The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-07-03


Why did l03 members of that party shrink from
vote on such an occasion Why were the ranks
of Democracy SO thick and firm Why only few
stragglers seen on the opposite line and main body
scattering in wild disorder, at the very name ofthe
sedilion law as if the ghost oflhe monster that had
haunted Eederaltstsfory-two years, dread vision,
grimly stared them in the face
To the meditalye mind there is no mystery in
all this and ready and conclusive answers may be
made to all its enquiries
Never, since the year 1890, had the people been
made to fear the return Ofth, iron rule of Federal
ism never, since the days o terror, had they be-
llcvcd that faction could prove so madly pre-
sumptuous as TO purpose rcactng the deeds of that
calamltous epoch Of our history, until the day when
the Federal Wing convention assembled at Harris
burg On that day, for the first time after half
century, was the nation made aware that Federal
ism has assumed its station as party, and brought
forward as its candidate an avowed Federalst, not
in the guise Of one repentant, converted to De-
mocracy, like John Quincy Adams, baptsed and
admitted into our communion by Madison and
Monroe, and ever separated, they then said, from
the party against which he had turned State in
former not as Clay, on the same occasion, still
fresh from our ranks with Democratic TENTS on
his lips, remenberances Of Republican sentiments
lingering in his hcart-sentimcns lnseperably uni
ted with the associations and "reminiscences of mis-
early political life, and still carrying with hnsefa
long train of Democratic friends, 10th to forsake
their bold and eloquent leader not like other can
didates of the same epoch offered to the suilrages
of the people not to unite, but for the express
purpose TO divide their votes, and thus take
the election of the President from them, in order
to transfer it to Congress, as they once before had
brnu hv hut
party, who derive energy from defeat. and draw
zeal from their hatred OF the people. They hold up
to their sectarans the name of one, who boosted of,
and reioiccd in, unmi,gatcd, open Wanting FEEDER
asm The choice of Harrison by that conven-
ton, among whom were so many Federalisis, as
the candidate of the party-ihe preference given
to him over Clay, on whom rested, in their opinion
the stain of recent Democracy, the advocacy olthe
last war, the services rendered to the Admnistra-
ton that sustained it, and above all, his unpardOn-
able sin of an-Aboli,on sentiments the signs
and badges adopted by them and their adhcrantS to
excite the passions and stutily the judgement of,le
people-songs inspired by the Fures and written
with frebrands, aud rabidly camored through the
strcets-lhe waving, in the itineran pagcanis, OF
banners bearing stupid notices, as in hitter irony
of popular good sense-the dragging IN triumphant
ponpt of Il log cabin, mcndaci0us!y asserted to be
the miniature model of the humble mansion, nhab-
tied by their candidate, he living in stately man
sion, surrounded by princelv demesnte-nay, II
huge ball drawn by horses led along by hirelings,
the emblem they said, of Harrison march to pow
er and lastly TO complete these ignob'c saturnala,
intcmpcrancc itself, cnvokcd as an auxiliary hend
in Il iicndsh cause, in the form of Il barrel, on
which are written the words "hard cider" All
these loalhsome appeals to brutal feelings, and the
more debasing propcnsiIies of depraved minds;
and above ALL the very names of the signcrs oiihe
address of the Harrisburg Conventional dcclnra-
ton, proclaiming nothing, save the determination
of their candidate not TO respond TO the microga-
lions of the people all these together burst, at
once, upon the Democracy, rvcaling 10 the nation
the dark design oiihcr old adversnries
That deep sense of the peril, thrcatning Demo-
cratic Institutions, spread swiftly over the land
passing through the people to their representatives
as by intui,ye sympathy, and without the custona-
meetings. The Democratic party in Congress rose
suddenly, as if embodied into one individual, and
-.,..,,"'oi by shirt hrirrncd 10 face the en-
envy. And first calling up the long sumbcring rc-
port of the Judiciary Committee of 1882, they re-
solved, without previous concert almost without
discussion, TO mark anew the party that had so i'm
prudenty dcfied the people, by fixing on Harrison,
their candidate the true badge of his political creed,
10 iaslen again TO his hat his old black cockadc.
which he had, craven like, torn from it, and care
fully concealed ever slnse ls0l-to uncarh the pu-
tried carcasc of that very sedition law which he had
favored in Congress- and to hcavc it pat him, and
his Federal associates, branded again with the bur
hing stigma Of IL nations curse 4 solemn warning
this to him his committee, his abe,lors, whether
Fcdcralis,s, Antimasons. Abolilionsts, or Conser-
vatives, to beware how they again tric with the
high susccptibilities Of stern Democracy-to take
heed that this great nation of fifteen millions of
lccmcn is resolved never again TO be gagged, never
to suffer the prosecuted exile that have sat down
embracing the affairs Of their domestic hearth, TO
be torn from these, doomed victims to saate the
vengeance Of relentless aris,ocracy never again
to permit one of their Ministers abroad to refuse
to future Emmlir passports to the soil Of
freedom 1t was proud day for the veteran
Democrat, Of '9s, the day when this glorious vote
was taken when l25 Democratic Representatives
Of the people decrecd-lQ3 of their advcrsarics a
vodng the vote-that the money Illegally and
cxtortcd from Matthew Lyon should be
refunded to his heirs. It was another battle of Bun
ker's hill, fought on Capitol lIl-a victory Of the
Democracy, the glad harbingcr of the triumph
that awaits the cause in November next The
cheering tidings will rejoice the heart of every Re-
publican it will excite our acknowledgements in
Vermont TO gicatcr cNcrions, calling the Green
Mountain bows to u rally; animatng Kentucky
with renewed ardor; rekindliug in every Nrginan
breast the patriotic enthusiasm of 1888; it will be
heard at the hermitage, soothing and cheering
voice to the ear of the patilot hero that dwcs
there.
True it is, the House of Representatives only
ssiliis las pf our