Douglas In Rhode Island

Yesterduy was a h.liday in Rhode Is'and, and it is hardly too much to say that tho whole State wa on firo with Douglas enthusiasm ! Never was there witnessed witliin mr borders suoh ' an outpouring of the mr.srcs ! The dciy had been for n week or more set apart fora mnm-notb clavn-bako in honor of Judge Douglas' visit to tho State. Bnt nobody had anc;p?.ted so I larga a f.-aherng - sueb an unprecented Uocking together of the peoplu. It seemed ns though tho nindown of heaven bad been oponed, and whule showers oí men and Momeo dad rained down upon ns. The remarles ofjudgo Di'Uglas, while delivering 1íh masteny i speech - a large steamer, loaded to her guarda, thenjust arrived at ttie wharf - was very natural. " These," said the Jndge, ■' must come frorn New Hamp shiro. The whole of Rhodo Island, Massachusetts nd Connocticut is already hero. And, indeed, where so rnany people carne from must be to many a great wonder. We however, can testify that they pourod into our city early ia the morning long bufare su-rise and down to one o'elock, P. M.. such crowds of people, in nn, in stages, in private oarrkiges, and on foot, ast'io city nevej saw beiore; and that the litrge majori y of all theso found their way, by one convoyenco and another, to Böcky Point. We made what we deerred prettv cevtain arrangemen's for ns-ertaining tito number wbiob mightarrivo by railroad ; but the arrangement, after all, failed us - and wu can o::ly say thnt both the regular and the excursión trains wero lnrge, far beyond parallel in the history of exoursions to thi city. 8omf of these trains syeined nlfuoat interminable ; and when they poured thelt human freight upon na, the yity seemec flooded with strangers. On ihe road leading to Rnoky Po'nt thera was a constant nnd unkroken stream of life Irom the fii'st dawn a. light until tvyo or three o'vilook in tht aftemooD. At eleven o'clock, upwarrlof fivo hundred oarriares ht.d passer through the viüage af Pawtuxet nnd we have reliab'e inCormauon whicl rendara it probable that the wholo nnm her (we moun carriagos) which reachci Rncky Pt'int or ts vicinity, by the dif ferent road.-, in the courSL.' o', the d y was upwtirds of twotlimis nd it i safe to say that these oarriagea contuined ut least twelve thousand people rfisteen staamer loitds large nuraburs by sailing ve.ssols and foot passenger by hundrods must be added to th( crowd, befare the reader chii have correct idea of the iiamuasa throog at Rocky Point 1 Our arrival npon the ground whb al n.on. And never in our hfd befr diii such a spectaclj present itself to our visión. At a dita'.ce of fis'e or ten ro ds from any observad point, it seumed that even1 i ach oí pace was ocoupuíd ; and almo.tt'Very wirere we foucd suci crowds as made it impossible to move in any direction with ury degree of swiftness. Just as we cama in sight ol O.ptain Winslow's house, a rumor that Judge D-iuglas wis soina where in our neighborhnod gathered inich :i crowd that for full uiteen minutos we cuuid aot rnake an inch f hoadway. Tha sea! o wluch proson'ed itself when Judge Douglas inade his grea: speech whs one ot the grandest, most sublime, and most glorio a tbat we ev er witneased. Tho numlier present wu variouily estiir.a ed at from tbirty to ñ f 'tv thousand I (ioneral James, who occupiiid a seat on n platform, and en deuvored to make a reliable cstimatö, basing it upon the amount of space oc cupiod, concluded that the number present eould not bo les tban ft tj ihousand. A gentlemau connectöd w'tt the New York Htrald thought tfis number oould not be less than ñft