The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1840-08-13
REMARKS OF Mr. OGLE,

OF PENNSYLVANIA,
On the Cipa and Diplomatic appropriation Bill.
HOUSE OF RfrkEsENrAr iyEs, April IA, iiSfo.
|. Mr.. What do you under,
stand by the term democracy? No word
is perhaps less understood than this, al
though it is IN more common use among
politicians than any other. In my opin-
ion, the foundation principle of true demo-
cracy consists in the right Of The aagjori-
ty to make laws to govern The aohote.-
rhis is that kind of democracy which has
been established and, written out in the
Constitution of the United States and in
the Constitutions of the several States
No man has ever been hardy enough to
deny that the majority has tie right to
gouera. Well, then, are the men who
make such an everlasting cry about demo-
cracy more democratic than the Constitu-
ton of the United States? Are they more
democratic than. the Declaration of indie,
pendence? Oh, yes; a great deal more.
Fan Buren, Democracy is far more dem
ocratic than those charters of our freedom;
it not only tolerates, but justifies the sack
ing of flour stores; the invasion of char
tered rights; the mobbing Of State l.egls-
latures, and the ,trampling under foot the
great seals of sovereign Commonwealth.
[ have taken some pains to procure an ac-
curate definition of Tan Datren denaocra-
ca. With this view, | have called upon
great number Of intelligent gentlemen
here, from many of the delegations where
thought the article ought to be well UNI
derstood, but no two agree upon what IT
is. got them towrite outthelr definitions;
some of them are as long as my hand. A
yirginian, Of course, must SO through all
the doctrines Of '98. You cannot know
what his. democracy lis unless you put
down the old Kentucky resoI,iticns:ss'Fhe
distinguished gentleman from Maine Mr..
SM1rH) defines democracy byaa single
term--"purify. Another gentleman says
that democracy signifies to be in favor OF
the sub Treasury, although the, entire.
Jackson party, with the "old chief. HIM.
self at their head, went against that meas
ure in the year ls34a The Globe, at that
day, denounced it asa rank federal meas
nre. Another gentleman says that no man
can be a democrattunless he stands oppos-
ed to Bank ofsthe United States, not
withstauding the. late Bank of the United
States was chartered by a democratic Con-
Egress, during the administration oflthe de-
mocratic James Madison, in opposition to
the wishes and votes of the federafists.
ITO establishihe last mentioned fact, iwili
present true .aaaly isis of the political com
/ plexion of the votes ON the bill to charter
| the Bank of the United Statesin 1885,
$40 la9 Yeas.toa Nays.
House of Reps, demo. 67di 81 'f 90
t-s..s 55t.s =. ss fed. ael3g 20
Senate, IL demo. lsa 5
,8i, 9. ,4C..ss fed. ~ ta.
You will observe. sir, that more than
Itwo-thirds of the Democrats in both
I branches Of the National Legislature vot-
| ed in favor of the bank, and almost two
thirds Of the Federal party voted against
Lit. And yet, so sublimated and SO pure
Ills the Van Buren, democracy of the pre-
sent day, that no man can be acknowledge
ed an orthodox democrat who is in. favor
/ of the establishment of a Bank Of ahe Unit
ed States. This strange anomaly, hows
/ ever, is readily solved, when we bear IN
mind that the Democrats in Congress In
! 1916 were the same Democrats who, with
Madison and Harrison, had carried
4 through a bloody but successful ywsasS
against the British and Indians, while the
nresent leaders of the Van Buren, party