Democratic banner., 1845-05-24
HISTORY WTHE 4 ma
r

>. Ihe veteran Nste1akpbf the Nieh
mond Enquirer, III :neddsess 10 sth
people of Virginia, q. chairman,efth q,
Democratic Genital cssnsnitse1E pi.s.
the following acconaao f ~siecssSs
] The victory qf iaS4assiv es ai6cl
TO be done b. fobc We are ifsed non
the control and inauence of mise6j
ded men. stiff have foes IN a
counter, dangers TO meet, and obst;.
cles 10 avoid. Mol only in our owl
State, but throughout the Union, w
see a party formidab bic numbers, ana
strengthened by the vast influence O,
incorporated wealth, directing all its
energies against those rules Of con-
stItutional construction and princi
pies Of public policy, on which the
freedom, happiness and prosperity u
the country depend. However much
the different portions OF that party
may vary, in the arguments by which
they endeavor to justify their meas
ures IN the different portions of the
country, II should be remembered
that they strive for the attainm,n mt Of
q common object, and, that their sue
cess must give a character 10 our
Government in lis practical opera
tons, which the trainers Of the Con
stItulion would not have Anticipate
ed.
To AVOID thus contamination. The
Democratic party has directed its
whole energies. From an early Pc
rio n our history TO the present time
1t has %contendei, that, from the ma
,ure .oi the General Government,
created as an agent, and entrusted
with prescribed powers, must confne
itself strictly within the commis,iod
conferred by those who called il into
existence. In every a;icmp, 10 car
" out This principle in the practical
operations Of the Government, il has
met with formidable oppoeition. A
considerable portion OF the people
acting at different times, under dif-
ierent party namrs, have commended
for such a construction of the Consti
tuition, ss%.ouid empower the Fede-
raj Government to Sit in judgement
on the Constitution itself to destroy
It's guarantees by implication, & per-
petuate injustice by giYinga binding
force to %Preceden,s established by il
self. This construction, predicated
on the supPosi,ion that the people Of
the States OF this confederacy we're
consolidated, by the adoption Of our
federutive system, into one body pol
tic, with q government acting as the
representative Of its sovereignty, is
fraught with the most dangerous con-
sequences. The doctrine, would
convert our State into n mere district
or department of the United States,
with its reserved rights under the
control Of the very Government TO
which il refused 10 surrender them,
and all its domestic interests at the
marcy Of men responsible 10 a dis
,ant constituency Tor their public
conduct.
These principles were once so a.
farming TO the great body Of our peo-
pie. that the very name Of he party
which protested them became an ep,
tibet Of reproach. But since the de-
feat Of the younger Adams, which
was through a final overthrow, the
principles Of his party, aided by for
tuitcus circumstances, have been
made more acceptable to the nation.
All the elements OF opposition TO the
administration Of Gen. Jackson aud
Mr.. Van Buren, were forced TO act IN
concert with those who had suppoI-
ted Mr.. Adams. Although the par
" thus formed was composed OF such
d~iscordant elements that it could a.
gree on no homogeneous system o.
policy, it found a powerful ally in the
extreme distress and consequent de.
sire for change produced by the de-
raugemept Of our momentary affairs
and succeeded in eIecting Gen. Har.
rison to the Chief Magistracy Of the
Union, who had declared a Na,iona
Bank to be unconstitutional, anc
stood pledged to regard the compro'
mise Of the Tariff as sacred and invi
olable. The Wing party, which u
ni,ed its forces and gained the con
troll Of the government by processing
, the leading principles OF the Republi
J can faith, as soon as practicable, car
ried through Congress a Bank bT
more Objectionable than any whic|
: had preceded it-distribuled tn
proceeds OF the sales Of public land
from an exhausted treasury-violate
the compromise Of the tariff, and ir'
med a scale of duties at war wit
those which both parties had soleu
n nlv pledged themselves before tn