The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-03
COALITION IN MASSACHUSETTS,.
mr.. RantouI's speech.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, Jan. "a.

Mr.. RantouI's speech
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, Jan. "a.
Mr.. RANTOUL. said / do not propos,
to enter at all into the general merits of tn,
question before the committee; indeed, would
not have troubled the committees | an
always very unwilling to do it--with AM
remarks of mine, if there had not been cas-
upon my native State an imputation so seriou'
as to demand immediate notice from me.
majority of the people Of Massachusetts are in
volved together in an imputaton which, i
seems TO me, the honor of the people Of thai
great State, without distinction of party, re-
quires should not. when it ia thus cast upon hel
by representative OF one of her CONCESSIONS
districts, on this floor himself native son Of
hers, be suffered to pass unrepelled. The i'm
putation is one OF corruption-not, as under
stand it, upon few leaders of single politica
party, but upon vast majority Of the voters Of
tho commonwealth Of Massachusetts,
State which has stood SO high in the history Of
this country from the time when this countr,
began 10 have history, and which am prouG
To believe has never forfeited her pristine rank
| in the glorious ssterhood ofconfederated States
That. such an imputation upon this floor a.
soon as it is made, seems to me 80 plain that
should think myself without excuse IL kept my
seat under such call to speak here Sir, Mas
sachusetts bears name too respondent with
the glories of her colonial and revolutionary
history to be questioned by her children. She
has maintained her high standard of patriotism,
and virtue, and honor, too long, too uniformly,
too brilliantly, to haveit supposed for moment
that true son of hers would endure TO see her
fair fame sullied without rushing to- her de,
fence.
Sir, the imputation of corruptioni is made here
upon two political parties. which the gentleman
estimates to contain forty-three thousand in the
one party and twenty-eight thousand in the
other--a majority, according to his owncalcula>
ton, of the voters who take sufficient interest
in political matters to present themselves at the
polls. That is the charge, and it is to that
address myself And first, let me answer as to
that portion of those voters with whom am
directly and politically identified, and have been
for more than score Of years, through series,
scarcely paralleled, of hard fought battles--I
mean the Democratic party of Massachusetts
But before going into the details of this matter,
let me make one general observation, and | shall
appeal to the knowledge and consciousness of
every man that hears me, whether am justified
in what am about to- say, and that is, that if
there be any political party in any State in this
Union whose history places it above the sus-
picion of corruption, from its peculiar position,
tbs the indefatigable and indomitabie Democra-
icy of the State of Massachusetts; because there
is no party in any State in the Union that has
stood up against such odds, against such dsad.
vantages, against such actual losses and sacri
fees, as the Democratic party of Massachusetts,
and every man in that party, has confronted and
sustained for very many years past. Why, who
are the Democrats of that State? The laboring
men of the State, and some men of talent who
are not laboring men, but who are not men Of
capital or property. And against whom are
they contending Againstthe whole aggregate
mass of the capital of New England, concen-
trated in the eastern portion of the State of
Massachusetts,. That Is the position of the two
parties.
Now, ask, if there be corruption in the State
Of Massachusetts do not deny that there
is corruption, more or less, everywhere, in every
State and nation under heaven--but if there be
corruption in the State of Massachusetts,, where
is it, Prima facie the answer is pretty plain
one. The corruption is where the means Of
corruption exist. There are several hundreds
of millions of capital piled up in and about the
city Of Boston. There is TO other such aggre-
gate Of wealth 10 so few hands on the American
continent; and if there be corruption there il is
that vast, unequaled mass that purchases what.
ever is venal This capital, like all other CAPT.
tal, is by the instincts of its holders, adverse 10
Democratic principles. Conceive the effect OF
this on the position Of political parties. The
Democrats are mostly Of the laboriDg classes j
do not say that there is bribery there but say
that IL there be- il is the rich that bribe the poor,
and not the poor that bribe the rich. Upon that
position, then, start in this examination. The
Democratic party of Massachusetts consists Of
men who stand up against their own individual
interests; and this every man may know that will
pass through that State, and not shut his eyes
10 facts around him. Is there an operative in
factory there who does not know that his place
is less secure TO him If he votes the Democratic
ticket than il he votes the Wing ticket! Is
there an agent in factory who does not know
the same thing! Is there porter or stevedore
on n wharf who does not feel his certainty Of
future employment sensibly diminished IL he is
known, nay, IL he is even suspected, 10 be De-
mocrat! IL there storekeeper there, not n
" hig, who does not know that those who would
be his best customers pass by his door because
he does not happen 10 be Of the same politics, and
that the customers whom he gets in their place
do not expend with him such large sums Of
money! Is there physician or professional
man OF any kind who docs not know that he
makes heavy sacrifices il he adopts and processes
the so-caled heresies that have been SO uppopu-
lar formerly with the powerful in Massachusetts!
Is there lawyer Of any talent, who is Demo-
crat, who does not know that he could quadruple
bis practice by simply protesting TO be Wing 2
Clergymen, physicians, laborers, tradesmen-all
classes Of men make sacrifices by belonging 10
the Democratic party. :.
No mortal man in Massachusetts ever made
sacrifices by joining the Wing party, but tens Of
thousands Of Democrats have sacrificed large
portion Of their means ofsupport by standing up
10 what they believe TO be sound, and true, and
right. That is the position Of the Democratic
party Of Massachusetts, and that has been its
history from its commencement down TO the
present time. Against this party particularly i,
the charge Of corruption aimed and what is the
ground Of that charged Il is brought down 10
the alleged fact Of a coalition.
Before going into the character Of the alleged
coalition, LET me ask, are coalitions in themseve,
wrong7 Is IL wrong that those who seek
common object, should cooperate TO effect thai
object? Am 10 stop 10 inquire whether nv