Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1848-08-10
SPEECH OF THE =
HON. ANDREW STEWART
Upon the Presidential CaMvaSx.


Delipered in the House of Representatives., June
26th, lS4S.
The House being u Committee ofthe Whole
on The bill making appropriations for the civil
aud diplomatic service, and Mr.. Featherston
having addressed the commirIee, (as already
publl.hed)-
Mr.. STEWART, in rising, said he did no, pro.
pose to answer the remarks just made by The
gentleman from Mississippi, (Mr. Fealhers,on,l
upon The subject OF s,avery--a subject on which
he never had made, sud perhaps never would
make speech on this floor. 1t was an evil
and an evil withou, a remedy, in that portion
of The country where i. existed but il was an
evil which he was opposed extending to any
country or tertiary now free. He though, the
discussion Of this question had ,he tendency TO
give Use 10 " geographical IInes,~ which would
divide The geest parties OF the country, aud
might in The end subver, our happy Dnon.-
He regretted The drawing Of such liaes he
thought them dangerous 10 the harmony aud
perhaps The integrity of this great confederacy.
They were divisions against which we were
warned by that great and good maa, the Father
OF his Country, IN his farewell address To The
people Of The United States whose voice he
could never hear with indifference, aud to which
he trusted The people of this country would
never Iura deaf ear.
There had, koweser. been introduced into
the present discussion another great Question
the Presidential question; a question which
he regarded al this time as more important Than
any question of ithe kind which had ever been
presented 10 the decision OF The American peo-
pie, involving momen'ous consequences 10 the
welfare of the country, present and o.peciive
II involved this question, among o,hers -
Whether, under the Government as il was now
administered, all power was to be concentrated
In The hands of one man, or whether, under
other auspices, under the administration of an
'o'her llustrious man, whose name was before
1he couuiry, We were to be brought back to the
purer and better principles and policy Of the
Erbers Of Ibe republic Ii was a question
whether all power The power of the purse aud
sword, The power Of peace and war, was 10 be
exercised by tie Psesldeai whether with The
Uet0 poper 20 his ihaad, he was 10 becoh,e su.
PFeGe Ia dhis country, moce arbitrary and des'
pOc thaa say crowned head in Europe. save
Nicholas Of Russia, and Congress and The peo
pie were u dwiadIe im,e perfect n.igniicance;
or whether, uader the policy of that oIher grea,
and good man, Gen. Taylor, the people and
Congress were 10 be restored 10 their legitimate
pOwers, just rights and proper influence; wherh-
er The voice of The people was 10 be heard, and
they TO be treated with respect. or whriher we
were to be controlled and governed by one
man ?" Was il TO be tolerated that, when "a
Gloss the waters, in Europe, The old world was
engaged IA putting down the +" one man power"
We were TO be putting i, up here, by giving all
p0wet 20 the Executive I; and that, whilst Eu-
rope was engaged in building up aud establish.
ing republics, we were TO be employed IN tear
irg down our neghboring republics of the South!
l1e trusted that we should take different
course; that, under The auspices of that Illus
"'ous man whom The Wing pauy had presen
'so 70 The country, We should give an example
10 'ne world no, Of war and OF conquest, but Of
Pesce'''oi people united, prospectus, peace
iul' happy. Thai was the example we owed
70 The world, and ,ha, was The example which
We would soon sst 10 The world. under differ.
ehl Administrator IRON lhis. But going on,
as We now were. under the lead Of the !. one.
man power" parry, we mus, sooo become
~arlke people. going on conquerng and TO
conquer. Not only Yucatan and Cuba bu,
ttsnsda. too, and all other territory we ,hoold
naPfen TO fix our avaricious eye upon. must he
conquered and /" swallowed" under Thai pr.a, Y
ehlel.a,n Shom ibe Progressive y Democracy
asd selected ss their leader.