The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-06-27
SPEECH OF THE HON. WIN. ALLEN,


1t the great and enthusiastic Cas- and Butler ratification
meeting OF the democracy Of Albany.
reported for he Daily Albany Argusl
RuFus w: PEcKHAM, esq, introduced to the meeting
the Hon. VIM. ALLEN of Ohio, who was received with
enthusiastic and prolonged cheering.
Mr. ALLEN said My fellow democrats am here in
obedience to an invitation addressed to me by those who
have aright to speak in your behalf am here to tell
you nothing that is but OF your fellow dem
ocrats IRON distant part of the Union, to commune with
YOU to balance sentiments with you and to prevail upon
you, il that be possible, to unite with your fellowdemo
Gratis throughout the Union Here there was tremen-
dons QUERY IRON the crowd outside the hall for ad-
hail. owing to the state Of his health but, after short
pause yielded to necessity and TO the prevalent wish,
saying will speak outside if can, fellow. citizens
1.-THE meetmg then adjourned to the park, and Mr. A.
taking his position within the portico, at the head Of the
flight OF steps at the main entrance to the CAPITOL and
addressing the assembage, extending down the wide
avenue the great gate and either side the park
grounds, resumed:]
| would that could address you in such manner as
but am fully aware that that is utterly impossible.
will, however. do all that can, you will all make this
promse-that at the polls you will do all you can
[Cheers II were to in your presence the thing
that has most amazed in all my reading or observa
ton, it would be the fact that whilst mankind have been
able to accomplish, through the instrumenality OF
science and learning such wonders to make
almost god in his own esmaion-whilst he has been
able to the burning disc of the sun, and to
lyze the smallest particle of the air. yet, nowithstand
ing all this, it not until sixty years ago that they
had found out how to govern themselves. lCheers.
Our globe has existed, by Evolutionary account, for 5000
years; its inhabitants not less than 500 100000
in number; and yet the 100000 who comprise the
great family of America are the only portion Of the hui
who after struggle of 5000 years. find them
selves in the possession Of civil liberty organized
and secured by free written constitutions. [Cheers
You will thus behold, at single glance, the cause Of
that deep soctude which every friend of civil liberty in
this land feels for its preservation against the dangers
count to yourselves for the avidty with which the me-
chanic lays down his TOOLS the merchant his ledger and
the farmer lets 60 the handles of his plough to assemble
together TO counsel with each other to the best means
secret dangers which threaten them lCheersl Would
you estimate the value of your own government? If 80,
WJ e bs Il s Se
party? If So count the almost innumerabe bless
ngs which democratic laws, administered by democratic
nave to the great peGGpd 0l
means the government Of the people Who is its antag
onist this country, and whence that antagonist
of the government-w it yet struggling for life.
1t in the convention that framed the constitution
under which we live and it sprang forth from the ge-
he words Aexande Ham i Cheers 50 That es
man reader of history, and he had SEEM through
the medium of history, the human race struggling, for
bv States had as acbeVe
their indie pendence General Hamilton did not believe
that the people could be rendered sufficiently intelligent
sufficiently thoughtful, and sufficiently wise, TO be in
trusted with the sole and unbrided power of law ma
king He therefore, suggested in that convention that
the powers of government should be assimlated
closely practicable in its organization to those OF Great
Britain. He openly decared-fOr he was bold man
that the rich and the we'll born had the right to make
law, and enforce it. too, upon the mass OF the poor and
needy. That is the prime foundation OF the divisions
which now hold good in this Union, and which keep
large portion OF your fellow from this meet
ing tonight. Mr. Jefferson, and the other usTous
men of that convention, held different opinions. They
thought that the people, having no inducement to do
wrong having great nducement to do right; and
having so large mass OF intelligence acquired in the
discussion of the principles OF the revolutions having
game to play for; that they had acquired, and did
possess, and had the wisdom to retain. intelligence and
virtue sufficient to govern themselves lCheersl These
last ideas prevailed and the federal constitution, starting
out with maintaining the sovereignty OF the States
essential to the civil liberty of the czen-assuming to
ITSELF by delegation from the States, few limited and
exactly enumerated powers-the government went INTO
operation under the lead OF Washington who for eight
years conducted the government The nation remained
undivided mass the popular confidence in that great
sentiment among the American people. But towards the
close of his administration, the ideas which Cen Haml!-
ton sought to incorporate IN the constitution OF the Uni
ted States were revived and sought to be coverty INTRO
duced through the medium of insidous legislation In
the contest of 1896, Mr. Adams the elder was elected
President; and now my ellow-citzens, have come to
the point where it is important that you fix your eyes
steadily, to understand much that have to say IT shall
have strength to say it, before close.
The democratic and federal parties were formed tow
ards the close of Gen Washngtons administration; and
in the first struggle before the democratic party had got
fairly organized MIR. Adams the elder elected Presl
dent SO that the present wing party "a part OF whom
are of the old federal stock, and who have inherited old
federal prncples) took date from that admin ration.
Here, response TO voice in the crowd which the
reporter did not distinctly hear, Mr.. A. said There are
two divisions in the wing party, which shall notice in
order that all may fully comprehend the difference when
name them.1 Adams the first whig President, be-
cause if our present wings have right to retain his
principles and call themselves wings he would have
right retaining the same principles, to call himself
wing. And now we will get taste of wing doctrine
from his administration There were two laws which
became particularly conspicuous during that admnisra
egners-he Irsh the Germans, the French, the Scotch
all people not born within the limits OF the Union
That law enabled the President to arrest man not only
without trial, not only without conviction, not only
without certain information, but upon mere suspicion
and, when arrested to incarcerae him IN prison, or to
exile him from the country The other was law which
was designed to close the mouths of the people and to
prevent them from full and free discussion of public
measures If that law in force, instead OF ad-
dressing you here, should be in penltentary with
fine of 50 900 hanging my head tCries OF ''wed
bring YOU QUIT Furthermore, if that law were now in
force, if the humbes mechanic in this crowd should put
article in newspaper saying word against the
President even that Mr. Allen was not clever TEL
low, he belonging to the Senate or that the Senate was
the point where public liberty was best protected or
that the House of Representatives, or any other high
authorities, making laws manfesty prejudicm to
the interests of the people, such mechanic Tor such
publication, would be led from the workshop to prison
Every single soul within the compass OF the Unlonfor-
egn or native born, great or SMALL poor or rlcn-who
charge against the President subject to be ncarce
rated in prison and fined AZ 600 And men put in