The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1852-09-15
SPEECH OF GEN. JOHN A. DIX.
Of -Ncg York at the Democratic Meeting a
HilsJOr0agh v. H. dug. 10, 1859.

Ihdhk you, LOT InlS klnu fecepuOP; anG peg
you to be assured that such a manifestation
! ofyour favorable regard peculiarly grateful.
| have come before you under the influence of
feelings, which no other occasion could call
forth. This is the first time have ever ad-
dressed a meeting of the citizens Off native
State. The place of my birth, the graves of
my ancestors, the most familiar scenes of my
bOyhOod are here. return, with half II
century of my life ended, and after lapse OF
more than thirty years. But can assure
you, that all this intervening time, (proud as
| am of the CRATE and patriotic State Of New
York, and greatful to her for numerous marks
of her conldence) there has been no moment
in which have not looked back with pleas
urc and pride to the State which gave me
birth-nn moment in which have not felt
that whatever of success have had else
where was due, ir great degree, to the les
sons of industry, sobnety ana order received
here in my carly years, and to the good ex-
amples by which those lessons were enfor-
ced.
The qualification inspired by this meeting
is enhanced by the reflection that am ad-
dressing the assembled Democracy of the
State. Your political creed was the creed
Of my forefathers, and it is also mine. lam
sure, fellow citizens, none of US desire to be
intoerant in our opinions; yet we hold it TO
be in politics the only true faith. Belleveing,
as we do, that the collection of principles,
which we have adopted for our guidance. in
the great conflicts Of party constitutes the
only safe standard of political conduct, we
intend to adhere to it while we live, and
transmit it to our children as the best securi-
| ty for the preservation of our free institu-
tons.
There is no portion of the Union in which
the party conflicts alude to have been more
earnest, not to say cmbittered, or in which
they have had more enduring influence,
than in this and the adjoining States. They
are among my earliest and most vivid rccol-
lcctons; doubtless because those who were
most nearly connected with me bore an ac-
tive part in them. remember the violence
with which Mr.. Jefferson, in the closing years
of his administration, was assalled ON the
one hand, and the warmth with which he
was defended ON the other. 1t is true, |
had not, at that early age, any just concep-
tons of the merits Of the contro ersy; but [
remember well the heat with which it WAS
carried on. But, fellow citizens, these were
no puerle. Great minds were enlisted in
them. One on side was one of the most
distinguished men this State has ever produ-
ced, born in this neiyhborhood, and now oc-
cupyiny and honorlng one of the highest Of
| tcal stations at Washington. { Mr.. Webster. J
On the other were the Langdons and Gard
ners, the Bartletts and Hall, the Talltons
and PROFESSIONALLY resoluta i'll upholding
! the democratic administration and measures,
which their great opponent labored so indie
fatigahly to pull down.
The war OF 1912 gave new vigor to these
contests. Ipdeed it infused into them Bit
terness, which, is to be hoped, may never
enter again into our party divisions.
| 1t was in these contests, reaching back to
the closing scenes of the last century, that
the foundations Of the New Hampshire de-
mocracy were laid; and it must be source
ofnever-failing qualification to you all that
your fathers and as many Of you as were
Io old enough to take part in the election of Mr.
JCHGISOH anu IltS IIlIiicultlc SuCCCSSOTI were,
during the excited periods of their admins
tralions, on the side Of the country and of
those principles ofpolitical conduct under the
! influence OF which the Union has grown up
to lis present dimensions and prosperity.
independently of the personal interest
which New Hampshire has in the pending
canvass, through the nomination of one OF
her true hearted sons as Tie exponent of her
principles and those of the democracy OF the
Union, believe that | may Justly say, that
ON every otherground she ought to 90 into
this election with all the energy and all the
zeal which have distinguished her in the
great political contest OF the country. She
has always been among the foremost of the
! States which, in spite vi fall the bad intluen-
ces pressing upon them from without, have
stood firmly up against the pecuniary and
fiscal decentralization of the age. have had
occasion, in more than one instance, when
Speculation, public and and private. was de-
bauchiug the community, seducing States
into the rcpudiation Of their debts and indi-
viduaIs into the liquidation oftheirs by fraud
uIent bankruptcies, to refer to her rs pre-
Sentins in her example all that an American
Commonwealth ought to be. There never
was more need than there is now for the good
influence Of such an example rs hes in the
financial management of the government;
and look upon the well known prudence
Iof Gen. Pierce, his aversion from all extrav-
agance, public and private, and, in word,
to the conformity OF hischaracter as states
man 30 the New England standard OF econ
omy in expenditure, as one Of the strongest
of his numerous claims to the condolences OI
his countrymen. ..s.
If were asked to name the obligation
which above every other deyolves on US ir
the administration Of the political system be-
queathed to US by our fathers, lSbould say
it is TO watch, with untiriny vigilance, ovel
the sources Of the public expenditure. lii
the duty more earnestly, emphatically anC
pcrseveringly enjoined on by Jefferson than
any other. He saw with an intuitive sagaci
Ity, which rarely failed him, that an extrava
CANT government was utterly incompatible
with political liberty. The danger which th'
trainers of the constitution feared most, wa
from profuslon andimproyidence in expendi
, ture They believed thatno government coult
long maintain its republican character, whicl
; was not administered with simplicity and G
economy. At
The reputation of these republican vir
tues is the great error in the policy OF on
opponents. They have no just conception Z
l,h., ,,aaoes,tv of nrulancn in the administra