The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-07-25
Speech Of Mr.. Douglas at Hart
ford.


On the occasion OF the reception of Mr..
Douglas, at Hartford, on Monday evening,
he made the following remarks:
FELLOW CITIZENS OF HARTFORD I can
command no language to express my sur.
prize at this sudden assemblsge-tLe i'm
mense crowd-or to express my profound
gratitude for the overwhelming demonstra-
ton. was expecting TO pass through this
city on my way TO visit relative in q neigh.
boring State, and had NO expectation Of
meeting such concourss Of my fellow cit
izens. was told, while approaching your
beautiful city, that my friends intended TO
eceive me here, and | must not be surpris.
ed il the crowd was q email one, as the
time OF giving notice had been short. What
must have been my surprise to see this i'm
mense mass Of citizens, composed, as be-
lieve, of men Of all parties. | thank you,
TO Mr. Hubbard,) for your kind and flatter-
ing introduction, and the terms which you
have spoken of my political career. 1t is
true l am a"Yankee boy" born among the
Green Mountains OF Vermont; but proud as
I am of the wide prairies Of the West have
never ceased to feel pride also, in the
growth, prosperity and happiness of New
England; and trust the day moy be far dis.
tant when shall cease to feel a regard for
the interests of the whole country.
He then referred to the union Of action
between men Of all sections in goining the
independence of a common country, etc.
You have done no more than justice in
stating that stand on middle ground b.
tween the two parties who are now agtat--
ing the country in furtherance Of the views
OF their particular sections. On one hand
you find party demanding the interference
Of the federal government for the purpose OF
destroying slavery where the people want
it; on the other, you find party who de-
mand the same interference in order to force
it where the people do not want stand
where the Democratic party has stood for
years, and where the Wing party stood in
1852, upon the ground of non-interventi on
by Congress in the matter of slavery in the
Territories. Non-intervention is the doc
trine to which all national men stand pledg-
ed. When the Southern fre-eaters, in
1850, sought to bring trouble on the country,
the immortal Clay came forth to pour oil
on the troubled waters and restore peace to
the distracted country. The language Of
the compromise was, to the South, "Hands
off" to the North, "Hands off" "No in
reference by Congress with the insttu-
tions of the people of the Stntes!" Ii you
cherish sectiona party at the South or at
the North, you produce an irrep.essible con-
flict and destroy the bonds ofaffiection which
hold the Union together.
lam afraid have been betrayed into
making political speech, when only
mean to express my gratitude at this recep-
tion. [Cries Of go on."] l cannot go
into partisan politics further, except to say
that the Democratic party, standing by
its time.honored principles, is the only party
whose principles and policy ore capable Of
maintaining the honor and prosperity Of
the government. Stand by your organzl.
ticn it you would be success ul in carrying
out these principles, and in achieving o
triumph.