Year: 1860

an American citizen upon the face of this
broad continent, no matter whether he may


be from the South or the North, or whether


he may come from the plains of the North


west or the shores OF the Pacific, who does


not claim for himself and his posterty share


which that monument was erected to com


memorate. Applause You may imagine


that the monument is peculiar to Charleston,


and that you have deeper interest in that


work than the American citizen who may he
in the remotest parts of the Reprblic or sail
ing upon the broad ocean; but will assure


you that there is not one of you who claims


greater pride, either in the work itself, or in


the glorious deeds which it was made to com


memorate, than the citizens of my own Illi-


noisl "lIear hear" and applause This


has been to me a day which shall long cher


sh and remember have seen the spot


where the first American blood was shed,


which gave rise to the American Revolution,


and now / have the honor of addressing you


from the place Of all others which gave the


impetus to the Revolution that resulted in the


establishment Of our independence and of our


liberties. Let the sons of these brave sres


prove true to the principles which gave rise to


the Revolution which formed the foundations
OF our whole political system and upon which
alone this Republic can be maintained in its
unity and in its purity forever.


The American Revolution originated in the
assertion, by the people Of the colonies, of the
right of self government by each colony in
everything that related to their domestic and
internal polity Our fathers were willing TO
recognize the paramount authority Of the Brit
ish Parliament and the British crown over all
matters and things which were imperial and
not colonial--oyer all that affected the general
welfare of the empire, without interfering with
the local and domestic affairs of the people of
the colony; but our fathers said to the British
government "y0u must not interfere with our
liresides aud our hearthslones We have
right to our provincial legislatures, to make
our own laws, establish our own institutions,
and manage our own internal affairs in our
own way, without the Interference of the


British Parliament. TAppause and cries of
Good, good, "hear." "hear The Reyo-
luton was fought in defense of the great prin-
ciple Of local self government May we, their
sons, be faithful TO that principle of local self
government. May we, their sons, be faithful
to that principle, and never permit it TO be
violated either in State or Territory, province
or colony Applause and cries of Good W
If we only remain faithful to the fundamental
principles, leaving the people of each State
and each Territory free to maintain their own
domestic affairs and internal concerns in their
own way, without interfering with those of their
neighbors there can be peace forever between
the North and the South, the East and
the West. Applause. You have institutions
in Massachusetts peculiar to yourselves
institutions differing from those of US in
Illinois, differing from those in the Southern
States, differing from those upon the Pacific
coast When | come to visit you you rec Give
me with open arms, welcome me amongst you,
and show me everything that is curious or sa-
cred in this history of our country; and sir, |
trust when come among you, that ] shall pay
all due respect to the constituted author-
ties, and render obedience to your laws


Good and applause. But, sir, II you find
me complaining that do not like your laws,
your Institutions, your domestic affairs, ex-
pect you will tell me that while you regret my
displeasure these laws were made for you and
not for me, and if do not like them, can 90
back to Illinois. Applause And now, Mr.
Mayor, permit me to say 10 you, in return for
the kind sentiments with which you have vel.
coined me to Bunker Hill, in the name of your
fellow citizens of Charleston, ifyou will do me
and the State that have the honor to repre-
sent the honor of making us visit will take
pleasure and pride in welcoming you to Him
Ols, but wish you to understand that it is on
the express condition that you will obey our
llws-raspect our institutions, and not inter
iere with our domestic concerns laughter |
and applause and ifyQu complain 10 me that |
you do not like our laws, | shall say that, |
while ! regretit, you must remember that they |
are our laws and not yours laughter and |
cheers we made them for ourselves and |
not for you-- renewed cheering 1--WE adapt |
aIf hon IN aa1r 10, Al
our wants--and if you do not like them, YOU |
must go back to Massachusetts, whApo yon will
find better ones Applause So Il is in the |
Southern States. If you of Massachusetts, or
we of Illinois go to Charleston or New Or
leans, it does not become us to tell those peo- |
pie that they have had laws and bad institu- |
tons which we do not like. They are their |
institutions. II they be good ones let them |
enjoy the blessings Of them--if they are evil |
institutions, let them bear the burden and the |
evils they entail, until they become wise enough |
TO change them and make better ones APP |
plause. And especially, when we go to Kan |
sas, or to New Mexico, you will find body Of
men there possessing more of the elements Of |
energy, Of courage, of enterprise, and of in |
tellect, than you will find in any State of the |
Union for ] suppose that | may utter one
great truth, without fear of ofience--being a |
Yankee, like the.balance of you laughter +
by saying that New England is an emigrating |
country, and whenever New England far
mer has two sons the one little wild, dar.
ing, reckless but intellectual, he thinks the |
valley where he was born is little too small |
theater for his operations, and starts off west


-gOes into the wilderness or upon the prai.
ries, and carves out his own fortune, and
makes man of himself by his energies The
other brother being, perhaps, little more
obedient to parental authority, little less
ambitious, and little less energetic, and
little more lazy, laughter would rather stay
at home and be supported by his daddy and
nanny than TO go west and support himself
Great merriment Hence, If you go TO the
frontier you will find men Of the highest capa-
city Of any in the known world, These men
go from Massachusetts from Vermont, from
South Carolina, from Virginia, from Germany,
from Ireland, from all parts Of the world; aud
when they get there, they carve out their own
homes, erect their own houses, lay out their
own towns, erect their own churches, estab
lish their own schools and colleges, and lay
there the foundations of society, and establish


Just such institutions as they believe will be
best for themselves and their posterity forey-
er. Good good, and applause. | be-
lieve that they are entitled TO the great prvi-
lege Of selEgOyernment Ii wOnt do for them
that particular system Of laws Is good and
another bad and therefore they must have il
They have an inalienable right TO determine
for themselves what is good and what is bad
That is their privilege and not ours
You judge for yourselves; lot them de
termne for themselves, They are re-