The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-11-09
MIR. Thayer,s speech.


ton meeting of the Wings of the city ant
county Of New York, at the Broadway
House, by JAMES S. THAYER. As the
speech speaks for itself, it requires nc
commendation-bu we advise all manner
of men to read it for the good it will dc
them.
James s. Thayer, esq, being loudly called upon
then came forward and spoke substantially as fol
lows
Friends and Felloto- Citizens What man can
stand within these walls, and look upon this glori-
Gus assemblage of Wings, without being moved by
old associations, and thanking God that the Wing
party Is the party dominant i'll this country and IN
this State? (Cheers) You have unanimously and
heartily ratified the nominations made by your
State, county, city, and judicial conventions. Now
there Is but one other duty left you, and that is to
give your united and unremitted efforts, from now
until tie day of election, to place those men in
power. And ask you, in all the seriousness which
due sense of the great principles at stake sug-
gests, whether there has ever been period when
so much Importance attached to an election in the
city and State OF New York that which ia now
before us' "a voice-No) No! not one Too
much interest, therefore, cannot be given to the
means which are to bring about the proper result.
For the first time, feowcitizens, in the history Of
the country, we find the Wings Of New York en-
terng canvass with all the seats of political power
III possession of the party We have Wing Presi-
dent; we havea Wing Governor, and Wing Mayor,
with all the patronage and authority of the Gene
raj, State, and Municipal governments in our
hands. say that, in possession of New York, and
holding the balance of the political power of the
Union, you have a question no less momcntous
than the destiny OF your country to decide We
find ourselves involved III new order OF things,
imposing new responsibilities, new duties, and ex
acting more serious attention, and more de-
Af
have ever before been required. For, as success
will be signal and permanent, so will defeat be dis
astrous and perhaps rulnous to the country. With
the great responsibilities resting upon her, how
shall New York answer the call the Wings of the
whole Union are now making? And what are the
spirit and promise of her as draw to the
eventful struggle? Bright and hopeful, am sure,
from the evidences this evening behold about and
around me, and from the news which comes to us
from every section Of the State. (Protracted APP
plausc.) Is New York to be Wing or Locofoco?
Ask yourself, workingman, laborer, mechanic-ye
who toll for your daily bread, and the support of
your families-is the great State of New York, set
Ting and shaping the policy of the whole country,
to be Wing OF Locofoco? Let the workngman or
the mechanic ask himself this-as he calculates
upon protection to his labor, and the rewards of
his honest toll for the education of his children.
The merchant too often forgets, in the power
and prosperity of the present-not all of them
the duty he has to perform at the polls
upon them to recall the scenes of other days, when
a false destructive Democracy overturned the Gov
eminent, and revelled recklessly in the plenitude
of its power Go back to the times of disordered
currency, general bankruptcy, and commercial
dsastergo back to the desolating years of '37 and
'3S, and let these men, with more dignity than
brains, say if they willwe not going To vote at
this election. ] ask you again, are you prepared
TO bring back the rule and ruin of Locoiocoism i'll
any shape or form? (Shouts of 'no," "no,'' "no,"
mar of he hall i'm int
rity and patriotism of General Taylor's Admins
traton, faithful to every pledge in its support and
true TO its own chosen candidates, New York waits
the issue of this contest with purpose that no dan
ger or obstacle can overawe or subdue applause
The Locofocos, on their part coming together, in
seeming union by the thirst for office and the hope
of spoils, present as formidable front sun
dered and disordered party can, that is forced to-
gether In such an unwilling way, and tempted to
combine by such uncertain prospects, The Wing
party, on the other hand, organized and undivided,
offers all the issues connected with its State policy,
and the graver ones of high national importance.
Limitation of Executive Power, independent Legis-
lation for Congress, Protection to American Labor,
and a Liberal System of Internal Improvements,
are all staked, in small degree, upon the result
OF the contest we are now entering upon. The Adj
ministration of General Taylor, resting on these
great rinciples-strong, from its wisdom and pa
triotism, in the confidence of the people, and en-
deared to the heart of the nation by its noble fidelity
TO its honor and pcace-the Administration of Cen
eral Taylor, repeat, must and will be sustained.
cloud cheers.) If we stand by the Administration
Of General Taylor, il will stand by us. Ii will re
cognise, ii has recognised the principle that to
support its party there must be prudent yet speedy
distribution Of patronage and power. Whatever
may be the results-whatevcr the sublime teach
ings given this SUBJECTIVE practices Of Loco
focoism, during the last nd-twenty years, com
pei us To adopt the system they fit, in this re-
spect, to adopt. five don't do it, like the Admin
istration Of John Quincy Adams, the Administration
Of General Taylor may be cas- pure as the angels
of heaven" but it will only have short time 10
live! (Checrs) In connexion with the success of
the Wing party at the last election and its present
position, there some important facts belonging
10 the political history Of this State At the last
election we carried this State by the divisions of the
enemy. These divisions were begun far back as
the administration of Gov. Bouck. What seemed
an entire overthrow Of the Wings, in 1874, we must
remember, would have preserved the bonds of union
among them, but for the passage OF the Convention
bill a the session of the Legislature of 1916. There
were, to be sure, many causes Of rupture which
were breeding jealousy and dstrust-such as the
Suspension act the quarrel about the State printing
and the veto Of Sias Wright upon the Canal bin.
But the alluring charm of office would have hushed
every discordant element; and the Docofoco party
would have been az powerful, and potent, and az
undivided in ls45 as IL was in 1874, had il not been
for the adoption Of the new State constitution in
1916. AT this point commences new era in the
politics OF New York. The existing causes Of Loco
foco dissolution took effect the moment the means
to subdue and heal them we're gone, and these de-
parted as soon as the patronage of the State de-
centralized and entrusted with the people, its right
ful possessors. II was that which gave you your
single district system, and many other privileges
you were not then permitted 10 reap the benefit Of.
The discipline of the party was broken, when the
power TO reward and punish was taken away. The
old heads Of the party this, but they could not
avert their doom, nor frown down the cry for
form. IL was great day for the true Democracy
in New York, when the axe was laid TO the root of
that old tree Of the Albany regency tree which
was planted under the early auspices Of a political
Junto, unriyaled in its genius for intrigue and cal
such men as Van Buren, and
CrOsswell, Wright and Butler, Walworth and Mel
son, Flagg and Dix-a variety Of talent and learn
ing, with pretcnsions 10 piety and patriotism that
would adorn the annals OF better history-a tree,
the shadow Of which was blight TO the people, il.
leaves poison 90 the common veal. Still there
was something stately in its growth something
grand in the strength with which IL clasped the
mountain summit with its roots, "and lifted its head
as II in delight 10 stare the evening glorios Of the
sky" But now, after drinking in, Tor more than a
quarter of century, all the sun and dew Of polit
cal power in this State, and having been nurtured
by perpetual storms from the fouptain Of national
patronage, what remains of this stupcDdous growth,
this overshadowing height, but the withercd leaf,
the broken limbs, and the rven fragments Of its
rugged, rotten trunk? Shall these roots and this
"A A