Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-05-30
ADDRESS OF THE WASHINGTON
!n.EMOCRATtC ASSOCIATION
70 THE DEMOCRACY OF TnE
UNITED STATES.

'AHoC Az L OE / ii II
nRorHEas:-four principles are in
ushsef. The truth is with you; the peo-
PIC are with you; the hopes of mankind
are with you; and vet you are in the
most imminent danger of defeat Your
peru Is not in the strength of your adver
sary' the soundness of his principles, or
Tue popularity of his measures; but in the
DIVISIONS of your own political leaders.
n new element has been introduced
into the contest for the presidency,
winch, without the utmost discretion and
Ioroearance on the part fall true friends
OF their country and of sound PRINCIPLES
threatens, by its excitements. to divide
ana PROSTATE the party on whose Union
aud success all that is precious in Re-
publican government depends.
Oncer these circumstances. it be-
comes every conslderate democrat to lift
ms voice in favor of peace; to pour oil
on the troubled waters;' to imp!ore those
VINO are rushing into fraternal strife. 70
stop and reflect; TO check as far as NAV
De- with his voice and by his example,
mutual ordinations and recriminations:
20 recall the wandering eve of the faith
ful democrat to the standard around
which we have SO often fought, and warm
up his heart with love for those princi-
pies, whlch,under Jefferson and jackson
entered into the battle cry, and were the
echo OF victory.
The question upon which the demo-
cratic party IS in danger of division, is
the immediate annnexetion of Texas to
the United States. The evils of this
measure are doubtless exaggerated on the
ere side, and its benifts maenfied on
the other. 1t is the peculiar aptitude of
the American people to run into ex-
tremes on matters of opinion. Not I'M
conscious ourselves Of the infirmi.y
which msleads others, we shall endeav-
or to give you, without excitement of ex-
agera:iOn, brief sketch Of the views we
take of this important question and its
connexion with the presidential election,
happy if perchance we can saw, aught to
maintain harmony in the democratic par
ty, and induce them, with united front,
to march on to victory.
We are not among those who have ap-
prehensions of danger from the extension
of our territory, so long as our govern |
ment is administered according the
true spirit of the constitution. There |
are few great principles in which all
mankind, whatever NAV be the diversity !
of local circumstances and institutions,
have an equal interest. One of them is
PEACE; another IS RECIPROCAL FREE
TRADE; another THE INvIoLABILITY OF
CONTRACTS. The reign of peace extends
itself over all the States which gather
under the shelter of our constitution be-
tween those States, trade is reciprocal
and free; and none of them are at liberty
to pass any law impairing the obligation
of contracts. 1t is only these and SINH.
lar general interests that our constitution
mbraces-interests equally important
to the human family in the temperate
zone or the frigid, at the equator and the
poles leaving everything local to be reg
uated by local legislation. Our consti-
sutton, administered in its purity, Is,
like heavens canopy, shield beneath
which man MAY work out his own hoppi-
ness. gather the means of subsistence,
surround himself with every comfort, I'M
prove his mind, correct his errors, re-
form his Institutions, and advance his
race to the highest degree of knowledge
and virtue which short life and finite
mind will allow him to attain.
Why should we be so narrow minded
ard selfish as not to be willing to ex-
tend this blessed shield over as large a
portion of the human family as we can, !
without danger to ourselves? We read
ilv perceive why those who wish to build |
up aristocracies and systems of nobility
on this continent. the members of which |
are to be fec. and clothed. and housed,
BY taxing the industry of the laborng
millions. should be opposed to an extern |
sion of territory. We well understand
Why such men prefer that Texas should
remain a seperate republic on the South,
and Canada become one on the North
Each with the United States, must then
have her separate army and navy; the
number to be supported by the toll of the
farmer and mechanic must be greatly in
creased; and ever and anon mans rulers
and tormentors-w know no glory but
that Of the battle field, and consider the
mass Of their race as created only to be
worked and butchered to crafty their ap-
petites and ambition-will employ the
people Of the three countries in ravaging
each others territories. and taking each
others lives. In the train of numerous
standing armies and to CLEAN up from the
fields what the desoIations Of war have
left. must come and will come. grinding
taxation, oaronets and towns. III
there be any among US who would see
. their sons torn from them to kill their
feIIow-men in Texas or Canada. and The
fruits of their labor consumed in taxes
to feed and cIothe them in the operation
and pamper chiefs and lords-miitarv
end civil. in peace and war-rathpr than