The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1861-05-09
Senator E,oHgl.ss's speech.
Springfield, April 25.

Springfield, Aprll 25.
The two Houses met in joint session
at seven o'clock. The hall was densclv
crowded. Judge Douglas was intro
duced by Speaker Cullom, and was re-
ceised with rapturous applause. He
said
For the first time since tho adoption
of the Federal Constitution, a wide
spread conspiracy exists. to overthrow
the best government the sun Of heaven
ever shone upon, An invading army
is marching upon Washington. The
boast has gone forth from the Seer eta
ry Of War of the so-called Confederate
States, that before the first Of May the
secession army will be in possession Of
the National Capital and by the first Of
July its head quarters will bc in old
independence Hall.
The only question for us is whether
we shall wait supinely for the invaders
or rush rs one man to the defence of
that which we hold most dear? IRE
menduous cheering. Piratical flags
are atloat on the ocean under pretend
ed letters Of marsuc. Our great river
has been closed to the commerce of the
North West. Taxes have been levied
upon us without our being consulted or
represented in the premises. So long
as hope remained for peace, plead
and implorcd for compromise. Now
that all else has failed, there is but one
course left an! tat is to rally IS one
man under the old flag Of Washington,
Jefferson, Hamilton, Madison & Frank
liz. At what time, since the Govern
ment was organized, have the constitu
tional rights Of the South been more So
cure ih.n now? For the first time
since the Constitution was adopted,
ihere is no legal restriction against the
spread Of slavery in the Territories
When was the fugitive sla,e law more
faithfully executed What single act
hes been done 70 justify This mad at
tempt to overthrow the Republic: We
are told that because certain party
has carried = presidential election,
therefore the South choose 10 consider
their liberties insecure ! had suppos
ed it was fundamental principle Of
American institutions, that the will of
the majority constitutiona'ly expressed
should govern. T.Api,laase.I Ii de
feat at the ballot box is TO justify re
beliion, the tutnrs history ot' the United
States may be read III the past histor,
Of Mexico. Are We to inaugurate the
Mexican system ii the United States ?
Suppose the disunion candidate bad
been elected by Constitutional means
and the Republicans had been rebelling
against the rightful authorities, you
would have found me rendering to John
G. Breckenridge my best efforts to
crush them to the earth.
The first duty Of every citizen is to
render obedience to the national Con-
stitution and laws.
Most of you know tha, am very
good fighter in times Of partizan strife.
| hope to show you all that l am Al
equally good patriot IN the time Of my
country's danger. 1t is now your i'm
pcrative duty to throw party and party
platforms to the winds, forget that you
ever differed. Give me country
where my children can live in peace,
and then we can have a thcater if wc
desire for partisan controversies.
We are called upon to fold our arms
and see our Capital seized, our archives
carried away by those who glory in
trampling the American flag in the
dust. Illinois and my native State
would say to-day, that if Ihad commit
ted an error i'll my political career, it
has consisted in leaning too far towards
the South. have never pandered to
the prejudices Of the North against the
minority section. While will never
invade the Constitutional rights CT the
South, nor sanction their invasion by
others, want them distinctly to under
stand that they must not invade my
Constitutional rights. Loud cheers
1t is a prodigious crime against the
freedom of the world,to attempt to blot
the United States out Of the map Of
Christendom. What do We sec p
Washington to be bombardcd the
l,.ac: ln,aA &C tho Initial CAnAnc a.al Ii.