Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-04-03
SDeech of Hon. John APPteIOAA'


portv and ats Principles ; delivered '~ tA'
House of Representatives, March IL, 1852.
The House being in Committee of the Whole
on the State of the Union, and having under con
sideration the deficiency bill
Mr.. APPLETON, of Maine, said:
am not among those, Mr. Chairman, who think
this political debate is calculated to do any grea
injury to the country, or, what is pretty much the
same thing to the democratic party. The augury
on the contrary which draw from it, is directly
the reverse. The exhibition, sir, of vigor, and
frankness, and eloquence, which we have had
seems to me to presage brilliant future of demo
cratic success. It is when the political waters are
stagnant and quiet that the cause OF sound primer,
pies has most to fear. 1t is after an " era o. go0o
feeling" that your younger Adams becomes res
ident; while, upon the other hand IL was ohiy
from the very tempest ana "hIWlu - - .to H.,
excitement that the hero-statesman OF the herLll-
taoe received his most triumphant majority In 1882
While Samson sleeps, the Delilahs may approach
him with ease and impunity; but when ne Is
awake and vigilant, and stands forth IN all the
o1orv of conscious strength-his brow erect, his
ewes flashing his muscles swelling, and every more
Of his system instinct with lfe-then, wo unto the
man, and wo unto the party, which shall attempt
to stay him in his advance to victory. Let not our
political opponents, then, lay the atterng JUNCTION
to their souls that they have anything before them
in the coming contest but utter and overwhelming
defeat. What they have listened to here, and
imagined to be discord, l beg to assure them Is
only the tuning Of the Instruments. when the
Baltimore nomination is made, we will give them
a harmonious burst from that full band, whose mu-
sic has driven them often heretofore from the field
of battle.
Mr. Chairman, the democratic party has won
many great trumphs in this country, but it has al
ways won them upon an avowed creed OF prncl-
pies. That creed, in a fair fight, has never yet
been overthrown. That creed, in my Judgment,
never aUM be overthrown, when 1T Is fully and
fairly before the people, so long as our institutions
endure. But, sir, there seems to be now more oc-
casion than usual for reasserng it in all its length
and breadth. From the excitement of the last
three years. single subject has come into prom
inepce as to threaten to overshadow everything
else The gentleman from Florida, Mr.. Cabell,
who opened this debate, came here, he says,
with the intention of taking his position with re-
ference only to one single ISSUE and that issue the
issue of the Compromise. He selected, then, his
seat upon the whig side of the House, because, as
he told us, in the democratic caucus at the begin
ming of the session, there not found majority
who would endorse that series Of measures. But
after the votes which was taken here the other
day. when it was found that there democra-
tic majority in favor of the Compromise, quite equal
in number to the whole of those who assembled
in the wing caucus at the beginning of the session
and when it also found that the decided
whig majority which was said then to have affirm
ed the Compromise was, on the late vote, non est
fnventus-I do not see how, from his own show
ing the gentleman can remain where he Is.
think he must change his position to this side Of
the House; provided, always, he find seat
here; for the democratic party is really getting so
crowded that there is but little room to accommo-
date any more. But, Mr.. Chairman, his position
and his course show the prominence, to which
have alluded, of this sub ject 1t is not strange,
perhaps, that this prominence should exist. l do
not speak of it in order to complain of it. l am
not at all unmindful of the circumstances out of
which the Compromise grew; nor do I under-esti-
mate the services and the courage of those men
who, in doubtful times, stood firmly by it. and
carried it forward to success. Since that PERIOD
it has furnished its own vndication. 1t has gone
abroad through the whole length and breadth of
the land, with healing upon its wings; and wher-
ever it has appeared, the waves have subsidized, the
storm has disappeared, and there has been peace
among the people, Sir, am Compromise man
myself If [ had been in the Congress which
passed it, would have voted for it; and hope
there Is serious intention in any quarter of
this Union to disturb it. l have no right to speak
for the whole North, but, from my observation in
that section, do not believe that any such dispo-
sition exists there; and assure gentlemen if they
desire to know the northern sentiment upon this /
SuUJeCI, SHOULD BdIner IL, not rom the dis
cordant voices of Massachusetts,, but from those
sounds of victory which have just come to u.s. dis
tinct, emphatic, and cheering, from the good old
democratic State of New Hampshire.
But, Mr.. Chairman, however valuable it NAV be, !
and however much it may deserve, upon proper
occasions, to be affirmed, yet the Compromise is !
not entitled to be dignifed into a political creed
by itself l concur with the gentleman from Geor-
gia, Mr.. Hilyer, Hho spoke upon yesterday, that
it is not even political principle 1t is only the
fruit OF certain old and established democratic prin-
cples, applied to serious exigency in affairs. Had
the democratic party triumphed in 1e4s, do not
believe the Compromise would ever have been ne
cessary. But the wings first plunged the nation
into difficulty, and then called upon the democracy
to come to its relief. The democracy, always true
to the call OF patriotism, obeyed the summons, and
every difficulty was thus safely overcome But
now, sir, instead of dwelling too earnestly upon the
remedy then applied, is it not rather the part of
wisdom to guard against the recurrence of any ex-
lgency which may make similar remedy neces-
sary? Our safety lies, it seems to me, in admins
tering our government faithfully, according to the
design of its founders and never permitting its ac-
curate adjustment of powers to be disturbed, or
any of its compromises violated. "The govern
ment of the United States" said President Polk,
the youngest of our Presidents. as he was one of
the purest and soundest Of our statesmen, sis one
OF delegated and limited powers; and it is by a
strict adherence to the clearly granted powers and
by abstalning from the exercise of doubtful or I'M
authorized implied powers, that we have the only
sure guarantee against the recurrence of those I'm