The daily union., 1846-10-30
q ~ POLITICAL.
3 SPEECH OF GEORGE READ RIDDLE,


AM Brsadysi,ss, Friday eSs'sing October 2J, lsAo'
As good eitixens, We win soon be called upon to
exercise high psenosalive. To say who shall be
their rulers is a privilege which no people ENJOY 10
the extent OF ourselves and hence the security that
public men will consult the interests Of the many In
stead of the few. This blessed privilege Is happy
bequest from our fathers. Happy, thrice happy
should we be that another generation has been cali
ed upon 70 perform, the work, Had il been left TO
the present--were the politicians, the mscalled
statesmen of the present day, summoned 10 frame
our "msgna charan--the instrument which should
define our rights-there is but little doubt IN my
mind that liberty, here az elsewhere, would be but
a name, q sren-song chaunted TO the praise OF
"lords" OF particular interests by mulutudes whom
necessity bad rendered subservient 70 her Will
fortunately, repeat, for US was the federal con-
stituton framed before sectional interests became SO
powerful as to be eoured by the ambitious at the sac
rifce Of every principle. The good Of his country
was ,hen reflected from every act, and the public man
acknowledged no influences saving those which
tended 70 promote that end. How great change,
in this respect, have few years effected LOOK
where we will and we either the highest talents
of our country pensioned TO plead the cause OF cor
rupt systems, or employed in arruying interest
against interest, and faction against faction, with
the sole the al-sbsorbing hope Of power or personal
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT In their opinion no statute IN our
code is perfect comprehensive as to be restrict
ed in its action TO literal construcuoni no act on
the part Of any other administration than their own
but that is "unjusl" "unrghteous," and destructive
in iis Influences. --| .e.s-
How strange lesson will our history Of the last
few weeks teach TO succeeding generauonsl In
this shor, time will they have demonstrated all that
I here proclaim. They will bear the cry OF RUN"
penetrating the midst Of every circle, and see the
timid siartle at its sound. They will witness the
fires Of our workshops partially subdued by the
fears which this spirit has brought about FOR
a while energy is relaxed, aud business stands
IL Il. nnI "A. n Last
opened 70 the truth. They behold the frghtal
phantom Of the panic-msker disappear, and pros
perity-eternal prospenty-the result The mon
ster thai was 20 close the doors OF our work
shops, and make the tenants "ery out for bread
when there was no bread 20 be found |" has been
stripped of his bideous form. He proves TO be the
minisier Of peace distributing his blessings, like the
devs OF Heaven, upon all alike, -
Bot, my fellOw-eitizens, however much we may
feel disposed To condemn the policy OF tins class OF
poncians ~ho render The nselyes ridiculous by their
false alarms, let us remember they are formidable
in numbers, uhd unless exposed viii eventually
work temporary distress. IL cannot be denied
that the Wing party Of Delaware, I mean their
leaders willing TO resort TO any expedient thai
viii cradle ihem 20 maintain the ascendency. With
this view they have lately labored, though unsucr
cessfully, TO create most dangerous Impressions,
They have again started "the question Of bread.
The hobgoblins. OF l64i, have been regenerated
The awful tomb Of that campaiyn has been opened.
The lyi ghosts Of their bloated victims have been
summoned afresh from their charnel houses. Rum
basbeen, painted in divers forms inevitable; and
have sgpin, the third time in the history Of our
coun,ry, witnessed the degrading spectacle Of
pady calling themselves Americans, and laboring 10
plsee their country 10 the wrong IN a contest with
belligerent power, while the blood of unohending
citizens, victims 10 that natoas unprovoked rapa-
city is stl fresh upon their soil. | alude partieu-
lariy ths Of the whg party with regard to
the Mexican war, and the revenue or tariff bill OF
the last Congress- These subjects worthy OF
more than passing notice. With your indulgence
will briefly discuss them both.
Our country is now engaged in war with the re-
public Of Mexico. The field Of action is remote,
that the State OF Delaware has scarcely felt the
shock. War, however, exists; and that war has
been brought about by hostile invasion Of our
rightful territory. When this war was first deear-
ed by Congress, there were none so bold as to
breathe in whispers what has since been loudly ut
tered. 1t was hen thought popular. Do you not
remember the feeling which pervaded our commun-
ty at the timer All party spirit forgotten, and
were reioiced % find our people uniting in one
universal shout of iiriotic devotion. The justice Of
the act the pat Of our Congress then univeF-
sally acknowledged. The Thousand insults offered
by the semi-barbarous people, any one Of which
would have been avenged by other nations were as
naught compared with the cold blooded murder Of
Cross and Porter, and others Of our gallant army.
In fact the wings were, for once, although but a.
ever, theis hariotism was soon exhausted Ii came
~ contact with the spirit of party-a spirit with
them, the most relentless and vpdictive. The
prospect Of political capital influence irresist
ible They denounced the war, and by resolution
of county meeting at Delaware city, on the 9Th
of June last, proclaimed it "uyust, unrighteous, and
digracsful 10 people" Such the sentiments
uttered by Delaware whgsbut four months since.
While southern citizens were suffering from the
effects of semirsavage border war; while our little
army was exposed to the FIRE Of an insidious and
treacherous foe, and the fatal blows Of tropi-
cal disease, band of "phig patriots in Delaware
were discouragng their efforts by series Of reso-
lutioDs, which Paroles and Ampudia themselves
would applaud. IL they have not already repened
OF the act, venture TO predict, their children will
disown the fathers who would utter such unhallow-
ed sentiments, ..aa .at. a. |
But what, il is asked, is the ground Of opposition
by this whig partyi They admit that Mexico has
merted chastisement at our hands for ten years |
past They acknowledge her disregard for our just
claims; her violation of treaty stipulations; her
minister from Washington were each and all just.
fable causes for declaration Of war on the part of
the United States. In a word, they ore ready to
condemn the past administrations for their passive
submission, in order to strengthen their present
hold, whereas, in truth, had the same policy been
continued by Mr.. Polk's administration, that adj
ministration would be denounced by the elfsame
wings, as recreant to their duty--as towards,
shrinking before the prowess of the Mexican arms
Notwithstanding we have every proof that the Rio
Grande was considered the western boundary Of
Texas, when Texas was part of Lonisana; in |
fact, from 1885, when the territory was discovered
by La Sale, under authority from Louis XIV, 10
1903, when acquired by treaty with France
withstanding the fact is established by the prin-
cipa geogtnphers Of the world without controversy
--notwiths,andipg our Presidents Jefferson, Madi- |
son, Monroe, and Adams, with Mr.. Clay, Of Ken
tpcky, have agreed upon the sAn,e point--notw:th-
standing Messrs, Monroe and Adams, in their let |
tes of 1916 and 1873, declared, the former .'that
our, title 10 the Del Norte was as clear as to
the island Of New Orlcans;D and the latter ''ihat
our title to Texas with the Del Norte az the west
en- boundary was cstab blshod beyond the power Of
fbrther controversy "1-potwithsapding il was recog
n1sed by Spain and France, respectively, when
owned by lhem,a and ANNOUNCED by Mr.Laussat,
the French commissioner, when he delivered pos
session Of the rounlry to tho United States--not
withdrawing Santa, Anna, when invested with all
the power Of military dictator Of Mexico, acknowl-
edged the same liner--and, notwithstanding the whole
OF Mexico but a few years since, recognised the /