, 1862-10-11
VIEWS OF SENATOR DOUGLAS
Extract FROM lila fRf1nKAe11 Speech.
April 27th, 1861.

Extract frssa lila sRr1nxAe1a Speech,
April 27ths 1861.
For the drst time since the adoption of the
federal constitution, = wide spread conspiracy
exists to destroy the best government the sun
ofheagen ever shed its rays upon: {ApplAusel
Hostile armies are now marching Upon tie
federal capitol. with a view Of planting the
rsvclus ionaFy flag upon its dome, seizing the
naiicral archives, tskiag captive the president
elected By the hands Of the people, In the hauds
Of ofEecestiouists and disunlonlsts. 4 war OF
aggression and determination is being waged
against The government established BY our
secretary Of war Of this revolutionary govera-
ment, that On the first day Of May the feyol1-
ttonary flag shsli fioat from the walls OF the
capitol at Washington, and tha* on the fourth
day Of July the revolutionary army shall hold
pessessien Of the Hn11 of Independence in
Ph,l4dsllhia.
The simple QUESTION presented to Us is
Wheeler we shall wait 70: the enemy to c4rry
cut bis beasts ct making war upon our soil,
CT whetterwe shall rush as one man to the
ttienee Ct the government and its capital, 10
feftDd it tlo1n The hards Of al assa;laEts who
have thlt atencd It. Already the pira.i al dag
has heca u fnrled against the commer:. q:
tie Un:t!d Sts:es. Letters Of m.ruue b4Ye
tten Issued, APP aling to the pirates cf the
Forld to assemble under that Revolutionary
1teg, sd commit tep.ldaiiois on commerce
ca11lto OF uuder th'. Stars ard stripes. u1s-
tile batteries haT- been planted upon It's riy-
ers; CUSTOM houses have already been esta7-
Hsht q; aid Te are required now to pay trih-
ute ana taxts without having voice il
n1skirg the laws imposing them, or hayiaS d
bare been collected. The question is whether
this w5r OF aggre:s sion shln proceed and We
remain with folded arms, iGattentive spact.-
tore, or whether We shal meet tic aggressors
at tie threshold and turn back the tide.
-! ah soa to r:'eet and then point out aay ons
teeat on'tffdto be done, Of ,c'i:1 any one cttAtse
..ts""av'sists can Justly compluin. Yet VI are
told, simply because one party has succeeded
IN presid. ntjal election, therefore tcey
choose to consider that their liberties are not
sa1e, :nd theaeiorc t1eJ Sitl trsak 2 the gov
ernmCnt.
I had supposed that it vas a cardinal aud
fuLd5ne ebtal prlnci rla ct our system Ufgoyec1-
mtnt that TIE decis1on of the people atihe hal
1o--boS, wi'h.ut 1rand, aeec1diaSto the forms
CT fEe constitution, ~as to e:mm1nd the
explicit Oh. dieree Of every g,od citizen.
lftLeir defeat st q presidential etu..iua is
t"Ju=lfs the minority, or any portion of the
minority, in r4i.ilg the tlait lryIs hani Of re-
bello7 aga'tst The cors'itut.d antAorities.
ycu will 1ind the future history OF the UaI.td
7. rclng TO uiy sead;Eg or Mexican history,
there Fever has he5l cne presidential term
from The tine Of the revolution of 1920 dpwn
to this day, :sh:u the candidate elected by the
pe.rie tyer serss L S four Years. In every
i, ssauce. estIer the d4frctei cacciilte nas
stiz uptn tic pr sidea:ia1 chair by the
USE I f tie bay oLct, or he has turuet ont the
cu'5 elected cancidate b tore his term ex-
red. are VIC 70 1t:.laurale tbs M1xian
ky:'*m in the United States OF Am rc,?
M! IEver!!l Sr,:ccse the case t. BE- re-
vtrscd. satrose the lisu.ian coniidate had
III {1fs g. $t.f$F r. xAoA
If by sny rotans il sc2er .sncc ai:h the forass
OF the coGs'itutica-at the presidential
election. THU, suppos tie Republicans mad
raised 1ehetiicn against his authority. In
that c. ss you would have fund me tendering
ny btst Efforts to Johl C. Breckia1idy,: o tu:t
dosn tic Republican 1e5css. And if yor
had attempted such rehetlisn, 1 would
hase called forth all the po ser and energies
Ct tbs country to have crushed you ont.
