impulses, in the debth
my own reflection, feel that if Mr.. Seward,
looking forward with the eofa great states
man and philosopher, said the conflict was
irrepressible--G God 60 with him indorse
the sentiment. Tremendous cheers.
As the Colonel is famous for perorations.
think you will pardon me for reporting en-
tire, (imperfcctly Of course, as ] am not up
to that sort of thing, } his concluding remarks.
He had been saying that whatever was nomi-