The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-06-21

cuuStanCeS' III tuiS respecG Judge Hall him.
self stands unprecedented.
This speech, although delivered at the
opening Of his national career as states
man, illustrates in remarkable manner
bis leading characteristics of heart and
mind. The position however which this
effort gave him, the acclamations of whole
people which followed his vindication of its
favorite hero, was far less grateful to the
orator than the warm words of the SCARED
veteran few years afterwards at the
Hermitage" 6" Sit down here beside me.
l desire to return you my thanks for that
speech. You are the first man that has
ever relieved my mind on subject which
has rested upon it for thirty years. can
now 60 down to the grave in peace, with
the perfect consciousness that / have not
broken, at any period ofmy life, the consti-
tuition or laws of my country"
Next in the historic sequence OF promi-
nent events was the annexation of Texas.
Following and consequent upon the annex
alton came the Mexican War; and it is no
derogation from the justice due to the great
and good men who took part in those stormy
and splendid debates, to say that the efforts
OF Mr.. Douglas were the ablest called forth
by the occasion in the lower House of
Congress. His reply to Mr.. Delano brought
first into view upon that floor his wonderful
readiness, elasticity and power as debater,
and ranked him at once in this lofty walk of
/ the statesman, alongside of the immortal
name of Fox: Even the venerable John
Quincy Adams went down before his tre
mendous lance. l cannot forbear again to
give you his words, as they broke from his
glowing heart, because they strike the
national heart to-day, and remind us of
late and more momentous occasion, upon
which the same ready patriotism dictated
and the same burning words pronounced in
favor of the Union and the laws.
What reliance shall we place upon the sin.
cerlty OF gentlemens' professions that they are
for their country, right or wrong when they
exert all their power and influence to put their
country in the wrong, in the eye of Christen.
dom, and invoke the wrath of Heaven upon us
for our manifold national crimes and aggres.
siOns?
With professions of patriotism on their lips,
do they not show that their hearts are with the
enemy? They appeal to the consciences and
religious scruples OF our cOuntrymen to unite
IN eXecratlon OF our government for support.
ing what they denounce as an unh0ly, UPRIGHT
eOus, and damnable cause. They predict that
IH0 SouScduCC vi OOu Will Idu upon tnaG
sickness and carnage and death will be our
portion; defeat and disgrace will attend our
arms. Is there not treason in the heart that
can feel, and poison in the breath that can
utter such sentiments against their own coun-
try. when forced to take up arms in self
defence, to repel the invasion of brutal and
perfdious foe? They for their country, right
or wrong who tell our people if they rally
under their cOuntry's standard their bones will
bleach on the plains of Mexico, and the enemy
will look down from the mountain top to be.
hold the destruction of our armies by disease,
and all those mysterious elements of death
which divine Providence employs to punish
| wicked people for prosecuting an unholy and
unjust war! Sir, tell these gentlemen it
requires more charity than falls to the lot of
iran man to believe that the expression of such
sentiments is consistent with the sincerity of
their professionalism patriotism honor and
| duty to their country. Patriotism emanates
from the heart; it fills the soul; inspires the
| whole man with devotion to his cOuntry's
cause. and speaks and acts the same language.
America wants no friends, acknowledges the
fidelity Of no citizen who, after war is declared,
condemns the justice of her cause and sympa.
thlzes with the enemy. All such are traitors
IN their hearts, and it only remains for them to
commit some overt act for which they may be
dealt with according to their deserts.
Place side by side with these brave words
OF patriotism ia this perlous epoch, an
other, grander and more awful crisis,
when the foul wrongs of years had gathered
head, when the herculean efforts of MIR.
Douglas and his compatriots to readjust
and reintegrate the discordant States had
Jailed, and the right of secession, the hybrid
and mOnstrOus plea of malcOntents and
traitors, was put fOrth--place side by side,
l say, the two epochs, and the man in each,
and read again:
During my service in Congress it was one of
my pleasant duties to take an active part in
| the annexation of Texas; and at subsequent
| session to write and introduce the bill which
| made Texas one of the States of the Union.
| Out of that annexation grew the war with
| Mexico, in which we expended one hundred
million dollars. and were left to mourn the loss
| of about ten thousand as gallant men as ever
| died upon battle field for the honor and glory
| OF their country! We have since spent mil
lions OF money to protect Texas against her
| own Indians, to establish forts and fortfca-
tiOns to protect her frontier settlements and to
defend her against the assaults of all enemies
| until she became strong enough to protect her.
self. We are now called upon to acknowledge
that Texas has moral, inst and constitutional
| right to rescind the act of admission into the
Union; repudate her ratification of the resolu-
tions of annexation; seize the forts and public
buildings which were constructed with our
money; appropriate the same to her own use,
and leave US to pay $lOO, COO,OO and mourn
the death of the brave men who sacrificed
their lives in defending the integrity of her
soil. In the name of Hardin, and Bissell, and
Harris, and of the seven thousand gallant
| spirits from Illinois, who fought bravely upon
every battle field of Mexico, protest against
the right of Texas to separate herself from this
Union without our consent.
Here you have the key to Stephen A :.
Douglas, the patriot statesman. In the
former case, he was warmly in favor of the
war and of the Observation-Disclosures of its
supporters and pillars-in the latter, his
sympathies we're not with the administration
Ibis predictions were against the war, but
bis action was the same. The moment the
Constitution was endangered-the momen}
that Anarchy lifted its head, he sprang into
the breach with the phrenzy of an enthusi-
ast,-"My country, right or wrong" Ev-
cry speech and act of his life breathe the
| coma snirit Evorv offnrt lookod IN tho