The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-27

at its mast-head from the opening of the con
test down TO this hour, ask my colleague to
s1y which one il is. Ii there was a Democratic
paper in the State OF one years standing that
| did not take the State Rights side, with but Z
f single exception, the Columbus Democrat, and
keep it, do not know where it is to be found
Who seems from these facts to have been get
ting out of the Democratic party-my colleague
who is sustained by the Wing press, or !, who
have been and am yet sustained by the Demo
cratic press
\ More than this. The Union party called a
convention in April, 1851. twas to be, by the
terms Of the call, Union conventon-nark you,
it was not Democratic convention, il was not
la Wing convention, but it was Union conven-
ton. What did it do? Did it nominate Dem
ocrats for office? II made four nominations, and
\ two of them were open and ayowed Wings. II
did not assemble rs a Democratic convention.
It did not sit as a Democratic convention. 1t
did not make Democratic nominations. ltnom.
mated two Wings and two Democrats, and my
colleague voted the ticket thus nominated.
| Who was it, let me ask, that, following after
strange gods, thus put himself outside the Dem
ocratc party; and who is he that, in coming
back, will have occasion TO sneak into the ranks!
The State Rights party, or the Democratic
State Rights party, as it is termed in our State,
assembled in convention in June. hat did
they do? They made their nominations, and
they selected their nominations from the old line
Democracy General John A. Quitman was
made our standard bearer. ] was surprised the
other day to hear my colleague going back to
1924 and 1928, to find the evidence of @ uitman's
want of fidelity to Democratic principles. Some
thing has been said about statute Of limitation
Whether the late distinguished nominee of the
Democracy of Mississippi requires statute Of
limitation, certainly do not know. If he voted
for John Quincy Adams in 1924 and 1928, and
has since seen the error of his way, where is the
Democrat who will not forgive him? Where
is the Mississippi Democrat who has not forgv-
en- him? But we have his own word for saying
that he did not vote for John Quincy Adams in
1924 He did not vote for him in 1928 lie
was always State Rights man Of the strictest
sect and upon the issuing of General Jackson's
proclamation against South Carolina, he, like
hundreds and thousands of Others who had been
always faithful to the standard of the old hero,
abandoned him and they returned to him in
their own good time.
| But if it be so grave an oifense in the Demo
Gratis of Mississippi to have nominated gentle
man who voted (allowing the charge ofmy friend
to be true) for John Quincy Adams in 1924, and
and again in 1928, what shall my friend say of
Governor Foote He claims to be better De-
mocrat than anybody else; and yet he held the
only office that he ever did hold at the hands of
the people in Mississippi, until he was elected
governor, from the Wings of the county OF
Kinds, and that SO late as 1889. Yes, my
friend forgot that, in 1888, Governor Foote run
as Wing, was elected as a Wing, and served
as Wing, in our Legislature. So upon the
score of consistency, think, allowing my
friends statement to be true, we stand quite as
well as he does. And submit to my colleague
whether il is not little too late for him, or for
his friend, the governor of the-l was going to
say Union party, but he is governor Of the State
by the constitution--to complain of Governor
Quitman's want of Democracy. Did not both
YOU and Governor Foote vote for Quitman for
governor in ls49? Did not Governor Foote
put forth, or aid in putting forth, a pamphlet in
this city, urging the claims of this same John A.
Quitman for the Vice Presidency? Yes, sir, so
late as 1913 he recommended him, as a man
worthy of trust, to the whole Democracy of the
Union. Yet my friend lays charges against his
political orthodoxy, dated as far back as 1924
and lS28-twenty years beyond the time when
he received the Endorsement of Governor Foote
and nearly one third of the whole Democracy of
the Union; twenty-one years beyond the time
when he received the Endorsement of Mississippi
for governor, and my friends vote for the same
office. If the Endorsement of the national De-
mocracy in lS4s-if the Endorsement of Missis.
sipp Democracy in l849-ifthe Endorsement of
Governor Foote, and of my colleague also, may
be relied on, think Quitman can pass muster.
| He is sound.
Our nominees were all Democrats. We run
them as Democrats-as State Rights Democrats
against the Union ticket composed Of two
| tITl 4 ".
And what has happened since the election!
Who is il that has gone out of the Democratic
party! The legislature assembled-the new
governor was inaugurated. What was almost
his first act p II was TO appoint an adjutant.
general. II was an important appointment
the most important in his gift Did he appoint
Union Democrat? No, not he. Did he APP
point secession Democrat, as my friend calls
them? No, not at all but he appointed
Wing. That was his first important appoint
ment "a governor, and he dismissed Democrat
To make il. What did bis faithful Union leg
i,lature" do! II did not send him back 20 the
Senate. that is clear | will tell you what IL
did. There was an old and venerable Democrat
experimenting the penitentiary. IL was n mere
ministerial office, filed by man who had con.
fessedly discharged his duties with ability and
integrity, and TO the entire satisfaction Of every
body. lie was turned out by the Union legis
lature, and Wing put in his place A gentle
nan who had discharged for series Of years
the duties Of clerk OF the same establishment
with fidelity, and to the entire satisfaction Of
every one, was also dismissed, and Wing put
in his place. A Wig sergeant.at arms was
elected. Places were given TO other Wings
over the heads Of Democrats. The patronage
Of the State, 40 far as the governor and legisla-
ture could control II, has been given to the
Wings; and so far as the executive advertising
has been concerned, il has, with scarcely an ex-
cepton, been given to the Wing press. ask
/ il this looks like Democracy! Two vacancies
existed in the United States Senate How were
they fi'ledl With Democrats, did you say
old, long tried, and consistent Democrats 7
Were they sent here TO represent the Union
men of Mississippi No, sir. One Democrat
and one Wing were returned. IL these things
show that my colleague, and his associates
ia Missis .ippi, have been faithful TO the Demo
i cratic party why, then, | must confess have