Tribute to a Public Servant!—Grand Ovation—30,000 People Assembled !-Great Speech of Senator Douglas.-Bonfires, Fireworks, Salutes, &c.-Chicago to her Senator.-Departure of the Committee

As per announcement in the programme of the reception of Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, published by authority of the committee of arrangements, an extra train of cars was ready at 1 o'clock, yesterday, to convey the committee of reception to Michigan City-distant from Chicago sixty miles-at which place Senator Douglas was to take the Illinois Central road on the return trip.

In the meantime, also, a great number of national flags were being elevated at conspicuous points near the depot and elsewhere, and banners of different shapes and colors, besides streamers, pennants, etc., were disposed in all directions.

It was now 1 o'clock. The train was to start at that hour, and all things being ready, the cars moved off amid shouts from the outside, and answering shouts and music from within. In all the company numbered four hundred. A splendid banner, that of the young Men's Democratic Club, was carried upon the locomotive.

The train proceeded to Michigan City, where it was met by a host of gallant Indianians, who accompanied the Judge from Laporte to Michigan City. Some malicious person having secretly spiked the only gun in the town, the democracy obtained a large anvil, and placing it in the middle of the street, made the welkin echo with its repeated discharges.

THE RETURN TO THE CITY

At a few minutes after five o'clock the procession was formed and proceeded to the depot, Judge Douglas being now the guest of the committee. The train soon started, and all along the road-at every station, at almost every farmhouse and laborer's cabin-in every cornfield and at every point where laborers were engaged-there was

exhibited by cheers, by waving of handkerchiefs and other demonstrations, that cordial "welcome home" to the great representative of popular rights.

At the outer depot of the Illinois Central railroad the national flag had been raised by the operatives, and a swivel belched forth its roaring notes of welcome. The hardy hands of the mechanics resounded with applause, and cheers and huzzas continued until the train had passed on to the city.

As the train passed along from Twelfth street to the depot, crowds of ladies were assembled on the doorsteps of the residences on Michigan avenue, waving banners and handkerchiefs; the lake part was crowded by persons hastily proceeding to the depot. Long before the train could enter the station house, thousands had crossed over the breakwater, got upon the track, and climbed into the cars, and when the latter reached the depot they were literally crammed inside and covered on top by ardent and enthusiastic friends and supporters of the illustrious Illinoisan.

Capt. Smith's artillery were, in the meantime, firing from Dearborn Park a salute of 150 guns, (guns were also firing in the west and north divisions) the booming of the cannon alone rising above the cheering plaudits of the assembled multitude. The hotels and principal buildings of the city were adorned with flags.

The Adams House, near the Central depot, was most handsomely decorated. The national flag, a banner bearing the motto "Douglas, the champion of Popular Sovereignty," as well as numerous flags belonging to vessels in the harbor were suspended across the street, presenting a grand display. The doors, windows, balconies, and roofs of the Adams House, as well as the private residences in the neighborhood, and the large stores and warehouses along Lake Street were crowded with ladies and other persons-all cheering and welcoming the senator. At the depot, a procession consisting of the "Montgomery Guards," Capt. Gleason and the "Emmet Guards," &c., Lieut. Stuart commanding, acting as the military escort, was then formed. Judge Douglas was in an open barouche drawn by six horses, and was followed by the committee of arrangements in other carriages. The procession proceeded up Lake to Wabash Avenue, down Wabash Avenue to Dearborn street, and thence by Dearborn to the Tremont House.

Throughout the whole route of the procession, the senator was greeted from house top and window, from street, from awning post and balcony by every demonstration of grateful welcome.

THE SCENE AT THE TREMONT

As early as half past six o'clock people began to collect around the Tremont House. The omnibusses from Union Park, and from the southern and northern limits of the city, were crowded with suburban residents, and people came on foot from the remotest parts of the city, taking up eligible standing places around the hotel.

At about half past seven the booming of cannon on the lake shore having announced the arrival of the train, it was the signal for the assembling of thousands of others who rapídly filled up every vacant spot in Lake street, from State, for the distance of a block and a half. Dearborn street was also thronged from Lake to Randolph. The area occupied by the people, packed together in one dense mass, was considerably over fifty thousand square feet. In addition to this, every window and roof within hearing distance was occupied, a large portion of the occupants being ladies. The assemblage of people who welcomed in vociferous and prolonged shouts of joy the return of Senator Douglas numbered at the least calculation thirty thousand.

Chicago has never before witnessed such a sight. A field of human forms parted with difficulty as the procession passed through, and closed instantly behind it, with the surge and roar of the waters of a sea; an ocean of upturned faces, extending beyond the furthest limits to which the senator's powerful voice could reach, from which broke one spontaneous burst of applause as he appeared upon the balcony before them! Over all the light of the illumination, and the glare and glitter of the fireworks, spread an appearance which is indescribable!