thousand. Nobody that we heard o estimated the numbar below thirtv thousand. The speech of Judga Douglas was a masterly effort - such an effoi't as was never excell d under similar circuin stances in Now England. It was re ceived by the vast assemblage wiil oheera and shouts of approval, such as was never before bestowed npon any orator ia tuis State. Colono] Sayles, in introduung Julgc Donglas, u-eicomed him to Riiode U land in tho fjllowing eloquent tenus : MR, SATLES' BBMARgS. Fillow-Citizes - I am roqüestoi by lh'3 eb air pian of the commttee o arrangemonts to present to you, and to welcorno to Rhode Island, the eminen and gallant statesman of tho groa West) - r,o-d:iy the representativo mai of American prinoiples as dovolopei l)y American institutions,- tho victor in a hundred well-fought [lolitical battles - the true, tried. coiisi.stent and un fimching defender, u suushine and u storm, of tho great democraüo faitli and now, by the heart-promptiügs o the American people, tha standardbearer of the only nutional party ia our country. It appoars to me that this is a proiK1 and glorious day for Rhode IëJand. What is the imjort of this rnig'ity assomlilage, this unprecedeutodgathering npou Rhode Island soil f Is it not ihnt tho principies of free gov. rnment, ol popular eovereigiity, bs practically es tahüshed bv our fuchors, ai'o heartijy and eainetly maiafaiatd by their descendants? Mr Douglas is a nativo of our nwu New Engluiid, and ia now nu his return f rom the scènes of his ohildhood, up in the rróigbborhood of old Bctinii and tha Green Monntains, and we are all tho more prnurt to weícomo liirn in passing inm the fact that Rhodo is!.i;i ! blööd fl'iwa in his vein;; that be is the descendant - on the ma e: U:il sic!e - oí the mosthonored of those hu plunted and noiinshed our institotions. Turniag to Mr. Dbugras ho nddel : I ; ave hearJ itVaid that wh'en you left Washington, :if:.or tbe memorable struggle of 1854, in wftioh alon yon imrnortalizcd vóur name, you tnight have travelud from Iho na'.ionul cnpitul to vour own homein Chioajjo by the ! ! t f your bnrnii g -ífif i . To-d.iy, sir, you ih.'iy travo1 trom Btute to Stiite fro:n c'ty to city, irnm tovvn to town, froni hamlet t.i hamlet; frpm the Si. Croix on tbe N-nth to tho ïïio Grande in tho South ] from fhe AHantlo, on whioh you now Sojbiirn, ircross the bjautiful plun-i of yi' rovvn homo io the golden shtfl-áj of fhe Pacific wi'.h ro otber guide than thö ppontaneoua shout of n grateful people - with no other Itght thno tbat wbieh besme ppon you today frocn the éöuntenances of j-iyluln.cn, ho ha;] you as carrying the olive branch thnt must preserve from disroption our glorlous confederacv. Yon seo, mr, ta r.iys n thousandd of ÍYicea before you, nnd thoy offor yon a lieíirticr weloofn to Rhódá IIand thnn inj poor wordn c:in po-ibiydo With nli our souls we thank you for tlio finnness yon hve rníinfetc-d ihroug-h tryinghoure in tho iffenoo of popnlor rights; nnd uith all our hearta we bid yon wolcome to that si i jn whieh rnoio' thun t-.v.) hundred yean ngo the standa-d o{ religieus freedorn waa firt p'anted. Bc-gging pnrdon, fellow-citizens, for the moment that l have stood bet weed' you and your illustrious guetit, 1 now present to y,u the Hun. ' Slophan Á. Doulas, nnd proposo tbat you unitu with me in giving him three such cheera as Rhode Iland freemen know hovv to give. _ rhis was followed by three treniendOU8 chears, which made the weikin ring. As the sounds began to suhsido, the " Little Gifim'spoks to theeager thousands as followi: EXTEACTS TROM JüDOE DOUGLAá SPEKC::. AÍK (HAIRUAN ANO