Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-05-23
Senator Douglas.

senator OOuSI0Ss
Senator Douglas spoke to an immens
crowd in Chicago, Wednesday, May lst
We are able to give part of his remarks
That the present danger is imminent
no man can conceal. If war must come
if the bayonet must be used to maintail
the Constition-I can say before God, m.
conscience is clean. I have struggled loue
for peaceful solution of the difficulty.
have rendered those States what wa.
theirs of right, but have to the very ex
treme Of magnanimity.
The return we receive is; armies march
ed upon our Capitol; distractions and dan
gers to our navigation; letters of maque te
invites pirates 10 prey upon our commerce
concerted movement 10 blot out the Uni
ted States of America from the map o
the Globe. The question is: Are we to re
main the country of our fathers, or to al
low it to be stricken down by those who
when they can no longer govern, threater
TO destroy.
What cause, what excuse do dlsunlon
lists give US for breaking up the best Gov
ernment on which the sun of heaven evel
shed its raysi They are dissatisfied will
the Presidential election. Did they neye
get beaten beforef Are we to resort to th,
sword whenever we get defeated at the bal
lot box! l understand it that the voice oi
the people expressed in the mode appoin-
ted by the Constitution must command
the obedience of every citizen. They as
sumo on the election of particular candi-
date that ther rights are not safe to the
Union. What evidences do they present
of thisG Idefy any man to show any act
on which it is based. What act has been
omitted to be donel appeal to these as
sembled thousands that SO far as the con-
stitutional rights of the Southern States, 1
will say the constitutional rights of slave
holders, are concerned, nothing has been
done and nothing omitted of which they
can complain.
There has never been a time from the
day that Washington was inaugurated first
President of these United States, when the
rights of the Southern States stood firmer,
under the laws of the land, than they do
now; there never was a time when they
bad not as good cause for disunion as
they have to-day. What good cause have
they now that did not exist under every ad-
Ifthey say the territorial question-now
'or the first time there is no act Of Con-
yress prohibiting slavery anywhere. If it
be- the non-enforcements ofthe laws, the on
y complaints that have heard have been
IF the too vigorous and fainhful ful6lment
Of the Fugitive Slave Law. Then what
reason have they9
The Slavery question is mere excuse.
The election of Lincoln is mere pretext.
The secession movement is the result of
IN enormous conspiracy formed more than
! year since-formed BY the leaders in the
Southern Confederacy more tLan twelve
months ago.
They use the slavery question as means
o aid the accomplishment of their ends.
They desired the election of Northern
candidate by sectional vote, in order TO
how that the two sections cannot live to-
ye,her. When the history Of the two
Iears from the Lecompton Charter down
% the late Presidential election, shall be
written, it will be shown that the scheme
vas deliberately made to break up this Un-
ion.
They desired Northern Republican to
oe elected by purely Northern vote, and
hen assign this fact as reason why the
sections may not longer live together
If the disunion candidate in the late Pres
DENTAL contest had carried the United
South, tEeir scheme was, the Northern can
lidate being successful, to seize the Capt.
al this Spring, and with United South,
md divided North, to hold it. That
cheme was defeated in the defeat Of the
lisunion candidate in several of the South
,rn States.
But this is no time for detail Of causes.
The conspiracy is now known. Armies
,ave been raised. War has been levied 10
accomplish it. There are only two sides
o the question. Every man must be for
he United States, or against i. There
an be no neutrals in this war, only patri-
'ts-or traitors.
Thank God! Illinois is not divided on
his question! [Cbeers. ! know they ex-
,ected to present united South against
livided North. They hoped in the North
'rn States party questions would bring
ivil war among Democrats and Republi-
ans, when the South would step in with
Ter cohorts, aid one party to conquer an
'lher, and then make easy prey of the VIC
ors. Their scheme war carnage and civil
var in the North.
There is but one way to defeat this. In
illinois it is being so defeated by closing
I'd the ranks. War will thus be prevented
N our own soil. While there was hope
or peace was ready for any reasonable
or compromise 10 maintain it,
,ut when the questions comes of war in the
otton fields of the South, or the corn6clds
# Illinois, l say the farther of the better.
We cannot close our eyes TO the sac, sol
mn fact that war does exist. The Gov
must be attained, and its enemies
and the more stupendous our
preparations, the less bloodshed and the
horter the struggle. But we must remem-
,er certain restraints on our actions even |
n time of war. We are Chistiau people,
nd the war must be prosecuted in q man. |
er recognised by Christian nations.
We must not invade Constiloual rights.
he innocent must not suffer. nor women
nd children be the victims. Ssvages must
~ ha LAT loosa But vhila 1 snnction no |