The building just across the street from the Tremont, on Lake, occupied by Jno. Parmly, hat manufacturer, and others, was finely illuminated, and a handsome transparency was displayed, bearing the words "Welcome to Stephen A. Douglas, the Defender of Popular Sovereignty."

THE SPEECHES

Chas. Walker, Esq., then appeared on the Lake Street balcony and in a very neat address, welcomed Senator Douglas to his constituents from a prolonged, but glorious struggle in which he defended and maintained the right.

Senator Douglas responded in a speech of over an hour in which he briefly reviewed the history of the past and the prospect of the future.

We could not but remember the scene of 1854, when instead of welcoming huzzas he was greeted with denunciation. The past, however, is gone; the present is upon us; and instead of the mere handful who indorsed his course in 1854, he now can count thousands who have approved his course, and an united constituency who applaud and admire the fidelity with which he has adhered to his principles and to the pledges he made to the people.

[Chicago Daily Journal, July 9, 1858]

THE OVATION TO SENATOR DOUGLAS

The followers of Senator Douglas are straining their utmost powers to make the demonstration in behalf of their champion on his return home, a great and "glorious" affair, this evening. If it does not prove imposing, and if there is not a tremendous outward show of "enthusiasm" displayed on the occasion, it will not be for lack of effort on the part of the Senator's more active worshippers to render it so. They have been begging and scraping together all the spare dollars, shillings, dimes and six pences that could be obtained, for the last few weeks,—have bought powder enough to supply the Utah war-have expended large sums in getting up banners and devices-and have laid out not a small sum in hiring men and boys to make up a big procession and make a big noise. Surely, after such extensive preparations, we have a right to anticipate a great time, and shall expect to see the lionized Senator perfectly emblazoned in the glory of triumphant honors.

[From the same paper]

PERSONAL. Hon. A. Lincoln, O. H. Browning, Judge I. O. Wilkinson of Rock Island, and other distinguished gentlemen from different parts of the State are at present in the city, in attendance on the U. S. District Court.

[Chicago Daily Journal, July 10, 1858]

SPEECH OF SENATOR DOUGLAS LAST NIGHT Several thousand people, amongst whom were many Republicans, who were present as a matter of curiosity-assembled in front of the Tremont House last evening, on the occasion of the reception of Senator

Douglas, to hear what account he had to give of himself and what he had to say in reference to the political topics of the day.

He spoke for an hour and a half, in his usual style-dispensing "soft-soap" quite freely, setting himself forth as a hero of no common order, and indulging even more than ordinarily in that inexorable habit of misrepresentation, and prevarication which appears in political matters to have become a sort of second nature to him.

Dropping the Kansas question, he next paid his respects to Mr. Lincoln and the speech that gentleman made at Springfield at the late Republican State Convention. He considered Mr. Lincoln a "kind, amiable, high-minded gentleman, a good citizen, and an honorable opponent," but took exception to the sentiments of his speech.

He repeated, almost word for word, the language of his last year's Springfield speech in regard to "negro equality" and very falsely imputed to Mr. Lincoln this doctrine of "negro equality," while the fact is that Mr. Lincoln has no more to do with negroes, or the question of placing negroes on an equality with white men, than Douglas has to do with the Americanizing of the Hottentots or the Fejee Islanders.

[From the same paper]

The following scene, as described by the Tribune, took place preliminary to the speech:

Shortly before eight o'clock the procession from the depot, preceded by a band of music, and two companies of militia, reached the corner of Lake and Dearborn streets, from Randolph. The hack drivers charged furiously on the dense throng and by dint of whipping and swearing, the carriage containing Mr. Douglas was brought up to the north entrance of the house. At this juncture a blockhead on the upper balcony commenced firing off rockets, and of course made a dozen horses crazy. Those attached to the carriage in which Mr. Douglas sat, plunged frantically in every direction. Several persons were bruised. One man had his leg broken in three places, and was borne fainting into a drug store. Mr. Douglas escaped indoors, and almost immediately reappeared on the north balcony, when Charles Walker, Esq., commenced his reception speech.

At this point of the proceedings a furious battle commenced in the street between the crowd and the remaining hack drivers, who persisted insanely in plowing through the living sea in front of the building. In the confusion and excitement, Mr. Walker's speech came to an abrupt and embarrassing termination-leaving people uncertain whether he had forgotten the balance, or had adopted that novel and peculiar way of welcoming a Senator. Not one man in fifty of the entire audience knew that he had made a speech at all. The battle in the street below