Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-09-30
SPEECH OF Mr.. DAVID FISHER,
ON DEMOCRA CY.
HOUSE, OF RrrarsrsrArIvrs, Aueusr 8, 49,

The House being In Committee Of the Whole on the state
Of the Unon and having under consideration the River and
Harbor Bill
Mr.. FISHER said That some days since, when the
Oregon bill was before the House, he tried TO get the floor,
but did succeed his the subject of the
extension of slavery but that bill had passed the
House and before the Senate and the subject had been
discussed till hreadbare he would relieve the
minds OF the committee little by discussing subject which
had often been alluded In the speeches OF gentlemen
cay the other side Of the House and " variety the
spice OF life he would say things the subject Of
Democracy.
Being lawyer, and protesting be competent to
judge OF refined and hair splitting discussions the
sructon TO be put the provisions of the const
ton Of the United States lie had safe way judge Of the
true intent and meaning of that instrument by looking
at the course Of those who had framed it, what they
understood to mean and that he received its
ing. The wise and patriotic who framed the constu-
ton surely the best judges Of what meant, and when
he could find out what they thought be meaning be
satisfied and that he took to be It's true meaning They had
established this Government and whatever they instituted
must be Of constitutional This enough for him.
Men might refine and speculate with great ingenuity and adj
vance contradictory arguments both sufficiently plausible to
Perpex plain man; the only way to arrive at satisfactory
conclusion to ask what did refahers think who
ated the Government,
Judging by this rule, he found that among other things
that were constitutional the prohibition by Congress Of
slavery in the Territories The power Of Congress make
regulation of that kind had been questioned till about
year since and therefore, he to the conclusion
that all the arguments adduced against false and Of
no force.
But he would not pursue that point any further, but in
tended at future time and proper occasion, to full
ly discuss it.
Much had been said as well here as elsewhere about the
Democracy Of side Of this House, and the Federalism Of
the other There direct reference this in Mr. Casss
letter accepting his late nomination by the Baltimore Con-
venton He there argued that the party called Demo
the old original Democratic party this couatry
while those calling themselves Wings were none other than
the old hu Alava pIa Hapo
Now, the truth Of this position he wished say few
words to which he invited the particular attention Of his De-
mocratic friends.
Mr. r. claimed that the Wing party Of the present day
the original Democratic party which had existed
in this country since the days of the Revolution And
he insisted further that whatever their opponents might be-
they not the Democracy Of this countyhey had
claim whatever be the neal descendants Of the original and
true Democracy of the days of Washington, Jefferson and
Madison
Democracy matter of principle; could change.
What Democracy in the days of Greece and Rome
Democracy What had been Democracy the time of
the foundation of this Government must be Democracy STILL
If any body OF made "progress from those principles
and from that sort of Democracy they not and could
| not be any longer the Democratic party.
Mr. +. would turn the attention of the committee to this
point. He should enter into elaborate argument
prove what Democracy He should that subject take
his premises that which gentlemen the other would
denyvz that the Democratic party had had possession
of the Government of this country from the beginning Mr.
Jeesons President in 1901 down TO the end of Mr.
Mcnroe's in 1925. For twenty four years During the
whole oil that period the administration Democratic This
all would admit Here then the foundation. Theirs
true Democracy; il was uism to affirm ths-none
denied it. TO this standard he would bring the present par
ties and test their Democracy.
Now Democracy did not consist in the name consisted
Of principles The by which party has called
itself, called by others, matter of
quence. would make party Fedealists,
their opponents Republicans. the principle that made
the thing body of men held the principles Of Democra
cy they Democrats if not, they not. II, them
those called Wings held Democratic principles, they
Democrats II it could be shown that the principles they
held the old admitted original principles of Democracy,
must be admitted that they in and truth De-
moerats, and nothing but Democrats.
gentleman (Mr. BRoDHEAD) asked him. il this was SO,
why they did then not call themselves Democrats They
did but for distinctions sake, they called Wings "A
laugh. Our fathers Wings, Democrats, and Ropabli-
cans for they all the same thing.
Now, Mr. F. would ask gentlemen the other side Of
that hail. what single principle they held what single
they advocated which had been advocated and held by
the original Democratic party Of this country Not
single This may astonish gentlemen, but
is true, shall The Wings did they held
every Of the leading principles and Of that party
They the nea descendants of the paryof Thomas
Jefferson.
He spoke Of them collectively party they not
be judged from the opinions the Of individual
individuals They ought be judged by their octs and from
public documents, acknowledged by the party, for instance
the Baltimore platform and Casss letter. By this standard
When the old Democratic party, in the beginning of the
Government adopted course Of measures that
either constitutional, those who pursued PICTURED them
selves they did understand the constitutions but
dare say that they perured themselves that they did
not understand the constitution Now what had been these
measures
The first he would refer TO protective tariff. In the
preamble Of the first revenue law enacted expressly
declared that end in passing encourage
manufactures and render independent Of foreign countries
Then protective tariff constitutional.
Two years after they had established Bank Of the United
States This too, constitutional for the same reasont
instituted by the trainers Of the constitution themselves
declared be constitutional by the courts, and it had
heen scquesced in by the people tribunal had de-
cded to be unconstitutional All who denied its constitu
tonay pcay politicians and their design
to mislead the people.
Here were two leading under the administration
OF President Washington.
Bot perhaps gentlemen would say that Washingtons adj
mnistraton not Democratic Then he would 90 and
look at Mr. Madisons administration He Mr.. Jefer.
sons immediate II would be presumed, he adj
mtted, that Mr. Madison Democrat. And had he not
established Bank OF thes United States He had. And
did he counenance protective tariff! He did, and
increased It, Then these constitutional
and Mr.. Madison sanctioned both and he Democrat
that denies. The Democratic party, in the days of
Mr. Monroe, sanctioned the doctrine Of internal improvements
by the United States Government That, too, consttu
ona because the fathers of the constitution had admitted
IL 10 be
Here, them three grand and leading measures all Of
which had been adopted and approved by the fathers Of The
constitution and Of the Democratic party.
NJ ~ Il II