The daily union., 1852-09-28
speech Of the Hon. John l.. Dawson, or Penn.
sylyania
Dsiivssd a, As dsnoeraie msstiMg heh al 1assaaay
HILL. .Ssv York. 1ssssday sosnng. September 9,
1852

Il
In answering TO your call fellow citizens il is perhaps
well 10 remark that is the duty OF every democrat
entirely unaccustomed to public speaking TO freely con-
Tribute his AID n giving direction 10 public sentiment
In western man, residing al the western base OF the AL
eehanes. and at the head OF the great valley of the
Mississippi where its waters first break from the
TAM u seems almost like presumption here IN Tammany
HAIL whefe the council hes OF liberty and democracy
are always burning brightly, 10 make the effort Ii
quires something more than modesy 10 attempt 10 add
anything 10 what has been well and eloquenly said
by the distinguished gentlemen who have preceded me
he one pe In years and requirements and dsing
for his craftsmanship. enjoys fame limited only by the
confines OF civilization Ills services 10 his country and
his party will brighten the pages oil his countrys history
The other, the young senator from Illinois, the architect
OF his oune and who by the force OF energy and in
ellec has attained high distinction in the Senate whilst
his name already in the morning of his life, is familiar
to his counymen from the Aroostook TO the Pacific IL
true, as he has said that the democracy o New York,
well as OF Pennsylvania has something TO atone for in
the history OF the past whilst much is expected from each
nthe future. We rejoced that the great democratic
party OF New York stands out in bold relief to
the national view, united and thoroughly organized for
the coming contest Ii incredible that any portion
oil the democratic party OF New York fnched in
contest Tor principle whilst The union o the party now
Will go lar to wipe out the memory Of the fact New
fokone OF the old thirteen in the OF the revolu
on. and proud OF her revolutionary battle. 6elds-is, by
position. association and all The glorious recollecons
past she has done much to the ascendency oil
democratic principles and in shaping democratic policy
IL was the vote OF New York in 1900, cast in the House
OF Representatives OF the United Sates that elected MIR
Jefferson and thus gave permanent recognition the
doctrines OF the great apostle OF American liberty. In
that trying and eveniul contest, the defeat oil Aaron
Burr by The vote OF New York was the death blow to
the federal party
From that day until the present the democratic party
with but three exceptOns-.he election OF Mr. Adams
by the House of Representatives in 1884, and The election
OF military chieains in 1S40 and 1S4S-bas been sue
cessfnl in every contest for the presdency while its
principles have made permanent progress and like the
rays OF light lumne every mountain and every valley,
not only eevatng the masses OF this country, but in
spring with hope and promise the down-trodden millions
oil Europe In union there IL strength and in strength
there is victory. Let profit then, by the admonition,
and especially by the lessons taught by experience In
the coming contest Pennsy wanna will do her duty she
will be true to herself and cannot doubt that she will
cast her vote for Pierce and King for the party is united
In is4s. although defeated in Psnnsylya BY Sigh,
detection upon the borders OF New York, and by the
portable troops that were thrown into the city and county
Of Philadelphia the great democratic party OF the Keystone
State moved in solid phaanx TO the charge. In that
memorable contest cast for the regular nominees of
the democratic party greater vote than gave for Polk
and Dallas in 1874 In Pennsylvania acknowledge
no leaders beyond the pale OF the party and 1t is our
pride and boast that contend alone Tor the prici
pies of faith. In 1s4s conended zealousy for
the triumph of those principles and in their defence fell,
al the last moment disabled in the engagement yet by no
means conquered. The defeat was but temporary; Tor
principles immutable. 1t MIR. Clay who said
that truth inevitable and public justice certain
The result OF the election in ls4s was an illustration OF
this truth for the principles OF the democratic party did
tempest and and The e lash Of its asy waves n! Triumph
was e ons susht wh sv Alter h Of
General Taylor policy had to be agreed upon in the or
ganzahon OF the newly acquired territories So diversified
public expectation, that accommodation was
sought in the Recommendation oil the policy OF MONACO
ton.
The popular mind recoiled at a suggestion so
weak, SO mpraccable, and so pregnant with anarchy
Congress presented the spectacle OF nation rife with
civil feuds and bordering upon dissolution. When the
administration saw the difficulties with which they were
surrounded and heard the storm which they had raised
raging in the CAPITOL they compelled TO rerace their
steps and no sooner General Taylor in his grave
than President Fillmore with Webster upon one arm and
the Cabinet abandoned the policy of non-action abor
tive and impracucable, stepped upon the republican plat
form, and leaned Tor support and protection upon the
doctrines OF Lewis Cass The doctrines OF the Nicholson
etier-he doctrine OF non ntervenuonwe recognised
as the true part OF craftsmanship and We're adopted
the basis OF the Compromises compromise that restored
quiet TO distracted people, and has been received the
olive-branch OF peace These events, gentlemen now
matters OF history, and in their review the democratic
party relies with confidence upon the enlightened udg
ment oil public opinion In lS4S the cry OF military
glory supplied the place OF avowed policy, and with
our own dssensons, proved the passport to power The
sequel have described, and hold it up warning for
the future ln 1924 Mr. Clay, then IN the full vgor OF
intellect and maured statesmanship, uttered fearful
warning against the danger of converting military chief
tans into civil rulers The party OF which he was the
great leader and champion from Maine to Georgia. Joined
in the denunciaon. They averred that history was
philosophy taught by examples, and appealed with
ndenoe 10 IFS instructive pages for the lessons they contain
Yet Mr.. Clay himself lived TO witness these admonl-
tons, eloquently and earfuy uttered by him, and
fully endorsed and eechoed by his party, afterwards
disregarded by that party and himself inundated and
sacrificed by the nomination oil military cheftan,
then in command OF the army and fresh from the fields OF
a foreign conquest nomination which Mr. Webster
declared was mot ht TO be made" Alter Mr. Clay had
grown gray, "weary and worn" in the service OF the
party into which he had beahed life, and hope, and
vgor and become, as II were, canoniZed the last po-
cal intelligence that filled his the announcement,
OF The nomination. by the Wing Convention, OF a mill
tary chiefiain the very head OF the American army.
| Not because General Scott had high qualification,
or had the slightest experience in the schools OF civil
! poy, but simply because he had attained the rank
| OF major general, and worn, with credit upon
is scarcely an instance upon record when great
military captains have failed, when within the scope
OF their power, TO subveu the civil authority, and,
at the sacrifice Of liberty 10 plant themselves upon
its ruin. Julius Cesar one OF The greatest gen.
erals OF ancient tines and cherished kinder regard for
1 the welfare OF the people than any captain o his age
He had done much for Rome, extended her boundaries
rendered iusrous the Roman arms, and added renown
to the Roman name Yet his conquests changed the
biton Of the patriot, till finally il knew restraint,
knowledged no superior. The Rubicon formed bar
rer the advance OF his columns for they crossed its
waters, and passed the gates of the hed city
| Cesar himself demanding of Meteus the keys OF the
Roman treasury, and thus, by union OF the sword and
the purse, he struck down the liberties OF his country
Look nj the history OF modern Europe and its pages are
filled with recital OF revolutions for liberty misdi-
rec,ed and finally defeated, by the treachery OF mil
ilay leaders, who, made arrogant by conquest, sell
dom failed to the sword OF the patriot into
the scepire OF the despot. Look at Poland for near
suit Of her military spirit and the treachery of her mill.
leaders at Huugary. hrsl al tha