The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-07-29

instead Of addressing you here, | should
be in penitentiary with n fine Of
$4,000 hanging over my head. [Cries
OF "we'd bring you QUIT Further
more, ifthat law were now in force, il
the humblest mechanic in this crowd
should put an article in a newspaper
saying a word against the President, or
even that Mr.. Allen was not a clever
fellow, he belonging to the Senate, or
that the Senate was not the point where
public liberty was best protected, or
that the House of Representatives, or
any other high authorities, were max
ing laws manifestly prejudicial to the
interests Of the people, such mechanic,
for such publication, would be led from
the workshop to the prison. Every
single soul within the compass Of the
Union foreign or native born, great
or small, poor or rich--who uttered,
whispered, or declared anything con-
taining a charge against the President,
was subject 10 be incarceraied in
prison and fined $4,000. And men
were put in prison under this law.
But now that law has ceased to exist.
Like the alien law, il had become odi-
Gus, and it vanished from our statute
books. II passed both branches Of the
federal Congress, was decided TO be
constitutional, by the federal tribunals,
had the sanction Of the President Of the
United States, had all the elements Of
nationality upon it, and yet, at the end
Of fifty years, that law-bo,h these laws
have become so odlous that there is
not man in the United States who
dare rise up in the presence of the peo.
Pile and say he is In favor Of them.-
[Cheers. 'if4t - 5sA o
Well, now, l have got through the
whig administration they were turned
out Of Office, and Mr.. Jefferson put in
office, forty-eight years ago. He was
put in office as an enemy to these laws,
as hostile to all the measures Of The then
existing administration. He was put
in upon principles which were ex-
pounded by himself, and which now
form the foundation Of the democratic
party. [Cheers.] He was put in Of:
fee by a close vote. II was before i |
was born, but still | have read the his.
tory of those days, and | have learned |
from that history what power it was
that put him in Office. l have Learned,
too, that when the die was cast, and
the vote given, with what breathless
anxiety the whole nation looked to
hear the result Of that election. State
after State cast its vote--the election
was close-the. scales stood equally
poised upon the beam--New York had
not yet spoken! Here she lay in her
TuIl length Of five hundred miles from
The Atlantic 10 the Lakes ofthe North.
The eyes Of all America were turned
70 the Empire State. The nation look.
ID to her TO say by her vote, in that
whether federalism or democ-
'acy should prevail in our land. The
'ote was close here, for federalism dat.
ID its origin in your own capitalized
'ralism found father in Gen. Hamilton
land it remained for New York to say
whether she would repudiate the doc.
rines OF her own son, and stand by
he Union, or whether she would adhere
o him, and let liberty drift for itself.
Fhe Empire State at last spoke! She
her hand from Gen. Hamilton
.-she turned her back upon the gag
aw--she repudiated her own son-she
xpelled by her vote a federal admins
ration, and taking Thomas jefferson
y the hand, conducted him to the ex.
cutive chair. [Cheers.] And what
as been the result9 You see the result
q the mighty progress which society
MS made through the whole length and
readth OF the land. Since that time. /
hs number Of the States has doubled.
'ince that time, our people have been
multiplied thrice over. Since that time,
he wealth Of this people has increased
n hundred fold. Since that time, the
lorious example Of free people, pre-
ented under our constitution, has COM
,enced, and is rapidly advancing, a
'ee revolution in Europe. (Cheers.) Ii
What did federalism do after It was
xpelled from poweri want to show
ou how exactly the features OF the fed.
raj party are perpetuated in a part Of {
le present whig party, and the chief I
I those features are contempt for and {
disregard Of the rights Of the people. ,
|nder the then existing constitution,
le people voting for electors Of Presi- I
ent and Vice President did not desig. {
ate the one Of those officers from the I
Their. For instance, in voting for JET. ,
.reAn ouorxr ,,,on -, xko H.. :