Fui.LOW-ClTI7.KN3 of New England- I say of New Eng. land, for I ara oertaia that the Sta?e of Rhode Island does nU contain ns many legal voters as I now find befora me. [Ch era J I ara hero to-dny to witness tbb practical workings of' one oí the peculiar iostitutiotw of Rhodo Tsland. [Cheers and laughter] It is said that aur southern people havo a peculiar o su tut ion oí which (hoy ara very proud Rhode Island has a peculiar institution- I believe it is known as a clanbako, and wvr until tiiis day have I witnsod its practical working, [A voic - H vv do you liko it?"] I know very wel. how you like it, or ihere vvould not havo bet;:") so tnany of yon here to day. 1 huve not the vanity to suppose th'at I coulrl havo uttracted this countless, maaaureleas crowd [Cheers. A voico- -'We sliall eleot him."j It s not, niy friendo, of h;,lf so much importance vvho is the next Pmiifent 'i the United 8iates, as it is that the great principio of self governmont, SO elrqueatly ulluded to by my tïiend, Mr. Sayle-, shonld he preservad and maiotained n good laith.' I ain willing to beüevQ that this overwhölraing and glorious demonstratioD 13 intended more as a mark of pure 'levotion to the vital principio of s-'elf-government, 1 hun as a more oompümwit to myself I only claim that I have been f.iithfüto that principia the orig n of which' is as anciont as free govwsmeot itsU' fhat principio took root in thu hoarta f the Amorioan colonists when thy .: ettled hert) as refuges from EhntipOiöi tyranny Rogr William was the ddestsquattt;r overeigii in R'uode Isiand. [Ciieors] My aocestor on the miternal sido was o;ie ol bia a.iso.;iute-f, ind one of the partió to that immortal oompait of se'f-gr vermnont ma'ie by tlio colonista The fat inbaltitaata upon :hese shores overloiki:ig thi-i unriva.ed bay were devotad to thii irent principie. T'hey did not w,iit for tha K ng of England to grant them a chai tor of rigbt; thoy duiinad tha mberant right oi elf govurnu.wit from a bigher power tban Eingu, or mon. urdí-, or Pi-e.sitlents, or Oongresiea, or Purüameptfl, fboy clanned the right from the ñatos power that E h tn AJioa duimed t when he capturad 'l'ioo,). deroga and traiwfarrèd it to At Conf.nerrtal C ngre-.s; liis right w;u from that bodr and Am ' (Jat Juhurah." Wïon aur faihers commoncud tha strugglö wjth Gra.it B.iiuiü whioh terminated :n the aaqviiirenwnt of indo pendence, thcy demanded the right to forro thöir owb ithititatioag, makè their owii lw, and do acts in their local provioeitfj Lugislatures whwh wera lo al and nat inpt-rial in their charaoter, I want you to beur in mind, and nevjr f. r,a , tbat the Rsvolutionary v:,r w;i D(, bcij'in with n vipw to tna epurtttkw of the coloniea frora thö British crovfo ; they proclaiiiied their I' y.iüy to the Jiing and thcir devoiion to the Britih constiuition in potitiona and addre.-.seswitl.oiit imnï'fr. Wh.it hey did ofóirn, yea, what rtioy dom m■ led and er.f'orced at ihe point of tlu i.Kiyonet, h-js the riglit of 1 cal sclfgovernraant in tl-.e.-e co'onie, uudtr tbe British eonstítution and as n part of the British Emplis. Tliev imy track for indepe .rdeneu whe'i they laarned that the right of sol f sjovernment ould not b riiarntninej without ii, and thay nocepiod it only as it uid ns to a ino.--t hnportant end. Is it not 8trango n view of thes facts that two paniea in this oonntry nhould exist at tho presont drtV wl)o dehy tii-; truih and ustice of ihis gre it p:i.':c;p!-,; fur 'xh oir fathurj ! sepira'i.il trom the mot her country ? t is novv olamud thit w&en our llViiluti nary anoo.