Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-06-21
PaLITICAL.
spEEcHs5r Hos S. A. DOUGLASS, or

lSiA'Fhe Civil and Diplomatic .Appropra
ton bill being under consideration,
Mr. DorGL.,ss said he had no, allowed himsel
to participate III any Of The political discussion,
which had Occupied SO much Of the session, anc
had not intended 10 say any thing on the present
occasion, until he listened 10 the speech OF hi,
colleague, (Mr Harding whc had just taken Iii:
seat. His colleague seemed ambitious 10 distn
gui>h himself as tie leader of his party in The
Presidential campaign. and ne was happy Ia say
that he hal succeeded in acquiring COILS siderable
noiorieiy III that way. Early in Tie session. i
will he rccnIIecic,l he made a speech, OF. rather
Wrote a book. 10. The especial benefit OF Mr.. VaI
Buren,, under Tie impression, that that emincE
statesman would he the Democratic nominee To-
the Presidency. The action of the Ballimor,
Convention, in the nomination OF another di>in
Sui>cd citizen for that exalted station, has taker
my colleague by surprise, and turned all hi:
hopes Of Il glorious immortality, from that effort
into bitter disappointment. His stories, anec
doicS and Wil,iciSms, however much they may
l'e admired for their elegance and beauty, have
lost their force, and cycn those beautiful pictures
in which he represented himself and Mr. Van
Buren, Is standing side hy side al an election
have become offensive in his own eyes. II i,
truly sad disappointment: the loss OF his frs
born political speech. TO a man al delicate feel
ngs and keen sen>ibility, il is indeed severe al,
llicion-onc under which, as we have seen. The
>iouicst heat and The tirinc>t nerves, sink almost
in despair. | deeply >ympalhi2c with my col
league in his misfortune, and. on this account
excuse. aS no doubt the House will, hc aImo>;
savage crocily with which he has bounced upon
Col. Polk is the Democratic candidate ior the
Presidency. The provoca,ion is very great and
some indulgence is due 10 the passions and frail-
~ A l,L, a. 4,
Of this day might seem 10 Justify different OPT
Mon, assure the House, that my colleague, if
not provoked and irrilaled is naturally very
amiable man.
propose, 81 far as my time will permit, 10 ana
IKE The assaults upon Colonel Polk, and see how
far they will bear the test of investigation. Ii is
source OF qualification thai they are all OF a POI
li;ical nature none OF them ailccin. his private
and moral character. have witnessed with
feelings of pride aud pleasure the complete and
unequivocal evidence which his political ad-
verSaricS have borne 10 his moral worth and pu-
ritz o! character. lis a gentleman and citizen.
The first severe thrust my colleague aimed 1T
Colonel Polk was That when compared with Mr.
Van Buren,, The was but a pi9my beside giant"
| was not aware tha, my colleague considered
Mr. Van Buren, giant" find nothing Of this
kind in his former speech, nor did | suppose that
he 50 truly appreciated the moral greatness and
intellectual power of that illustrious man. Icon
fcss myself agrccably disappointed, as have no
doubt the people of Illinois will be, when they
learn tina, those who have been the most indus
trious in abusing and iraducing Mr.. Van Buren,
have discovered that he is not only great man.
but even giant. when compared with his dStin-
eushcd collntrymer. But Il few weeks ago,
when MIR Van Buren, was supposed 10 be can
ii 81 for tl,p IC a mic
bui now he has become a giant, and Col. Polk
is the paanv When Colonel Polk shall have
served his Presidential term and retired TO pri-
vate life, suppose he, in his lum will become
the giant and his Democratic successor The pig
nv in the estimation of nv honorable colleague.
