The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-05-04
THE VOICE OF DOUGhAs.
Preservation or the linton.
rur nu1Y OF PArsroTs.

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| By invitation Of The Legislature, Hen. Sta
phen A DSu.las addressed the Legislature las
evening upon the existing national troubles ---
He said l3a laaa8 ba2 aiSf@. s,stk a stsat
am not insensible to the patriotic motive
which prompted you to do me the honor to in
vite me to address you on this occasion, upol
the n,omeptous issues now presented IN th'
condition OF our country. With a heart hllet
with sadness and grief comply with your re
quest. 8.
For tho frat time since tho adoption Of th'
Federal Constitutions, u vide spread conspirac,
exists to destruy the best government the sun o
heaven ever shed IFS rays upon. Applause. l.
Hostile armies are now marching upon the Fed
erel Capital, With view oil planting a revclu
tiunary fiag npon its dome, seizing the natiOna
archives, taking captive the President elect 9,
the hands OF the people, in the hands OF seces
sionists and disunionists. A ww OF aggression
and Of determination is being wngp,i against tht
Government established by our fathers The
boast has gone forth by the Secretary Of War o
this revolutionary Gsvernment, that on the frs
day of May the revolutionary fhg shall foa
from tile walls Of the Capitol at Washington, an,
that ON the fourth day of July, the revolution
ary army shall hold possession OF the Hall of In
dependence in Washington.
The simple question presented to US is wheth
er we will wait for the enemy TO carry out thi'
boast Of making war upon our soil or whether
we will rush as one man TO the defence OF the
Government and its capitol, to deiena, 1T from
the hands Of all assaiants who have threatened
it. Great applause. Already the piratica
flag has been unfuried against the commenced o.
the United States. Letters of marque have beer
issued, appealing to the pirates Of the world to
assemble under the revolutionary flag, and com
nit Expectations carried Oh under the stars and
stripes. Hostile batteries Lave been planted
upon its batteries; custom houses have already
been established and We are now required tO
pay tribute and taxes without having II voice in
making the laws, imposing them, or having II
share in the distribution of them alter they have
been collected. The question is whether this
war of aggression shall proceed and We remain
with folded arms, inactive spectators, or wheth
er we snail meet the aggressorsat the thresh
hold and turn back the tide. a gi,
SO long as there was hope Of peaceful solu.
tion, prayed and implorcd for compromise.
Can appeal to my countrymen with confidence
that Ihave spared no effort, omitted no oppor.
tumity, to adopt peaceful solution OF all these
troubles, and thus restore peace, happiness and
fraternity to this government. When all pro
positions of peace fail there is but one course
left to the patriot, and that is to rally under
that flag which has waved over the Capitol from
the days of Washington, aud around the govern
ment established by Washington, Jefferson,
Hamilton, Madison, Franklin and their compeers.
lVociierous cheerEig. a .N
What is the alleged cause for this invasion OF
the rights and authority of the Government oi
the United States? Tie cause alleged is that
the institutions of the Southern States are not
safe under the Federal Government. What evil
Ia, ~, bar ,pc.H
cure? appeal to every man within the sound
of my voice to tell me at wh": period, fiom the
lime that Washington was inaugurated, down to
this hour have the rights of the Southern States
the rights cf the shareholders, been more Sc
cure than at this tine? When in the history of
this government have they stood on 80 firm a
basiss For the first time in the history of this
Republic there is no restriction by act OF Con-
gress upon the institution OF slavery anywhere
within the limits of the United States. Then it
xannot be the territorial q,,t ston that has giyei.
them cause When was the Fugitive Slav,. Law
executed with more fidelity than since the inau.
guration of the present incumbent OF the presi.