-t.rs dcm.nded and en foreöU this Giid givun right, thoy onv not BATroign commimitios. Oiir l'a'.Iicrs uturmèd thw grent prínoipío as thoir inKj;at rigbt white thov' #fere rerritoriüs, wbiio thoy wsri oolorfreS or provinces, and remaining in that suriordiofito oondition, emd nssoitel and pnforced their indopendeneo only as a meará to obtain trliat tnay soitdit and clainicd. The c-mstitution of tha Cnitö'J States was framed and adoptod for tiu parpóse of perpetuaiing the fiberéics achievod by the Ravolutio.), and undör that constitution vo are nuv bokjing oolo !es, or Torntrrits, or provinso-7' Qsdepi ndü:io:Ls,j:]st ns öreat B iiaiu' did before tho Ravolution, and th questior. naturally nthm whether tho descenrla its ot thoso glorious men who won thtir liber.ias vü! oow oxteml W tha re ple t eur TerriUirisltie ?artd riglrts that our fathera domar.d.'d an J enfotded from t e King tf Ertgiftni. We aro t.j 1 by oiir polititnl opponents th t the people of tho T. nitories are not ei.ti.ltxl to tliis r?M f s lf-govoruïijiit boèauf.a Ooiiarrêia h k aot graoted it n their chstner;. h is iut etranga thnt i i this nbetconth een tury any man hculd bu íoind who would c'íilend tbot au American freemnn dètwes h!s ngfit of .-o'f-ov. eminent frarn au iet of öingre?'? [L-.iiiiihior.J Oor chiïdron rr.ay raad ib their fchdol bof!;s that tho tor'e of thu Revohition contonded th:it tho Araafioan co'onie posessed no Hbti oxrept thoso graoted to tbem by the Kíiíií in thair ooien a] charters, {rat onr F:ithsrs duuii-d the try 8oi?trrTjff. They tol ! tho obstinstv) Kiiig Ihnt thö Ai:iurian coloni. ■ derivad 'thetr n ri'.rn (jod -ViiTiiiriitv, a d not frofn tba Üing cf E igi.ind. [C cvr-.l Th t iras tha v(-;y qticstion Rtibriiittoil to tha uoliimotMn-thóü troublons times, ami [eoiüed in our bv a fnrv with ia euati ín ttuir hitnd=. ÏGreat ;her J áaothar ourlons fact, nslriroïive fo ho ü:o:i of tho pressn! a:r ím, (hut tha ü'3t erioLis CHitro-.'er-y be'twéo'n tij i AiB#ficM culoiiies ar.tl the Biitish govi t-ï!i gatit ivji.s ii to th ; s itrery t üSlioji. Foi' :i (ro i luin : 'irn tiid eo!:::lus (f Virginia proltsted riLiuin.--: the rig! t; ■ f l-.e BritWn g -wtumant to i'.irco At':' ry upon th colpniüe ngain; II e vrill Í iha ) e: In 1772 the Cnloi "1 L Viigia'a ".iri(;! re-olati ;: K' !g i)f Eiijfl illd l)l i! ':' ba ■.:.::■.■:- te interfennj it'i :lo d:n3.tio k84ïm nj Virtji lia, tn foro na s'avsry iipon i i.t jiirit Ihelr will, that !iu wou ld lote nis Anio.iii posBessioim. [Cries of J.i.i I ! Jf'i.KÍl'J [o only V-vr oo the:ea''er t'iie douve contest besfrtn. In Kb'8 th;;n ll.ivo veins ;lifieafii-r L. was shed at Ijixini t n, nn C'Vk-.u i. h 1 Bunfeor Hill. 1 1 lour J'aorn tltareatier the Upclarution oí tmlxpemi w.is !"oc':;i.;.c-il, : tid in neven yeor froto til.it d IV tbosö c:i;r:: s ivo:1.: fpefl m:.l 11 depeudent States. [Oheer.] Heneo it appears, by ihe history f our country, thiit tbis irrituling sliivovy (nostioi.i bogan to produce i:s iiii befara tba Eïevolution, and lias nover censec! 'o thUdcty Tl cotonías woold tmver c meent that that question shoujd be düQJdud by thü B;i'.is'(i Pari: or C'ro'.v;i, or Privy (.onncil ol live Cro'wfl. Nei her wül the Ami TorritoHea DVproansunt tli .t the American Congos ehall decide the s av$iy qiiestion, tor thu people of the Territ ■ nerf. [Ch3r-.] 'J'liu inbabitants oi onr Torritorios vcry signifi.