Year: 1861

But few days since the Secession organ of
Marysvlle, asked the question Ii the Doug
las Democrats of this State had deserted him
We then answered no. 7 emphatically no!H
and then, too, referred TO his position in the
present crisis.


Douglas is patriot and statesman, true and
Just to his country, and to-day, occupies the
position in the affairs of the nation, advocated
by every paper in the State that ever truthful
ly stood by him in the last canvass. Read the
following synopsis of a speech he made to his
people and their representatives in Illinois.
brought us by the Pony of the 5th inst, and
then answer the question asked The Douglas
Democrats of California, are for the Union and
its maintenance first, and partisan politics
afterwards


At the assembling of the Illinois Legislature,
Senator Douglas addressed both Houses in the
Representatives Hall, last night, and was en-
Enthusiastically received. He said war of ex-
termination and oppression is now being waged
against the Government. Walker boasts that
on the lst of May the Confederate flag will
wave from the dome of the National Capitol,
and on the 4th of July the army will occupy
Independence Hall Already their piratical
flag is uniurled against our commerce, and the
navigation Of the Mississippi is obstructed, and
we are required to pay tribute at its mouth
The question is-shall we allow this to proceed
or meet the oppression. He said there was no
cause for this rebellion-that no evidence had
been presented that their institutions were in
secure-that the fugitive slave laws were new
er executed with more firmness than recently
at Chicago. Are we to inaugurate he Mexi-
can system in the United States? Had the
candidate of the Disunionists been elected, and
the Republicans of the North rebeed would
have used my best efforts to crush them. The
first duty of American citizens is obedience to
the Constitution and laws, III my opinion 1t
is our duty to lay aside all party creeds aud
platforms until you have rescued the country
from our assailants. | will never acquiesce in
a warfare upon the constitutional rights or in
stitutions of the South. If any attempt be
made to invade those rights, or incite servi!e
insurrecton against them ! would be the first
to rush to the rescue. Yet they must distinctly
understand that | will never acquiesce in their
invasion of our constitutional rights. 1t is
clearly against constitutional freedom to at
tempt to crush the United States ont of the
map of Christendom. He appealed to the men
of all parties not to allow their passions to get
the better of their Judgment, and not to at
tempt to manufacture partisan capital out of
the miseres and struggles of their country
To Democrats he would say, don't allow party
considerations TO make you traitors. The most
stupendous and unanimous preparation for war
is the shortest way to peace. The greater the
uDanimlty, the less blood Will be she'd. Every
friend of the country must feel that this cause
is his own. The seeded States have proceed
ed to obstruct our most inalienable rights of
navigation of the Mississippi. The people of
the Missi sippi Valley can never consent to be
excluded from free access to the Gulf fof Mexi-
CO. | will never cease 10 urge my countrymen
to take up arms and fight to the death in de-
fense of their rights. 1t is war of selfdefense.
believe it is a duty we owe to ourselves, our
children and our God. to protect and sustain
our Government and flag from every assaant


He was frequently interrupted with enthusi-
ast;c applause