Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-05-08
DOUGLAS, SPEECH In ILLINOIS.

the ILLINOIS Legislature on the Z0tn April, on
which occasion he made a very patriotic
the adoption of the Federal Constitution a
wide spread conspiracy exists to destroy the
best government the sun of Heaven ever shed
its rays upon, and that hostile armies are now
marching upon the Federal Capital with view
of planting a revolutionary flag upon its dome,
seizing the national archieves, and taking cap
tive the President elected by the people,"
After allnding to the issuing of letters of
marqe and the erecting OF batteries--the TAX
ing of the Custom houses, and fortresses, and
a threatened Invasion by the Rebels, he asks -
What is the alleged cause for this invasion of
the rights and authority of the Government of
the United States? The cause alledged is
that the institutions of the Southern States
are not safe under the Federal Government.
What evidence has been presented that they
are insecure / appeal to every man within
the sound of my voice to tell me at what period,
from the time that Washington was Inaugural
ted, down to this hour, ,ihave the rights of the
Southern States-the rights of the shareholders,
been more secure than they are at this time
When in the whole history OF this Government
have they stood on so firm basis? Fo- the
first time in the history of this Republic there
is no restriction by act of Congress upon the
institution of Slavery anywhere within the
limits of the United States. Then it cannot be
the Territorial question that has given them
cause. When was the Fugitive Slave law ex-
ecuted with more fidelity than since the inaug-
uration of the present incumbent of the Presi
dental office? Much applause.l Let the
people of Chicago speak and tell us when
were the laws of the land executed with as
much firmness and fidelity, so far fugitive
slaves were concerned, as they are now. Can
any man tell me of any one act OF aggression
that has been committed attempted since
the last Presidential election, that justifes this
l.
10 reflect and then point out any one act that
has been done; any one duty that has been o.
mited to be done, of which any one of these
Disunonists can justly complain. Yet We are
told, simply because one party has succeeded
in a Presidential election, therefore they
choose to consider that their liberties not
safe and therefore they will break up the Gov
ernment. had supposed that it was a cardi-
nal and fundamental principle of our system
of government that the decision OF the people
at the ballot-box, without fraud. according
to the forms of the Constitution, was to COM
mand the explicit obedience of every good cI-
tizen. ELoud applause.] If their defeat at
Presidential election is to justify the minori-
ty or any portion of tie minority, in raising
the traitorous hand of rebellion against the
constituted authorities, you will find the fu-
ture history of the United States written in
the history of Mexico. According to my
reading of Mexican history, there never has
been one Presidential term from the time of
the revolution of 1920 down to this day when
the candidate elected by the people ever serv-
ed his four years. In every instance, either
the defeated candidate has seized upon the
Presidential chair by the use of the bayonet,
or he has turned out the duly elected candi-
date before his term expired. Are we to inau-
gurate this Mexican system in the United
States of America? No, never.l 1t is
crime against the inalienable and indefeasable
right of every American citizen to attempt to
destroy the Government under which were
born. 1t is crime against constitutional
freedom and the hopes OF the friends of free
dom throughout the wide world to attempt to
blot out the United States from the map of
Christendom. Yet this attempt is now being
made. The Government of our fathers is to
be overthrown and destroyed The capitol
that bears the name of the father of his Coun-
try is to be ombarded and leyeled to the earth
among the rubbish and dust of things that are
past The records of your Government are
to be scattered to the four winds of heaven!
The constituted authorities, placed there by
the same high authority that placed Washing
ton. and Jefferson, and Madison, and Jack son
in the chair, are to be captured and carried
off, to become byword and scorn to the ma
tions of the world. Never! Never] l APP
peal to you, my countrymen-men of all par
ties-not to allow your passions to get the
better of your judgments. Do not allow your
vengeance upon thes authors of this great in
iquity to lead you into rash and cruel, and
desperate acts upon those who may differ with
you in opinion. Let the spirit of moderation
and of justice prevail. You cannot expect
within SO few weeks after an excited political
canvass that every man can rise to the level
of forgetting his par-izan prejudices and sac
rifice everything upon the alter of his country
but allow me to say to you whom have op-
posed and warred against with an energy you
will respect, allow me to say to you, you will
not be true to your country if you ever at
tempt to manufacture partizan capital out OF
the miseres Of your country. Much APP
plause.l When calling upon Democrats to
rally to the tented fields, leaving wife, father
and mother behind them to rush to the rescue
of the President that you elected, do not make
upon them and try to manufacture parti-
zan capital out of struggle in which they
are engaged from the hottest and purest of
motives. Renewed applause.] Then L ap-
peal to you my own Democratic friends-those
men that have never failed to rally under the
glorious banner Of the country, whenever an
enemy at home or abroad has dared to aSsail
ito you who l believe to be the purest pa
triots that ever lived-do not allow the NOR
tification, growing out of defeat in partizan
struggle, and the elevation of party to power
that we firmly believe to be dangerous to the
country-do not let that convert you from pa
triots into traitors to your native land. TLong
continued applause.] Whenever our Govern
ment is assailed when hostile armies are march
ing under rude and odious banners against the
Government of our country, the shortest way
to peace is the most stupendous and numerous
preparation for war. Tremendous applause.
The greater the unanimity the less blood will
be shed. Much applause.] The more
prompt and energetic the movement, and the
more important it is in numbers, the shorter
will be the struggle. Every friend of free
dom, every championsand advocate of Consti-
tutional liberty throughout the land must feel
that this cauSe ia his own and that fhara 10