-intly inq'rire whether ihey me not entitled to ia ipany pights, whüo in iheir Territorial condition. as thoóo siibjputs of Great Britain were before the Rovolulion. And yct we fi n ■ Í this country diviiled and distraeted by the attompt of CuMgress to control tho elavery question ag:iinst t!ie wish ia of the peopiu intcrested in it Vn the one ■ hmnd w-v fiuii ;i great northern Seetional ' party, and mi the otber a sotftfcorn i tionul party, botb nproeing on the quastion o' the power and duty of Gungress to inte f e or the proteation and prt.ibi! od ófsluvery in thé Territorios, and thuy oooupy the saina reition to each oih r is do the two blades of a pair of shears - they both !nrn on the same pivot and ent in rtpposite direct ions. [Lnughter and ebeeraj Tl.eforDier wou].! prohibit it hera the poople dosire to hava it. and the laltet' woald f.ircé it Qpon people wh ■ d not want it. The republicana would uot probibit slavc.y where tbe people do not wanl it ; suc:h a people would prohibit il theinsolves. The southorn fireeaters do not desire to proteot it where the poople want it ; flor thy would protect 16 themeelvas, And thua they bët-h thvurt the wishes, of the people. - Henae it is o:ily Dooefisary for Ooögresx to interfVre when thopeople are opposed to Raoh uiterfereneea Now, fe'lmv-ci.izens, perriit me to a6k seriouly ü you oud ever have péaoo betwedii the Xorth and South so long os this country is divided into two pectional partief, each appealing to the passion: and pre'udioM and interesta uf jk pecnH:ir seotion. Thu norÜJra re publican party is btit a counterpart { tbe touthorn secession party ; the one cannot exist without the other, and the country cannot have peace wh'le eitber of thein is irimnphant in the land. It is the duty the;i of all conservativo and law abidiug and Xluio11-! iving men to combine and put down these parties as a pr lim vty stoto restor.' peaoj to onr d 8 urbtd country, There can be no piace pr truo vitality to our country untii we return to the principie of nonii.tirvention by Uongross with slavcry in the Territoriea. The o'her day, when traveling thro' Vermont, aa oíd Bevolutionary soldier called my attention to a piece oí Continental money that hiá íather and hiinsef received in payment for their Revolutionary services. O;i that piece of, money wftfl oníjraved these worde : ' "Mind your own business." [Cheers ] It strikes me those are significant wordn. Why did your íathera e:ic;rave upon their Ooatiueotal money, in order that ir should be familiar to their children throughout tho land, the words ''ilind your own business?" The reason was this : Great BritaÏD had attempted to interioro with the local nnd domestíc concerns óf the peopleof the coloniea and the eclonies said to the British Etn pire. ';IIands off our local nfíairs. - Mind your own business !" Thesnme may bo found on tho copper coin of the State ot Ma?snchusetts. Now all we ask of the American Congrees is to act upon and carry out this principie. ## Look into Mr. Buchanan's lelter of acceptance in 1856, and yo;i find he tliere declared that the 'people of a Territory (I arn givineyou his oxact words,) like those of a State, shall decide lor themselves whether slavery nhall or shall not o"ist within its litnits. üid any man ever lay down this doctrite of popular sovereicrnív in broader torms than that? Mr. Breckinr'dg1 in hi spsïches all over the coni try t 1 1856, udvocating Buchanan and ii.m fftlf for the Presidency and Vice Preeidency, "avowed the samo doctrine. T made speeches irom the same stand with 1 im in faver of the snme principies. Buchanan and Breokinridge were elected on that doctrine in 1856, and they r.orer cotild havo been elected but for that doctrine. 