The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-10-03
From the St. Clairsville Gazette.
Stump Speech.

10 the religious world you will see ism
after ism, arising and as fast exploding;
old theories that had long ago explod-
ed and crumbled 10 the dust, again re-
yived and set forth as some new thing,
by some would-be great one OF the
earth. But like Jonah's gourd they
come up in a night and perish as quick
lv.-Some would have the bodies OF
the saints to rise and toll again lhous-
and wears in this wearisome world, be-
fore they enter into their rest-others
would consign The body 10 perPeiu-
al sleep and never allow 1t TO ENJOY
any Of the blessedness of the redeem
ed soul--others would have both soul
and body annihilated, and man to be-
come a blank in creation; and others
would presume to take the place OF
the Almighty and act as sovereIgns OF
the universe and change the destlnles
ofman to suit their own taste. And
the more corrupt the doctrine is, the
greater will be the zeal TO promote the
cause. If false theories by blinded
conscience can thus be pushed forward
with zeal without knowledge by the
religious world, and by those transact
ing business for eternity--what may
we expect from the political world?
will not their creeds be still more cor
rupt, and their efforts to obtain a name
and power pushed on with a zeal bor-
dering on madness? and does not the
history of the world show us, that
those desiring to be the great ones OF
the earth, have been too successful IN
the prosecution of their plans! We
need only to look to Europe that we
NAV see the effects of false theories.
Government was given 10 man to pro-
mote his happiness, and well it is cal
'culated for that purpose when 1t is
rightly conducted; but when it is pre-
vented II brings misery and ruin. Look
10 England, our mother country, there
YOU will see few lordly. ones rolling
in wealth, while the great mass of the
people are in poverty and wretched-
ness--hnngry and ragged, while they
toll and labor to obtain a scanty pit
tance for themselves, and to feed the
rich lords that are looking down with
contempt upon them. To get from
under such state Of things was what
induced our fathers to throw off the
British yoke, and declare themselves
free and independent, where they
planted the standard of Republicanlsm
and for many years we have been
happy and prosperous peop'e:--bu
there have been some Of those lordl
spirits still in our midst, and chang
has been sought, and may not say,
has been effected? Is it not alread,
the case that some are looking dowl
with an naughty eye upon the "rabbIe,
and the mass Of the people looking VI
10 them asif something great was abov
them? is it not evident that we ar
fast retregrading from an equality 6
caste, and from happiness; and does
not become US, one and all, to lnquIr
what is the cause, and how it has bee
effected? A word will al once explal
the cause; it was pride, that same thin
that crept into the garden Of Eden, an
destroyed the happiness of our FIR:
parents. If you ask who introduce
it there, answer: it was the D., an
il has been his business through tim
to stir up pride in the human hear
and thus destroy the happiness o nal
But it would take up too much Of yol
time for me to give you a full detail
all the plans that have been used I
bring the present state OF affairs
they are. / will only give you sketc
of some of the most prominent one:
AS wealM goes to foster pride. and
the best calculated TO divide betwee
the noble and the ignoble, it was nj
cessary that the best scheme TO acct
mulate wealth should be adopted. An
here would say, that the banking s,y>
tenn was one of the schemes adopted {
enrich the few, and impoverish the grea
mass; and here let US look for me
menI how ithas operated, Banks hav
been formed all over the country
floods of paper have been issued; tn
price Of land and produce have risen
accord with paper currency; all cla'
ses thought themselves becoming rich
national, state, and Individual debt
were contracted with the prospect {
paying with the common currency
but it was like the woman catching
flea, when she lifted her finger it wa
gone. SO the banks failed; multitude
of individuals failed in consequence
and then was the time for the banker
to procure the fruit from the failin
ones, and enrich themselves at The eS
pense Of the multitude. Again; thi
same scheme has been tried time afte
time with the same effect; no securit,
is piYcn 10 the nnhlic hv the hank q