Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-03-29
DowNIYGvnLE, STATE OF MAINE, !
hI.,r.L IN 1870

the center school house, and on Bill John
sons store-the adjourned meeting from
February Q was held this evening in the
center school-housc. Democrats all on
hand with0ut distinction Of parfg. and the
school-housc chock full before seven o.
clock. On taking the chair, Jncle Joshua
called the mcetin TO order, ard addressed
them as follcrs:
"Gentlemcn and fcller-Dcmocrats, be-
fore we take up the business OF the even
ing, | feel it my duty to say a few ords
about the present state Of our party, and
to lift up my warning voice against diri-
SONS. five can't ccme together like bro
theirs all pun at one end of the rope we're
gone. If part pulls at one cnd of,he rope
and part pulls at 'tolhcr end, the rope
snaps, and we'll tumble head over heels
and come to the ground. SO hope. fcl-
lcrDemocrats, the divisions and disputes
that broke out in our last mccrin, Februa-
ry 8, wont be seen to night. | say fcIer-
Democrats, if we mean TO beat, we must
harmonize, as Mr. Richie used to say; we
must harmoai-e. It's true there's some
pretty hard difficulties in our way, but
we must get round 'em. When I'm plough
ing in the field with smart team, anI see
a hard stump right in the way. | know
better than to 90 straight ahead, and keep
the plough in, and stick the plough-sharc
right among the roots, and tear the plough
10 pieces. But what do do! lust run
the plough out of the ground, and slip
round the stump, ard then set in again and
go along as smooth as ever. And so when
I'm moving in hay time, and see a hor-
nets nest in the side of stump, or in
heap of stones. had good deal rather
leave a little grass standing round en- than
to NOV up So close as to str EN- up and
bring the whole swarm out round my ears
Now, say, fcller-Democrats. if the De
mocraric party would only jest keep out
Of the way Of stumps and hornets nests.
we could get along smooth enough. and
carry the day auy time. But if we are
agoiLg 10 run our ploughsharc into every
abolition stump that stands in the way, and
stick our scyt the into every slavery hor-
nets nest that we comes across, the JIG is
up with us, and we may as well give up
the farm at once and 60 off to the Grand
Banks and ketch Goldfish, for it would be
no use for US TO FISH for offices any longer
unless we can harmonize.
"Gcntlemcn, that distinguished old De
mocrat of Pennsylvania. Mr.. Buchanan,
lately wrote letter to the Democrats of
Baltimore; it was dated the 23d of Fehru-
ary; it was great letter; and Mr.. Buch
anan is great man. In that letter he
SAYS: There has seldom been period
when the Democratic party of the coun-
try was in greater danger of suffer
ing defeat Than at The present moment"
And, gentlemen, a Democratic member Of
Congress from Ohio, Mr.. ODDS, made a
speechin the House the 5rh of this month,
in which he says: MIR. Chairman, | am
free to acknowledge as national Demo-
crat that am humiIa,od at the chickering's
exhibited by prominent Democrats upon
this floor Gcntlcmcu, these hanJwrit-
ings on the wall shows US what we are
coming to if we don't harmonize. There
fore, hope we shall set an example ofhar
mony here tonight that will send a thrill
through the whole country from Maine to
Texas, and from the Atlantic to Califor-
ny"
Uncle Joshua sot down, and the meetin
give three cheers tn tie harmony Of Mc
Democratic party.
Biz johnson. Mr.. Chairman, rise to
renew the motion that | made al the last
meeting that we choose Major Jack Down
ing for our delegate to the Baltimore Con
vention.
Doctcg Briggs. My motion was before
that, Mr.. Chairman, Which was, that we
take up the question of the Presidency
first And | still think we ought to dis
cuss that matter, and have fair under
standing about it, before we choose our
delegate to Baltimore. However, in these
times | go for harmony, and for the sake
of harmony | withdraw the motion, and
am ready to vote on the delegate.
The motion was then put by the chair
man, and Major Downing was elected del
egatc to Baltimore by the unanimous rote
of the Convention, followed by three
cheers
Chairman. There, fellcr- Democrats, is
an example of harmony. That shows us
what we can do when we all pull together
If we can Only make the Democrats all
over the country pull together. we shall
choose our President jest as easy as we
have chose our delegate.
Doctor Briggs. In order to do that, Mr..
Chairman, we must fix on the right candi.
date. And hope We shall now have
full and free discussion, lay down our
platform of Democratic principles, and
then examine the candidates, and see " no
is the best man to stand on our platform
CHairman.-Well, yes, Doctor, you are
about right in theory, but sometimes prac-
tice. in order to get along, has to be differ
ed from theory, I'm an old Democrat
as you all know, and I've seen how things
has worked this forty years. Now, my
own opinion is, that the first and the
man thing is to pick out the man Mat uc
can elect. and not bother much about prin-
ciplcs 1t is Mt principles that gives us
the offices, but the man; and we must G.
lect our man. or get no Offices. The
Democratic principles can be regulated
after agree on our man, for they are all
very simple and plain. And the fewer
the better. In General Jackson's time.
we did Mt have but three One was the
Bank, and one was the Tariff, and one was
Internal improvements. Them you know
was the Wing principles, and them was
the ones we had to fight agin. And
don'tihink we can do any better than to
stand on the same ground now. I've
thought for some years past that all Dem
ocraric principles might be reduced down.
to one plan simple principle, and that is,
TO .fght agih tie Wigs. That is the
safest and most important principle in the
whole Democratic creed. And it is one
thar is easy to be understood, and easy to