Dental Office? Much applause. Let the reo
pie oil Chicago speak and tell us when were the
laws of the land executed sith as much firmness
and fidelity, So far as fugitive slaves were con.
cerned, as they are now. Cvn any man tell N,
OF any one act "f aggression that has been CON
mltted or attempted since the last presidential
election, that justifps this disruption of the
Federal Union
ask you to reflect aud then point out any one
act that has been done; any duty that has
been omitted to be done, of which any o.
these disunoniS,s can justly complain. Yet W,
a.e told, simpl, because one party has succeed
ed in presidential election, therefore they
choose to consider their Fiber ties are not safe
and therefore they will break up the Govern
ment.
had supposed that it was cardinal and fun
dame,rtal priucIpai of our system Of govern
mcnt hat the d, csion "f the people at the bal
lot box. without u fraud, acctId.i g o The forms
OF the Cnnstilution, was to command the expli
cit obedience OF every good citizen. Loud "p
plause If their defeat at a presidential elec
ton is To justify the minority or any portion o
the minority in raising the traitor"ns hand o
rebellion against the constituted authorities, yol
will find tue future history OF the United State
written in the history OF Mexico According Il
my reading Of Mexican history, there never ha
been one Presidential term from the time Of tn,
revolution of 1920 down to the day when tht
candidate elected by the people ever served hi
four years In every instance, either the detta
ted candidate has seized upon the Presdentia
chair by the use OF the buyonet, or he ha:
turned out the duly elected candidate before hi:
term expired. Are We To raugurate this Mexi
can svs,em in the United Stntes of America
mo. never! Suppose the case to be reversed
Suppose the uisuiiun candidate had been elect
ed by any menns-7 care not what, if by an,
means in accoI dance with the forms of the Con
stitutiou-at the last Presidential election. The,
suppose the Republicans had raised rebellion
against bis authority. In that ease you wouIt
have found me rendering my best efforts and en-
ergies to John e. Brrckin,idge to put down tn,
Republican r,bels Tremendous applause J.
And if ynu had attempted such a rebellion,
would have called forth all the power and ener
grs of this country to have crushed you out.
[Chn,iriurd applause.
The frat duty OF every citizen, or Of a citizeI
OF any constitutional government. is obedienc
to the national Constitution and laws OF his coun
try. [Apnlause have no apprehension tina
any man in ;llihuis or heyond the limits of on
own beloved State, will nllsconsttue or misunder
stand my motive. So far as any OF the partisan
questions are concerned, staAdsin equal, etern
al aud undying opposition to the Republican
and the stcessionists [Applause Yon al
know that am good partisan fighter in part
san times. t!.aughter and cheers And yo
will find me equally as good Il patriot.when tn
country is in danger. Cheers.
Now permit me to say to the assembled rep
resentatves and Senators OF our good old State
composed Of men OF both poitic.I parties, il
my opinion it is your duty 10 lay aside your pan
tv creeds and party platforms; to lay aside you
party organizations and partisan appeals, 4
forget that you were divided until you have res
cued the government and the country from thei
rs atlantis. Then resumc your partisan positions
| according to your wishes. Applause Civ
| me country first. that my children may live j
pra ace, then We will have theatre for our part
| organizations to operate upon.
We aIe called upon To fold our arms, allo,
| the national Capitol to be seized by militar
| force under Il toteisn revolutionary flag; to Sc
the archives Of the government in tho hands 9
| a people who affect to iespise the flag aud go,
| efnment of the Un,tcd States. am unwliin
| to fy from the Federal Capitol 1t has been II,
daily avucation, six months N the year, for eigi
teen years, to w.lk into that marble buIdin
and from its por,co 10 survey country at tn
nor tn and that lying sonth of the Potomac. -,
! believe thttI may with con dcnce appeal I
| the people of every section of the country I
| bear testimony that / have been as thoronghl
| national aS any man that has liyed in my day.
| TAppausc And believe if should make a
appeal tn the people Of Illinois. or OF the Nortl
ern States, to thei, impartial verdict, they wonl
saw that VIII teyer errors have committed hay
| been il, leaning too FAR tp the Southern sectio
| -, -, Iv,.;, I mn 4