1t has been objected to Colonel Polk, by aulhori-
" equally high, and entitled to about the same
weight. that she was an industrious follower of
General Jackson throughout his whole life" and
in consequence of the intimate personal relations
between them as we'll as the perfect concurrence
in their political opinions and principles, and ac-
lion. he mas hccn called the YOUNG HICkO-
RY,' as il there was something in that name cal
clIated to excite prejudice in the minds of the
American people He is cinpha,ically a Young
Hickory. The unwaverin9 friend of Old Ilick-
orv in all his rials-his bosom companion-his
supporter and defender on all occasions. in pub
a
present moment No man living possessed Ge-
neral Jackson's confidence in greater degree,
or displayed more zeal and ability in defending
his fame from the ISLANDERS of his enemies and in
carving ont the great Republican principles with
which his administration was identified. II IS
not surprising therefore, that those enemies should
direct their vengeance nj the head of Col Polk.
and sneerirgly call him the young Hickory
That he has been the industrious follower OF &C.
neral Jackson in those glorious contests for the
defence of his coun,!y's rights will not he deem
ed the objectionable sin BY the American people.
SO long a> their hearts beat and swell with grail
Jude 10 their great henciactor. He is the very
man for the tncs-"a chip Of the old block" OF
the tue hickory stump. The people want man
whose patriotism. honesty. ability. and dcvotion
10 Democratic principles, have been tested and
tried in the most stormy times of the republic. and
never found wanting. That man is Jas. X. Polk
of Tennessee.
Nv colleague (AIr Harding has taken the
pains 10 examine the debates during the whole
of Colonel Folks Congressional career. with the
hope Of finding something that might bc used 10
his prejudice. We have heard the result ofihcSc
examinations to-day and may therefore presume
thai W. know all lhc charges We will have 10
meet in the present canvass The ilr>t charge
he makes is. thai General Jackson, aS President,
and Colonel Polk as the champion OF The Demo
cratic pallv in Congress. SUPPORTED The depoSItc
banks as The fiscal agents ol the Government,
after the removal OF the dcpo>iie> from the Bank
of The United States, and subsequently abandoned
and condemned them am willing To meet this
charge. and contrast the course OF Col. Polk with
that OF Mr. Clay, in regard 10 The depo>iie banks,
and leave the country 10 decide between them.
Ii had been the policy Of the Government for Il
long series of years, prior 10 The election oi Gen.
Jackson, 10 depostc the public moneys with The
banks both State and national. When Gen.
Jackson deemed il his duly 10 take the response
biIiiy. and remove the dcposites from The Bank nj
the Tinted States. alter the people, by an over
whclming majority, al The ballot-boxe>, had de-
c;dpd against that institution the Wing party,
with Henry Clay al their head, denounced The
drposile banks and used every means in their
power 10 crush them. The Democrats consi-
dered this war upon those institutions unjust
and improper 50 long a. they acted honestly
and discharged all their duties 10 the Govern
ment with fidelity. Blu! when. in 1897, those
banks suspended specie payments closed tlieir
doors against their honest creditors. retained pos
session of the whole revenue OF the nation, and
refused 10 pay il over upon the orders OF the Go
ycrnmen.. the whole Democratic party, with
Col. Polk al their head, denounced them as dis
honest and laithless agents. Then Mr. Clay and
his party suddenly became loud in lhcirpraises
and the active supporters olihoSc banks: Whils
those banks acted honestly and faithfully as pub
lie agents, Mr.. Clay could discover no merit
no virtue in them. But no sooner had they
violated their trust proved recreant 10 their duty
and faiihlcSs 10 the Government, than Mr. Clay
and his whole parry, rushed 10 their support
and sustained, and chung to them until the peo-
pic. By the potency of their voice at the ballot box
cs. severed the connection between the govern
inent and all banking institutions, and decrecd the
establishment of the Independent Treasury sys
TEN. The difference between the Two candidates
therefore. is simply this Whilst the banks acted
honestly Col Polk gave them an honest support
when lhey abandoned their duty, he abandoned
them. On the contrary. Mr. Clay opposed then
until they became dishonest and corrupt and ther
Immediately became their ardent supporter ane
advocate
Nv colleague has also arragned Col. Polk to
his opinions uponlhe Tariff; and, after harinSrur
through all his speeches in Congress upon tina
subject for period of thirteen years taking herr
and there detached sentence, still he was unable
10 find any one upon which ne waswil!ing TO res
his opposition. He has, therefore, travelled int
Tennessee and hunted up printed copy. of one
L..