8upposo Mr. Buchanan and Mr. BreckAridffe in 18Ö6 had told the people of tho United States that their doe trine was, that if tho poople wanted slavery Ihey niiglit have it, but if thej' did not want it they should be forced to have it; how many votes would they bave got ? Wherever I went in 1856, making epeivjhes in favor of this great doctrino of papular aover-eignty, I never had much difficulty in extorting a confes pion Irom the honot portion of (he republii'an party that our doctrine w-as right ; but their excuse for not votir.g with us was, they did not bfoüevo it would be honestly oarried out bv Buchan; n and Breokiaridge. [A voice - 'About riht"J WclI, now, upon that subject. I havo not n vord to say ; but I know that whüi I heard that obiection in 1856, that they did not bolieve we intended to carry out that doe trine in good faith, [ treated it with 8oorn and indignatioD. All I have to say or this is, that whatever mnv have been tho case with otheiv, I am not asliain il to look the American pecple in tho i'ace and ask whether I have nut' been true to that principie. [Chcers.] And in my opinión, if that great princ:ple of 8e!f-governrnent had been carried out entiroly in Kansas, there would not havo been a corporal's guard luit either of tho republicana of th Nrtrth or tho secessionists of the South. [Applací, and crie of ' That's so. " il it wasn't so [ wooldu't say t. Laughler nnd cheers J In view of thes" fiets tlu qnestion nrist-s whrtt is the pnthof Uniii)-)ovng meo? I ai 8 ver, kt in stand tirinly by those great principios in defenoo of wliich the bat'Jos of tho Rovolutioo were foüght. and iifjan whichour whole 8ystom of ar"vernmont rasts [A voico 'Rleet yon ; ihnt's tho tlk."J My dear Bir, yau rr.ay eljct rno; I do aot deem ir i matter of aov importHnce who s Predont, s ) Ilittt sound principio itrc ca" ried ti'o eñ' ct [Aplaude.] I have no . .' ati m in iying to yon tfiat 1 hiiye r tho aan !-:'ul ! moro . ! ■ or (imbiúon r i r tism ; tiie tiiumpii of Uwse .■ owri eiüct o i. I m remimlcd êvery flny ü-.-.i'. il :.-i ujctru nu y ', , pi u . nl for ei Prcuidentiul (XinHidute t ni.iko epeei hes with' u ii b 'ing onrefiillv writton, aJ n'.low ing li rupórlrot titétfiem down ao3 ■j!i':;il tlieüi brjujcust to the world for I (rreht make enomiesbv :'. lf' my ivlijecl w.ts to erot lbo Presidèney byahy iDians, ralher than to vindícate tha trutb, perti3is I wohld be willing o ply b uminy Kud put a podlock on my lip, fur fo.ir I lüight un honeat sonún#nt and lösaa votoliy it [Ap-i plun-íd-.] I would aoorn tarecBivaanrl rmiu'a vota tinder falso preïenuo?. I din nk'l why I do not ndviio my frionds t:i m i!o : unihn ticket sith tbo (ionisia. SV'hy d mh yon nmlw oil ;j wji.tef :::ix? A unión ticket-be twen !;;■' iüH'rvoniioiiists a.d ;1 ; non intei'ventiiinisLe I Ncver mi arth. - ["(Jood ! goínl ! 1 I nm wilting to uot v i '.i all mon who ttgree wit'i me in pnnuiplo, againtt al] men wto ai'ein favor bf disturbing iho pea. ai. d harmoi.y oí tbie country by thrtt?tiqg tU neajro queítion into the Gonsfresa t the Xluitud Otates. What has QpQgreaa to do .vith the DegrQ 'a;tln ? lt"is l liJCül itnd ..lo;r.L"stic qaestion and not a Feder : al ono. Tho wboltí sulijijot ( t' slavory waa muturely considered by tít& lwiiij' ura of tiie conMtaon in convontion when ihey made ihut instrument. And thei'i you wil] find the southern men : w mld it.voi' consent tliat the s-luve! vv qnestion sh mld be inade n Federal ! (j'K'.stion, le.-; the íroo States migbt beicome ;!'.(! uaujority and depriva tliem of : tbeir elavec. On the otber hand iho iiortharn tnpo would not conont to in iktí it a Federal questioD, becauso tluit would lllake tho ortln-rn 3tatO8 responsiblé íbr tho existonce of slavory in the South.