Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-10-22
Speech of saehpen A. Douglas
DELIVERED AT CHICAGO NAY 1sT, '6l.

| will not conceal qualification at the
uncomfortable test that this vast audience
presents-that whatever political differ
enccs or party questions may have divi-
ded US, We. you all had conviction that
when the country should be in danger,
my loyalty could be relied on. That the
present danger is imminent, no man can
conceal. IF war must come-if the bay
onet must be used to maintain the Con
stitution-I can say before God my con-
science is clean. / have struggled long
! for peaceful solution of the difficulty.
l have not only rendered those States
what was theirs of right, but | have gone
to the very extreme of magnanimity.
The return we receive is war, armies
marching upon our Capitol, distractions
and danger laced upon navigation, let
tiers of marque granted to pirates to prey
upon orr commerce, concerted move
ment to blot out the United States Of
America from the map of the globe
The question is, Are we to maintain the
country of our fathers, or allow it to be
stricken down by those who, when they
can no longer govern, threaten to des-
troy
What cause, what excuse do disunion
ISIS give us for breHking up the best gov
eminent on VIII Oh the sun of heaven ev-
or shed his rays? They are dissatisfied
with the results of Presidential cleo
ton. Did they never get beaten before?
Are we to resort to the sword when we
Get defeated at the ballot box? under
stand it that the voice of the people, ex-
pressed in the mode appointed by the
Constitution. must command the obedi
cnce of every citizen. They assume on
the election of q particular candidate,
that their rights are not safe in the I'm
ion. What evidence do they present Of
this! defy any man to show an act
on which it is based. What has been
omitted to be done3 appeal to these
assembled thousands that so far rs the
constitutional rights of the Southern
States, | will say the constitutional rights
of the shareholders are concerned, moth
ing has been done and nothing omitted
of which they can complain.
There has never been time, from the
day that Washington was inaugurated
J a. president Of the United States, ~hon
the rights of the Southern States stood
firmer under the laws of the land, than
they do now; there never was time
when they had not as good cause for
dsunion as they have to-day. What
good cause have they which has not ex-
isted under every Administration.
If they say the territorial question
now, for the first time, there is no act of
Congress prohibiting Slavery anywhere
If it be the non enforcement of the laws
the only complaints that have heard
have been of the too vigorous and faith
ful fulfilment of the Fugitive Slave Law.
Then what reason have they!
The slavery question is a mere excuse.
The election of Lincoln is mere pretext.
The present Secession movement is the
result Of an enormous conspiracy formed
more than year since-formed by
leaders ia the Southern Confederacy
more thar twelve months ago.
They use the slavery question as a
means to the accomplishment of their
ends. They desired the election Of a
Northern candidate by sectional vote,
in order to show that the two sections
cannot live together. When the histo-
ry of the two years, from the Lecomp-
ton Charter down to the late Presiden-
tial election shall be written, it will be
shown that the scheme was deliberately
made to break up this Union.
They desired Northern Republican
to be elected by purely Northern vote,
and then assign this fact rs reason why
the sections may not longer live together
If the disunion candidate in the late
Presidential contest had carried the uni
ted South, the scheme was, the Northern
candidate successful, to seize the Capito
last Spring, and by an united South anC
divided North, hold it. That scheme
was defeated in the defeat of the Disun
ion candidate in several of the Southern
/ States.
: But this is no time for detail of eau
, ses. The conspiracy is now known. Ar
, mics have been raised. War IS LEVIED
to accomplish it. There are only tw'
: sides to it. Every man must be for tn
United States or against it. There cal
: be no neutrals in this war-oNLY PATRI
OTIS or TRAITORS.
Thank God, Illinois is not divided Of
this question. (Gheers.) 1 know the,
expected to present an united Sout
against divided North. They hope
in the Northern States, party question
= would bring civil war between Democrat
E and Republicans, when the South woul
: step in with her cohorts, aid one part
d to conquer the other, and then make a
= easy prey of the victors. Their schem
!. was carnage and civil war in the Nortt
e There is but one way to defeat this
:. Tn Illinois it is being so defeated by Gle
! sinr up the ranks. War will thus b
n prevented on our own soil. While ther
e was hope of peace | was ready for an
reasonable sacrifice or compromise
maintain it. But when the questio
comes of war in the cotton fields of tn
South or the corn fields of Illinois, l sa
7 the farther off the better.
n We cannot clope our eyes to the sa
and solemn fact that war does exist. :
70 nj o-o.o,,,arf ,,,uet bo maintained !