The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-04-09
Speech of MIR Clingman,
OF NORTH CAROLINA,
ON THE LATE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, JAN. 6.
(ExrRacT, No. 2.)
IN THE HOUSE OF RR

(ENTRAcT, No. 2.)
| am now brought, Mr.. Speaker, to IN
consideration of another most important maj
ter in connection with the late President;
canvass. After the nomination in the spring
the Wing party held many large politics
meetings, at which there was much able au
eloquent discussion. Our orators went thrc
many parts of the country and debated mos
successfully, the principles of the two parties
All this was well, for it secured to our stan
dard a vast majority of the Intelligent an re
hecting portion OF the Union. But this alone
as the event has shown, was not sufficient
Resting on the goodness of cur cause, tht
soundness of our principles advocated by us
and the belief that the wisdom of our meas
ures would bring majority of the voters Io
the support. of our candidate, we neglected
that complete organization in detail which
was necessary TO prevent undue influence
and imposition on the voters at the election
Since the beginning OF the world, regularly
trained soldiers have been able to beat raw
militia. Hence, when one nation keeps up
a we'll disciplined standing army. the neigh
boring States must adopt similar system OF
be overpowered. This truth, SO universally
admitted with respect to military affairs, has
not been generally understood in lis bearings
on elections in country like ours. In every
part of the Union there are some individuals
whose opinions are not SO firmly fixed but
what they may be changed oh or about the
time of the election. This may be brought
about in various ways. man naturally IT,
reselute or unstable in his purposes may be
persuaded; one not informed rs TO the prin-
ciples and conduct OF the candidates may be
deceived by artful misrepresentation; the
dishonest are liable to be biased'by improper
influences. These classes constitute what
is sometimes denOminated the floating vote
that is vote which is liable to be easily
changed from one party to another. Ii is
doubtless largest in the greatcities, and varies
considerably in the different sections. But
everywhere there are those who, by perSua-
sion, misrepresentation, fraud or other means.
may be induced to vote differently from what
they had intended short time previous to
the election. The number of these individu-
ais is sufficiently large 10 decide the result in
all closely contested elections. Take an
example, the great State Of New York in the
late Presidential election. There were cast
in all about four hundred and eighty thousand
votes-and the majority for Mr.. Polk was
some five thousand three hundred. IL TWEEN
seven hundred of those who actually voted
for Mr. Polk had changed to Mr. Clay, the
electoral vote Of the State would have been
given to the other gentleman, and he would
have thereby been elected President. Or,
upon the suppositiOn that one voter for every
one hundred and sevenly-fve that actually
voted, had cast a different ballot, it would
have varied the result OF the election. TAX
ing the whole State over, it will not be ques-
toned by any one that there is a much larger
proportion than the one hundred and seventy
fifth part of the voters there whose views on
political matters were not so fixed as TO pre-
vent their being influenced at the time of the
election. Though OF course not aware of
this condition of things to some extent 10 all
the States, yet the Wing Party in the main
has relied on the business Of its cause and the
voluntary exertions fits individual members
to counteract improper influences. Our adj
versaries. how ever have been practising on
very different system. They have acquired
n skill and discipline in party tactics unknown
TO any other faction that has existed in this
country. Whether this system was perfect
ed in the State of New York, and brought
into the administration of the Federal Gov
eminent by Mr.. Van Bnren. rs some suppose,
shall not now stop 10 inquire. As at pres
ent organized, tie so-caled Democratic par
ty, though it allows the members composing !
il to profess such opinions on all measures of /.
legislative policy as they may think it most
advantageous TO adopt, yet it requires the ut |
most fidelity in al party maneuvers, espe- |
cially in elections. To stimulate this feeling, 4
the offices are promised to those who have 4
rendered the party the most efficient service.
Each member is required TO sand by his par
ty at all hazards, though in 50 doing he should /
act in opposition to the interests of his coun-
try. In turn. the party will stand by him.
and protect him from the consequences OF
any crime he may commit provided IT be done
for the benefit of the party. A thousand in
stances might be given to establish the truth
Of this conclusion. will refer. however, on
" to a single one Of recent occurrence in my
own State.
When our Legislature now in session, as
sembled, there was tie between the parties
in the Senate. Each party was of course de-
sirous of electiDg a Speaker and other officers.
According to the old and well settled law Of
the State, each member elect was bound 10
produce, before his qualification, the certih-
cate of the Sheriff of his having been elected.
But one, who claimed TO be a Democratic
Senator, was not provided with such certif-
cate, and the fact became known through the
indiscretion of those friends that he consulted
in his dilemma. When the time came for
the opening of the first days session, this in
dividual, much to the surprize of his political
adversaries at least, presented forged eertlti-
cate in the usual form, was qualified as
Senator, and took his seat. Ii was five days
before the body was organized by the cleo
ton of Speaker, &c. A committee was
raised to investigate the affair. They, upon
evidence of the most conclusive character.
that the certificate had been forged
either by the Senator or by his procurement
and knowingly used by him to impose on the
Senate was unanimous on the first resolution
declaring the certificate forgery; but upon
the second, declaring that he ought to be ex-
PEELED. every member Of his party voted in
the negative, thereby saying that, though he
had committed forgery, he was not in their
opinion unworthy to sat Nth them. After his
expulsion nv the casting vote Of the Wing
Speaker, his party, taking advantage of The
accidental absence of two or three Wings,
within few days moved and carried prop
osi,ion 10 strike from the journals the report,
&C., that had taken place, with
a view of inserting in their stead the speech
of his counsel made in hi defence at the bar