Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-06-10
a vindicatIOn of Judge Dougs
las from AfEiiiatiOu with
the AbOsitfOnists.


the AboiitiOnisfs.
In the House of Representatives, on the
2ith Of May, several speakers of the abo-
htion faith made speeches misquCting Judgsf
Douglas to support their peculiar views on
emancipation and cot fscation. Gov, Rich.
nrds0n replied to them, briefly and to tie
point. lie said:
Mr.. SPEAKER-I propose 10 rapiy TO -
single point which has arisen during the
progress of this debate.
Republican members have FREQUENTLY
quoted Judge Douglas within the last few
days. and quoted him, too, for their c.xn
party purposes. And now ! desire 10 re-
mind them and the country that 10 all his
speeches in reference to this war Judge
Douglas took the broad and statesmanlike
position that this war should be conducted
for the preservation Of the constitution and
the enforcement Of the laws-for nothing
more, nothing less. His position is 40
clearly defined that few brief extracts
from bis last speeches win at once yipdi--
cate the ruth Of history, and place him in ;
the proper light before bis countrymep.--
At Springfield, H., in speech made be-
fore the Legislature during the month Of
Nav. 1861, he said:
The first duty of an American citizen.
or Of citizen Of any constitutional gov
ernment ia obedience 10 the constitution
aud laws Of hIs country. ] have no an
prehensiou thst any man in Illinois, or be-
yond the limits Of our own beloved State.
will miscanstrce or misunderstood nv mo.
tive. So far as any Of the partisan oues-
tions are concerned, / stand in equal, eter-
nal, and undyiug opposition to the rerub-
lcans and the secessionists."
And again, in the same speech, he re-
marks:
Hence ] repeat that am not prepared
TO take up arms or to sanction a policy %
our government 20 take ~ arms 10 make
any war upon the rights &c the Southern
States; upon their institutions; upon their
rights OF persons or property but, op the
contrary, would rush to their defence and
protect them from assault hut while that
is the case | will never cease to urge nv
couDtrymen to take up arms to fight TO tho
death in defence of our indefeasiLle rights.
/ Long continued applause Hence if q
war does come, 1t il war Of self defence
on our part. 1t is war in defence of our
( own just rights; IN defence Of the govern
me1t which we have inherited az a price.
80 Nun Nh4 IN
dsteuce q those great rights Of freedom OF
trade, commerce, transit, and iLteG course
from the centre 10 the circumference Of our
great continent. These are rights we must
struggle for ard never surrender"
Aud in the last great effort Of bis life,
his speech at Chicago. made but few dave
prior TO his death, be said:
I'VE must not invade constitutional rights.
The innocent must not suffer, nor women
and children he the victims. Sayages nus-'
| not be let loose"
Neither republican members nor repub
/ lican officials anywhere can find ANYTHING
/ IN the ab,ve extracts. nor in any speech or
/ letter Of Judge Douglas, which will Justify
them in the slightest violation of the cons
stitutiOn. On the contrary, every act OF
his public life. and even his dying iniunc-
ton TO his children, condemns auequivocal>
| ly all the unconstitutional Legislation which
you propose. and all the unconstitutional
acts OF which your party officials have been
| guilty.
The republican party, through its Presi-
( dent. through tbs House. and through the
Senate, had given a construction TO the
/ constitution showing the absence of powe-
to pass Just such bis as you are now ad-
vocating and inreniing TO pass. In his in.
augural address, after having taken his SOL
emn oath to support the constitution, Mr..
l Lincnln said
Il have no purpose, directly or Indirect
~, to Interfere with the institution os sla-
very in the States where it exists ] be-
lieye have no lawful right TO d. 30, and
have 10 inclination to do So"
The House Of Representatives Of the
Thirty-sixth Congress, a maj lrity Of whose
members were republicans raised the (, ,.
lowing resolution unanimously:
That neither the Congress OF the United
States nor tue people or governments OF
the non-slaveholi'ng States have the con-
stiiutinLal right To lesislate upon, OF inter.
iere with, slavery IA any Of the slaveholi-
ios States in the UniUn."
by the organic acts Of the Territories Of
Nevada. CT rado, and Dakota. the Ferub-
l'can party, by Its own legirl1tion, had rec.
oeniZed and approved the doctrine of p52-
ular Sovereignty, which Judge Duugla.
regarded US essential to the removal from
these halls Of the most disturbing question
Of the country.
do not presume that, when Judge
Douglas thus strongly asserted the neces-
city OF maintaining inyiolate the cou.titu-
ton OF his country, be for q moment sus-
pected that you would ever attempt the
violation Of the Hedges which your repub-
iican Congress las given the people, and
which your republican President has reit-
Grated. But the bills nOx under consider.
alton propose II violate not only your
pledges, bat, at the same time, toe consti-
tuition. You forget your prDmiss, Won sd.
Vocate these bids. and u re their passage
through this House.