The North-Carolina standard., 1838-01-17
Franklin County, ~ C.
nr. Duncan.s Remarks.

Mr. Duncan's Remarks.
The following is extracted from the remarks of
Mr.. Duncan, of Ohio, the Resolution to refer so
much of the Presidents Message as relates to the
finances, &c. to the Committee of Ways & Means.
The opposition objected, on the ground that ma
jority of that committee were friendly to the ad-
ministration and that all the committees were of
that character. Mr.. Duncan exhibited table
which proved this assertion false which has alrea-
dy been adverted to in the ",Standard" After
giving the genealogy of the word '',chig' as ap-
piled to the opposers of the administration, and
tracing it to story" of the Revolution, the member
proceeded in answer to Mr.. HiSe, of Virginia as
follows -
We now come to the victories of 1887, to which
the gentleman has been so long and so loud sing
ing glory assisted by those of his friends who could
join in the chorus, and those who could not did
their part by looking effect the best advantage.
Sir if Justice to the subject would permit would
not for moment disturb the member and his friends
in the enjoyments of their supposed victories but
feel bound to make some expositions in relation to
the recent elections. The member, in his ecsta-
cies makes assertions that the true results of
the recent elections will not bear him out in. He
tells in his shouts of JOY that the People have
risen in their strength from Maine to Mississippi,
and denounced the President and his Locofoco sub
Treasury scheme. l suppose he has reference to
the result of the elections in Maine, New York and
Mississippi AS all this display of victory and glo-
ry is for home consumption and party effect it is
duty l owe the cause, and the party support to
give statistics that will present these elections
in different light Maine has not polled her
strength since 1884; there has been no excitement
in that State since, sufficient to draw her voters
out; at that time her democratic vote was 3SOOO
and her Whig vote 81 900, the aggregate r. OOO.-
In 1897 the two candidates for Governor had about
81 1000 each; it is not known which is elected
The Senate of Maine is decidedly democratic Iti
evident that the democratic strength was not at the
polls by between four and five thousand, while the
entire Uhig strength was: their vote being the
same that it in 1884. The absence of the
democratic can be accounted for from the fact
that the democracy of Maine, as well as of every
other State in the Union are the laboring classes of
society, and never all turn out to elections unless
there is an exciting question.
How is it with N York? By the returns of 1884,
Ga year of excitement, and the only since that
time, compared with the returns of 1887, there is
an aggregate deficiency of near 81 900 votes there
is democratic deficiency of 4l,000, and Wing
deficit of 13, O00 How then, let me ask, can New
York be said to have denounced the President and
his Locofoco sub-Treasury scheme2 Does the re-
suit of the elections in New York either show a
change of political principle in that State or does
it denounce the President in the unmeasured terms
by the member? But how stands Mis-
sssippi? Gallant, democratic Mississippi must be
lugged into the jubilee she must be dragged for
ward to swell the federal triumph, for which this
day seems to be set apart. 1t would seem that
policy would have dictated a different course with
regard to Mississippi, lest the whole object of all
the bacchanalian feasts would be disclosed to the
People, in whose eyes it is intended to throw dust.
1t is well known that Mississippi has just elected
a democratic Governor by large majority nearly
all her cabinet officers and large ma ority of both
branches of the Legislature are democratic. The
Whigs have indeed returned two members to Con-
gress but the election was entirely one-sided
business. The present worthy and talented men,
bers (Messrs. CLAIBORNE and GHoLsoN) were ell
ected in July When they presented themselves
TO be qualified as members, the Opposition members
on this floor objected the ground that the cleo
ton had been ordered for the extra session only
and was, therefore. null and void. The objection
was overruled, but the whole was referred to
the Committe Elections. The committee re-
ported in favor of the sitting members and after
proracted, careful, and deliberate examination of
the whole case and the circumstances connected
with it, of both legal and constitutional character
this House sustained the report, and adopted these
gentlemen members for the entire twenty-ffth Con
gress. These gentlemen were not candidates at
the fall elections. The democracy of Mississippi
held no election for Congressman except where
hey were unapprZed of the decision Of this House.
But the modern JVhigs of Mississippi, in charac-
ter with their party elsewhere, regardless of law
and the solemn decision of this body assuming that
Congress had not the constitutional right to decide
upon the competency of its own members, Ga right
which is as palpable and as express any other
power on tbs face of that instrument, and until now
has never been denied,) went on to vote for can
lidates, and, having opposition, of course elect
ID them. If this be a TNtig victory, the member
and his party welcome to-it, with all the other
victories over which they are now glorifying. But
when the free People of this Union look at the re-
suit they will say that the democracy of Missis-
,ippi have gloriously triumphed, and that their
election was the mere spasm of an
expiring faction the last struggles of party which,
whether known as Federalists, National Repub-
;ans, Bank men, Anti -Masons, or Modern Whigs,
lave always been known by their unyielding and
lncompromising hostility to the democratic party
ind the democratic principles, well as their law
md constitution defying spirit So much for Mis-
issippi and her recent elections. Now sir, will
SIX, in the spirit of candor where is the cause for
IL this TYhig rejoicing? Where does the mem
,er find reason 70 justify the broad assertion, that
ID the President or any of his measures Is there
my thing in the result Of these elections that would
Justify the President in deserving the principles he