The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-04-12
2soltttraI.
Mr.. EVERETT'S SPEECH

On Mr.. M'llUFFIE's Resolutions to amend
the Constitution of the United States, rela-
tive TO the choice Of President and Vice
President.
Continued.
/ think the gentleman's next objection to
the general system was. that it tended to form
and keep up geographical parties. This
would have been plausible and even forCibly
stated, ii it had been true that the States are
geographically peculiar, or that those sections
OF country which are geographically peculiar,
are so many States. But this is not the case.
We have i'll this country, and am sorry to
see il, because believe il is one spring of our
prosperity, the materials, perhaps, for five or
sax geographical parties or geoSra phical inter-
ests. think we may carve out OF it. east
ern, central, southern, a southwestern,
and northwestern section. | DO not think at
present you can get more. Now The sections
are not States, TO be bound together by the
general ticket system, so that they will, in
virtue of that system, vote Unanimously in
any given case. | think they never will do
it. Even in New-Englaud, which the gentle
man from Virginia, MIR. Archery named as
| the part OF the Union most likely TO march in
phaanx-even in New-Engiand an unani-
| NOUS vote will rarely if ever be given Geo
graphical parties must rest on geographical
basis. You might as well talk of the sound
of colour, as of geographical party that
rests upon any thing but geographical basis,
and when you get to geographical basis
( when you get any thing that interests New
York as New-York, or uth-Carolina as
South-Carolna, do you not think, sir, they
will go in phalanx, whether you have the
district or the general ticket system? Be,
lieve me, sir, they will. Geographical par
ties are not to be divided by those imaginary
lines which you are going to run between
your electoral districts. The Alleghanys, the
Mississippi, the Potomac, the Hudson, the
great Lakes-these will make geographical
parties, if any thing is TO make them.
But, sirsNl am not prepared TO admit that
geographical parties are the greatest evils this
country has to fear. Party of all kinds, in its
excess, is certainly the bane of our institu-
tons; and will not take up the time Of this
Committee by disputiug which is most dele
ferrous, arsenic or laudanum. II is enough
that they arc both fatal. The evil of geo
graphical parties is, that they tend to sever
the Union. The evil of domestic parties is.
that they render the Union not worth having.
! remember the time, sir, though | was but a
| boy, when, under the influence Of domestic
parties, near neIghbors did not speak when
old acquaintance glared at each other as
| they passed in the streets; when you might
wreak on man all the bitterness OF your per
sonal and private enmity, and grind him into
the dust, il you had the power, and say, he is
d democrat, he is federalist--he deserves il.
Yes, sir, when party spirit pursued its victim
from the halls oil legislation, from the forum,
from the market place. TO what should be the
sanctuary Of the fire side, and filled hearts
that would have bled to spare ca h ether a
| pang, with GOODNESS and enstrangement.--
lax not to me OF your geographical parties.
| There does not live the man. thank God, on
earth, towards whom have an unkind emo
tion-one whose rights | would invade
| whose feeling would wound. But il there
ever should be a man to whom | should stand
IN that miserable relation, pray that noun
tains may rlse-that rivers may roll between
us-tliat he may never cross my path, nor
ms, 10 turn the sweetness OF human nature
into bitterness and gall in both our bosoms.
believe the gentleman's next objection to
the general ticket system was, that It tended
to throw the power of the State into the hands
OF political intriguers, through the nstrumeh-
tally OF that much-famed political institution
The Caucus. On this subject | cannot
speak with much confidence. Meier at
tended caucus in my life, except as an edi-
he'd spectator--one among four or five thou
sands, that assemble in Faneul Hall, 10 do
what we are now doing-consider the state
Of the Union. Farther than this, | know
nothing from experience OH this subject. The
gentleman tells us that it is Of the nature of
the caucus, that, 6y the aid of that political
organization, il is in the ser Of FIVE or six
leaders, in the command OF four or five thou
sand well drilled veteran troops, to pp, to