lie fist du'y Of the am r:can e,tiz n. or Of
azcflz' OF any constitutional government, is
ooe edlence to the constitution aud laws Of his
county. I have no apprehension that any
man In Illinois, or beyond the limits Of our
beloved Stale, will Mlsconst1ua or msuGder-
stand my motive. So far as any Of the patti
san questions are concerned, stand IN equal,
Ec.ns aud the secessic1ists. You all know
that am very good partisan fighter In parti-
san times. And you will find rue equally as
Eood Patriot WHEN the country is in danger
Now Permit me to say to the assembled
repro n'atiyes ard senators Of our go3d
ties. III my opirion it is your duty 10 lay aside
Etnr parry cret ds and party platforms to lay
aside your party organization and partisan ap-
1eals; to ftrget that you were ever divided
until 81 baye rescued the government aud
tie country from their assailants. Tacu re-
suEae ytur partisan po=it4un5 according to
ycur W1ehes. Give ME 4 county first, that
my children may live in peace, then we will
hate a theatre ior our party oraalization to
oEtlate u;an.
j Is crime ag: irst the iralien:ble and ill.,
dc1eas:e1e right Of every American citizau to
ats mit to dts'rey the government uudcr
which re = ere born It is crime against
6uastitntlcTbl freedom aud the hppts OF the
!1leEds OF freedom throughout the Side world
to attempt to hlot cut the United States from
tie map IT Gil listtn nlom. Yet this attempt is
being made. TIE scvt rnment Of our fat{l. rs
lsfo ore everthro"n AID destroyed. The capt.
tai tfat hears the rame OF the Fathcr of bis
Country is 10 be bombarded and 1evelsd to rhs
esr'h an.tng tie rubbish and the dust of things
that are p,st- The records Of your gover1-
Int Mt are to be fcattere d to the tour winds Of
heaven. Tie constituted au horiiies. placed
y ere II the sa1ns high autho1i'y J taa: pl4ced
Washirs tor, ard Jefferson and Sf ,disop, and
Jack.o on IN he chair, are to be captured aud
ca1rit tfl, to become a bywcrd auu scorn
t. The ra:ious Of the world
ANA Ah05 L1AuA kHAL ALI 41AM4Uk picture
that Is over wrought, and not describing A
fact. No man who has spent the LIST
wt.k in the city Of Washington will believe
thai l have done justice to it. You have
all tue elements OF the French revolution
surrounding 6. the capital now, and threaten
constitutional government to be stricken
DOWN; Lot only is our nog to be blostcd out,
tus the very four dalions OF eocial order are
10 be undermine i ard destroyed
WI nevtr cur government is assliled--
Wit 4 hostile armies are mrrching under new
ard odlous banners against the government
Of our ccuctrg, the Sv1fe.t acay to pace is The
most stupvndous and unanimous preparation f0,.
sraf. The greater the unari1nit7 the Less
blood VIII be shed. The more prompt and
energetic the movement, ard tue more impor-
tant It is in numbcrs, the shorter will b. the
struggle.
Every frifnd of freedom, every champion
ard advocate Of constitutional liberty thron :h-
cut the land, must feel that this cause ia his
twn, and that there Is and should bs nothing
tbat ought to be disagreea6le or humiliatiag
to men VITO have differed in times Of peace
On every question that could divide feiloE
ntep, to rally in union in detsrse Of the couu-
tIy and against all assailants.1 While all the
States Of this Cniop, and every citizen of
every State has priceless legacy dependent
valley. Of the Mississippi have pec1. @
liar Interests and inducements to the
struggle. What is the attempt row being
made? Sven states Of this Union chose to
declare that they will no longer obey the be-
hest Of The United States that they will with
draw frcnl the government established BY our
fathers; that they will desoye, without our
constnt, the bonds that have united US to-
gether. But, not content with that, they pro-
ceed to l1lvade and obstruct our dearest aud
lnalienatle rights, secured oy the constitution.
one OF thc'T fist acts to establish battery
OF canroD upon the banks Of the Mississippi,
on the dividing line between the states of Mis-
sissipIi ana Tennessee, and require every
STEAMER that passes down the river to come to
III der gun, to receive custom house officer
on board to prescribe where the boat II II
laLd. ard upon what terms it MAY put out =
barrel OF flour OF. cask Of bacon-upnn the
rivtr ard upon tie borders Of these states to
cut of cur freedom of trade.
We are csl;ed upon to sanction this policy.
Before col sertlug to shtir right to c1mal:t
such sets, inplore yuu to consid, that this
pin c:ple which will allow the cotton States 10
tx:1uce ns fr< NJ tie ports Of the Gulf, would
!; authorize tue Ncs England States anu NV
l'rk and Pennsylvan1a to exclude US from