The Davenport gazette., 1848-10-12


Yes, sir, il was a nomination by the peo-
pie, and it only remains now 10 be seen.
whether tho people Of America are equal
TO that great function for which republi-
can people have ever hcen supposed 10 be
gu.iiiied-,o designate their own Chief
Magistrate; and whether they nre able. az
ter they have signified their will, to have il
carried into effect.
Let me say, then, Mr.. President, in the
next place, still confining myscli to the
Philadelphia Convention, cue word more OF
iis general character, in reply to another
observation in regard 10 il. They say we
did not pu, forth Wing creed. That is
an objection, here, and there, and every
where urged against the action Of that Con-
vcntion; md, MIR. President aud gentle
men representing the Wings OF Massachu-
setts, ask you il it would no, have been
supremcly and superiluonsly foolish for US
to have taken time TO lay down platform?
Why, MIR. President, the grand outline OF
the platform and creed Of the Wings was
as well known that dav we assembled i'm
Philadelphia, ms the Allegheny mountains,
or the Mississippi river. or as the Lake Su-
perior, to the people OF this country.
interrupted by call to ro to tho Com
mons, as there were thousands outside who
could not get in. As Mr.. Choa,e was iu
such feeble health that he could not address
Nh audience in the open mir. the Convcn-
ton remained in the Hall, and MIR. Choa,c
procccdcd:)
Twas having the honor IN say. Mr.. Pres
ident, that il would have been supcrfluous
and trilling. 10 have presented platform
and creed Of Wing politics to the people of
America, bccnuse the grand outlines of that
creed were craven already in tho hearts
aud in the minds Of the people at large.
Sir, we gathered up the leading outlines Of
,ha, platform, you will remember. very far
back indeed, in the most splendid aud go-
rious cpochs Of the history oi liberty, and
arranged them for the first time in some
thing Of a specific and definite form. If | re-
member, about the close of The second ad-
ministration Of james Monroe. In the
year 1924, VIC first produced them. aud We
elected upon them to the Presidency of the
United States, the elder Adams. the later
Adams, the LAST Adams. Tremendous
aud repeated chccrs.)
On that creed we stood in ls2S, 1872,
and 1896; we triumphcd on il in 1910; we
deserved Ia triumph on il in 1911; mud we
mean Ia triumph on II in lSls. Six sharp
" contested elections had proclaimed the
principles of the Wings To every man. NO
man and child in America. and had blown
them abroad as with the sound oi lrun,-
pet, from Madawasha 10 the Sabine, from
the waters OF New York 10 the Springs oil
the Mississippi.
Why, sir, every man knew our creed the
day that the Philadelphia Convention met,
as well MS the Declaration of Independence.
At :he bottom of il was this first grand
idea: that the will Of the people, constitu-
tionallv expressed in Congress, and not the
veto Of the President, not the shout of a
rabblc nj tho corner of the streets, should
make the law. That is the frs, grand idea.
The second grand idea was that this will
OF the people, thus constitutionaly express
ed in the form OF law Of Congress, should
he directed. not TO the succession Of new
territory, whether for frecmcn dr for slaves
to stand upon; but for the improvement Of
the fair and goodly creation which we have
tor the clearing Of rivers, IS vonr rcsolu-
lions express; Tor The construction Of har.
bors; for building up this new world 10 he
the palace OF commodious aud cultivated
social life. This was the second grand idea
The third grand idea was that as fun
damental and eternal truth, the market oI
America belongs to the farmer and the me
chsnc of the country. (Applausc.)
Everybody knew perfectly well, also
,hnt day. that the fourth idea was, that in
order to carry out these grand practical &c.
suits, peace with all men, peace with nl
nations, cntang!ing alliances with none
was the permanent and settled policy O
the Whi0 party; peace with tho strong
peace with the weak; peace with England
peace with Mexico. Every man knew tha,
that had been our creed from the start.
And thcn. Mr.. President, when, in tho
progress Of time, the attention Of the public
mind began TO bc drawn little more di
recsly 10 the great subject Of human free
dom and human slavery, the Wings, tht
true party Of national progress, silently in.
corporated another great doctrine into oul
creed, and that was to the end that the area
oi slavery should not be extended; that the
agitnting question should not hc introduced
which would shake this glrious Union 10 th.
centre; that we would have no more terri
tory any how. On that new creed, w
rallied as party against the annexation O
Texas. Yes, sir, what party was il TIM
has glori6ed nnd immorializcd itself by il.
resistance to the admission Of Texas? Why
j. was our party, sir, the Wings Of the na
tion. And who was il that brought Tcx.,