The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-08-10

30 far from It, they scupuousy conceal from the public
eye everything Of the kind and make point of attack
upon US, that we have, IN violation OF good faith TO thu
people, made known 10 them the enets of politica
laih The open and avowed conceament of their prin
cpes Is not more manifest than their deliberate purpose
TO deceive and delraud the people, should their efforts be
attended with success.
But let inquire into the honesty and sincerity of the
profession now put forth by some OF the organs OF the
wing party, OF opposition TO party organization, pre-
sens at the very outset this strange stale OF thngs thai
the cry OF "no party'sm is the ralyng cry Of party
The wings, having abandoned all other platforms, have
determined to rally upon the mol party and principle
platform; organized party whose only principle 49,
opposition TO party organ'sdt'on! II needs no comment
There il stands monument of It's own folly and attempt
ed fraud They place before the country the name OF
General Taylor as their party candidate Tor the presi
dency, and ask the people to support him upon noparty
venton, in Philadelphia, Tor the purpose of nominating
party candidates General Taylor had, previous to that
time declared his intention OF being candidate Tor the
presidency irrespective of the action of all party
tons There the old stood, the opening of that
convention, upon the high pinnacle 10 which he had ee
waited himself above and beyond the reach OF all party
movements, They desired to avail themselves OF his
supposed popularity for their party purposes and yet SO
strong and unyelding their attachment to party
ganzaton, that hey would not consent to make him the
candidate of their party the exponent of their prnci
pies, until his friends came forward and made the au-
thoratve announcement, since endorsed by him, that
he would come down from his high and lofty position,
and SURRENDER" at discretion TO the behess OF this
wing convention and yet the honest and intelligent peo
Pile of This country soemnly asked to give their sup
port 10 THIS man as Il mo party candidate.
But | will proceed p further. How does
this cry OF nopartylsm comport with the history OF
the party to which those gentlemen belonged When
before have they said that party organization was
inconsistent with the true principles OF government,
violave of the spirit of the constitution, derogaory
to the character OF freemen' What has been their
course when, by accident fraud, they have been
enabled to get into power' Look at the spirit OF pro-
scrption which marked their career from their very
inception into power to It's termination both in the fed
eral and State governments. Where the men in the
democratic party who had been retained placed in
office by their opponents under such circumstances
Where is the evidence that when power has been lodged
lace they have dsregarded all party considerations, and
applied the test of qualification alone to who desired
oce' The scene that occurred at the organization OF
this House at the commencement OF this session. OF
small moment though might be, was big with the eX
preston of their conduct Where is the monument OF
whg to be found among those who had pre-
Mr.. PENDLEION, Tin his seat) The postmaster.
Mr. COBB. Yes and the gentleman came very near
being read out OF his party for voting for HIM There is
the monument of wing clemency which was followed by
the expulsion OF my friend from the wing party almost
Party organization, party movements, were they opposed
to They pofesed to be hOrred at The very word party,
and yet their history marked by the blood of democrats
sacrificed for opinions sake, whenever they have
come into power! Gen. Harrison elected il was pro-
tessed, upon antproscptve principles Read the history
of the three months administration OF the government I'M
der his cabinet [Several voices: Thirty days speak
OF his cabinet; they remained longer Did they turn
nobody of Office for opinions sake? Did they apply
party screws? Did partisan devotion during the can
vass not commend men TO their support and were not
democrats scores and hundreds of democrats. carried to
the block, simply because they were members OF the
democratic party? Who denies it here, in the face of
high Heaven and before the country? Gentlemen all
well remember the celebrated remark of Mr. Granger
the Postmaster General under the Harrison admnistra-
ton, made this oortha the guillotne had scarcely
gone into operation More turned out OF office
in sixty days than had been during the whole preceding
administration; and he Mr. G said he only wished
that he could have remained in office short time longer
and he would have cut off fifteen hundred heads more
And yet the whg party have now come out with the cry
Such also their history in every State government in
the Union, far as my knowledge or information ex-
tends Kind, gracious, and conciliatng, when seeking
power; unforgv ing relentless, and proscrpve, IN Its
exercise when obtained Those who trust them deserve
to be deceived
Inow come to party platforms, which seem favorite
theme with my colleague, Mr. TooMBsl who has argued
The question with his usual ability and ingenuity. What
is party platforms An avowal of principles. Is it
anything morei presented to the people of the
United States the candidate for responsible Office ;
is it right or wrong that the people should know
what are his principles That is the question. If a
man is ntrusted with the highest power known to
the worldthe guardianship OF the interests OF this
great people-he is required by the constitution to
recommend measures for the actioa of government
The constitution places in his hand power to be
exercised to protect and guard it, well as the great
rights and interests of the people under it. Honest and
intelligent told here to-day that the man thus Sc
ected by party convention ought not to be held espon
sble for the principles laid down by his party that he
ought not to be asked to define any for himself and that
the ought to be required to make avoWa OF
principles. For what, then would they elect him Are
the people of the country called upon TO vote for General
Taylor and shut their eyes to all that is to be done I'M
der his administration, perchance he could be elected
until he shall, in his inaugural make proclamation OF
his principles? Was he to be brought forward by Their
convention, constituting the talent and Intelligence OF
the party, apprehend it will not be denled and are
they go forth to their respective places OF abode and
ask the people to give him their cordial support, telling
them only that he is good whig-that he will admins
ter the government on wing principles! What does that
mean Is it consistent that the convention should refuse
Law down platform, and yet that every wing orator.
from the stump, should endeavor to convey the impress
son that in the event of General Taylors election their
principles are predominant in the administration of the
government? There is reason Tor 1t. But 1t is not
founded in justice principle, an honest regard for the
intelligence of the country II the wing convention
agreed upon the principles which the government IS TO
be administered why did they not say and define them
Ii they disagreed why did they not to The people, we
differed on vital questions and therefore we Entrusted the
decision of them to an Individual IN whose honesty and
integrity you may have confidence Was 1t an original
idea old practice Was this the first time the wing
party had refused establish platform upon which to
rally throughout the Union? 1t was new idea, got up
for the OCCASION made ORDER to suit the emergencies
of the case.
This wing party, in 1914, assembled IN Baltimore,
and nominated President and Vice President; but then
these intelligent, patriotic gentlemen, VINO are now SO
hororstruck at the very idea OF PLATFORM set them
selves busily at work. and by the aid of the congregated
intelligence of the wings there assembled, brought forth
and placed before the country wing platform, on winch
they rallied in that contest. have 1t before me. My
colleague who has addressed the committee with so
much earnestness this morning, was member OF that
convention Why was his eloquent voice not raised at
that time against this system Of patforms' Why was it
he allowed his party, around which his affections cus-
tered with so much warmth to fall into that great demo-