Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-06-19
P O L I 7 I G. A L.
Speech of Col. Bigler.

candidate for Governor, will be read with in
terest 1t is replete with sound sense and true
patriotism. ...t. - -
You have designated me as the Democratic
candidate for the office of Governor of my ma.
tive State. For the manifestation of your dis
tinguished confidence and high regard, | thanh
sou most sincerely-and through you, my fel-
low citizens Of the entire State, whom you
represent here. The event, and the manner o
its consummation, are alike grateful to my
feelings. The signal unanmity which ha:
characterized your proceedings on this poiut
has excited in my mind the liveliest sensations
Of gratitude and delight, and inspired me with
the highest hopes of the future. | accept thi.
distinguished honor, gentlemen, in a spirit o
most profound gratitude and humility-sensible
deeply sensible, that it has resulted far more
from the liberal confidence of my fellow citi.
zens, than from any merit on my part, or from
any evidence TO be found in my past humble
career that am competent to discharge the
duties of the exalted station for which you have
named me.
But while am thus gratifed with this event
and deeply grateful to you as the agents of the
people ia bringing it about, am not insensi-
Ole Of the responsibility, labor and anxiety of
mind which it must necessarily entail upon me
ir the canvass for an election nor am IN
mindful of she fact, that should your action be
endarsed BY the people Of the State, | shall
Sud myself but lily prepared for the high and
important post that will thus be oonfded TO me
under the Constitution; nor can | forget that
many of my fellow citizens, whose rights and
interests would be commiued ~ nv charge, are
more deserving Of the bsnecs, aRd better quail
lied ts 6H the esties If the staten than myself
1t is these considerations more than any other,
chat impress me with the deepest humility and
che strongest dissrast In myself in approaching
the responsibilities of the canvass before the
people. But have resolved 10 enter upon the
ordeal of contest for the election, and if elect
ed, upon the duties of the office, with firm
determination to deal justly towards all men,
and to act in accordance with the dictates of
Judgment and conscience, relying upon the
guidance of Heaven, and the indulgence and
forbearance of my fellow citizens for support
May not congratulate you, nay fellow Dem
ocrats, on the evidences of unity and good feel
ing in the Democratic ranks, which are pre-
senied in nearly every Stale in the Union
These are the signs of better and brighter days
for our party and principles Ii shall be my
constant AIM as have no doubt il will be the
desire of every democrat within the hearing of
nv voice, to extend and strengthen this unity
of feeling until it shall have restored the Dem
ocracy of the Stale and Union TO power and
place''-un;ii il shall have raised our flag and
principles from their present temporary prus-
tration. For my own part, | have no enemies
10 punish; all that was unpleasant and painful
in the preliminary steps of tue party, IN refer
ence 10 the action of this body, Is forgotten and
forgiven by me. shall know no distraction
among Democrats-no disunIon or fraction of
our party, but recognize une comInon, united,
harmonious and enthusiastic Democracy in
spired by patriotic determination 10 maintain
and carry out the great political truths which
constitute the basis of the Democratic creed, as
exponnded by Jefferson and Jackson.
No public service could be 50 grateful to my
feelings as that connected with mv native State
now more than ever the keystone of the
Federal Arch-the home Ot my ancestors-the
centre of all my hopes and attractions. Since
/ first observed political events, have watched
her career with deep anxiety, and have noticed
her rapid growth the extension of her poiti-
cal power and influence the improvement of
her surface the development of her agricul-
tural and mineral wealth, and the extension OF
her commerce, with feelings of profound graf
i6cation. She has, too, kept pace with her
sister States 10 advancing the arts aud sciences,
and in the construction Of public improvements
for the use of her citizens. But / admire her
above all for the general prosperity and happi-
ness which she affords TO the toiling masses OF
het people; but still more, If possible, is she
10 be admired for her patriotic and untalterlng
devotion to our glorious National Union. She
has not, it is true, in this brilliant career, been
without her days of trouble; she has come up
through many tribulatious she has, on more
than one occasion, within the recollection OF
the Youngest man In this Convention, encoun-
tered the storms of financial adversely. But
the fidelity of her people, has thus far, as 1t
will 10 future, preserve her honor untarnlshed.
Through the want of experience and accounta-
bility on the part of her agents, and ecouomy
in the use of her means, her debt was swelled
far abuve the necessary Gust of her improve
ments. The facilities for borrowing money,
about the period she was most deeply Engaged
in the construction of these works, contributed
largely towards the production Of this result
The exercise Of an unlimited system of credit
in the Individual transactions of the country
in the transactions between Banks, Corpora
tons asd Communities, engendered by pc
Iiodical emission Of paper mOney-constItuted
the elements and laid the foundations of finan-
cial hurricane, which shortly after bursted up
an the country with unequalled vlolence, pros
fIating indiscriminately the innocent with the
guilty robbing the laborer of his hire, and
filling the land with distress and misery. Be
foe this storm, Pennsylvania, for a time, was
compelled TO give way. A vain attempt was
made IN this crisis, 1t is true, TO supply her
wants by resort 10 mere expedienis, The only
effect OF which was TO postpone the evil day,
and TO aggravate The disease ; and in lS43, she
lay prostrated beneaih funded debt of thirty
eight millions, with million of unpaid interest
and over 1900, 900 of domestic debt demand
able at the Treasury every day. That she could
have been hon0rably extricaied from such a
vortex seems almost incredible. But it was
accomplished, and to have had the opportunity
of an humble participation 10 this laudable
work, will ever be to me reminlscence full Of
interest and qualification. Ii elevated to the
high trust fur which you have named me, II
will be my special pride and ambition, as Ii
will be my duty, as far as in me lies, to relieve
our good old Commonwealth Ut her present
burthens: TO husband her means and guard her
honor. True, am not of that school OF P0-
htlcal philosophy which teaches the doctrine
that TIE people can be made rich and the coun-
Try prosperous BY mere acts Of Legislation, Or
that the wealth Of The country is TO be meas
ured by the amount Of paper n.oney which may
be thrown into circulation. All experience
has demonstrated. in this country, as well as
in Others, the fallacy Of this doctrine, and
proved that ssperabuudaace of this latter eI-
ement, never fails to mislead the productive in
dustry Of the country, and To be followed by the
NEST baneiul consequences to society. think
the wealth Of our country consists in the euer-
~, enterprise and labor Of the people, and the
peoducsions Of our soil under the genial infia-