The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-10-28
Connecticut.
From the New Haven Daily Register. Oct. 20


Extracts from Robert Rantouts Speech.
GENTLEMEN: We about to enter upon of those
periodical political controversies which determine from
lime time by whom the government of the United States
shall be conducted IN Its Executive department, and sub
stantaly IN all ITS other departments Ii the questions
of persons were ALL the contest would be comparatively
ecutve chair, decide also what principles shall gov
ern, and what measures shall be carried out; and this
hold 10 be question not only worthy the attention oil
every freeman, but absolutely requiring it. Ii is his duty
to inquire carefully what part he ought to take IN the
election Whether another should NIL par
ucular Office even the highest il it were all could never
stir twenty millions OF people elections do agltale
the whole nation But when we come to take INTO con
sderaton the two systems which are to affect the nation
all its parts and interests and throughout all time, then
it becomes the most momentous question controlling the
temporal concerns OF man presented Tor his consde
ration This being the case, it Is necessary and right to
meet agtae and discuss all the questions which grea,
principles are to be decided
1t strikes that any man about to decide any ques
ton of this sort, would athe first outset ascertain If ex
perience has not taught something. We have been
living under present constitution very nearly 60 years
We have gone for good evil. The history of the
nation must have its essonst must teach US something
The first question is, What does il teach u.s. Does it
decide the question between the two systems OF policy
II so, there is of further Argument.
II so happens that government has thus far been
conducted by one OF these parties There cannot be but
two; there must be parties When controls the
ton, those who approve support and those who do not,
oppose It, This causes administration party, and an
opposition party and there cannot be any third party for
France, Great Britain, aud other countries, shows IT.
They generally dissolved into these elements OF
the two great parties which have divided the country
since the government c)mmenced has conducted the
government of the country, almost without exception
from the BEGINNING down to this day What are the ex
ceptons' Before this century, there the admnisra
lion of John Adams. What did il leave behind it as
permanent mark 1t was federal administration. but it
could not carry all its measures because at different
times il opposed by majority OF one House or the
other What measures carried through were not in
accordance with democratic principles and the democratic
party succeeded to power. The federal acts were
peaed Immediately after Jefferson came into power; so
that Adams's administration left no permanent traces
The government went in democratic hands down to
the Inauguration of John c. Adams. In this time, a
majority in the Senate all the time, and in the House
part of the tme were against him; Few laws at var-
ance with democratic policy could be passed through
both houses Some were passed, but they were re-
peaed soon AFTER and all traces left behind erased from
the statute book Democratic administrations followed
until we down to the election OF Gen. Harrison
Soon after wing Congress was IN session Some OF
ceived the signature of the Executive. Among them
the bankrupt law but getting sick, and loathlng
their work. they bloued If out OF the statute book
upon which they themselves had placed it. lGreat APP
pause Whatever else not democratic that found its
way upon the statute book has been repealed The sub
treasury they repealed but has been reenacted again
Everything upon the restoration OF the democrats to
power back to the democratic track. Thus the
democratic policy has been substantially the policy OF
the government from the beg inning down to this time.
IT, them gentlemen it has been successful II the cOun-
try has been well governed, it settles the whole question
The democratic party has governed it on democratic
principles, and democratic measures have prevailed II
the country has ourished it owing to the democratic
party that has hourshel Cheers SO plain is this
that when Abbott Lawrence, almost twenty years ago.
addressed his political friends, he told them that ours
was the governed country on the face OF Gods
earth" "a taught II the democratic party is wrong
have been the worst governed nation on the face OF
Gods earth, for It has been democratic When Mr.
Lawrence declared to be the worst governed country
Gods earth, it was about the year 1880. How has IT
been snce' Has it been worse Last week Abbott
DowN-DOWNw Laughter and cheers.l 1t seems
that fifteen years ago, our government was the worst
on Gods earth, and ever since, II mas oeen gong
down al h,, aus snJ now Wai f wors
than it then. This is not merely the view OF that
gentleman. Mr. Choate made use OF similar express
sions He said FL" We have seen our form OF government
desecrated into Greek republiche worst and most ex-
ecrable government God suffered to exist" Laugh
teri This declaration, if he sincere in his political
views, he was bound to make and 1t would have been
true if the democratic system had been bad system. Ii
the country has been well governed II 1t has not been
going ''down, down, downs" If 1t has not been ike the
Greek republic, the worst and most eXecrabe God ever
suffered to exist if it has been prosperous il has been
glorious grand school for the nations OF the world,
such they had not before that settles the question
between the democrats and the wings call our oppo-
nents by the names they choose) To the democratic
party the debt is DUE il the country has been great and
glorious and held up to the world as an example OF what
a free government do for free people. CHEERS
So plain is this that the greatest political philosopher in
Europe, (DTocqueve) in recent speech says: Were
to undertake organize perfect government, would
look to nothing Europe but to that great nation where
democracy has worked out its natural fruits. mean the
United States of America These then, the current
views of political philosophers, keen and competent Oh.
servers on the other side, and also in this country
has been the democratic policy that has worked out these
results If that policy is right the people OF the United
States ought to have been well gOverned-we ought to
have made progress If it has been wrong. we ought to
have been plunged into an abyss OF misery mere Is not
longer room for argument.
The question has been substantially decided by the
verdict of experience Not only has the government been
administered by agents of the democratic party, but in
defiance of continued circumstances and unceasng opo-
stion and complaint Has there been great measure OF
government commenced which the opposition has not de-
single measure passed, financial measure, even
removal of the depostes, which they have not told
would result in ruin, Were we not to be ruined if
Jackson was elecedi And when he vetoed the bank
were we not told that all security gone So, too
was it when Mr. Van Buren, was elected Every step of
When Abbott Lawrence said we going "down,
down. down." nc merely summed up IN one sentence
what his party had been saying for these fifteen years
(Cheers)
have recently passed through considerable part of
the valley of the Mississippi. If we have been ruined,
the ruins. They such the world never such
march towards greatness; such an accumulation of al
the elements OF national strength such progress moral
greatness intelligence, refinement, and education the
world never saw--neither the Old nor the New. Thus
have the ruins been spread the land by measures,
by the whg party Each, they told us, would ruin
it. And they seemed 10 think it had been ruined That
ruin we have seen with our eyes. We have wit
aessed career OF prosperity unparalleled. Who sees
all this, who feels this PROSPERITY, who witnesses this
experiment, and denies that it mas been successful The
- h,,a mad 49,, I'll.