Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1852-10-27

49, Is's. ma tse;r "a.
jeetiea ~ ~ Wig Adminisfration.
The spirit of progress Of the present age is
nothing more or less than TIE natural develop.
ment Of democratic ideas and principles, as
taught and carried out in the practical opera,
tions and leading measures of the democratic
party Of this country. The democratic party
is now. as it ever has been, the only liberal po-
litica] party of the country. and the only party
to whom the country owes it's large develop.
mcnt and progress. The wings, as a party,
have been very appropriately called the hold
back party. That party tried to hold back the
democratic party from purchasing Louisiana
and Florida. They tried to hold back the de-
mocraic party from declaring war in 1922 and
from a vigorous and su ccessful prosecution of
the saem They tried to ao'd back the demo.
cratic party from re-annexing Texas to our con-
federacy They tried to hold back the demo
cratic party, after the country was involved in
the war with Mexico. from conquering a peace
by refusing 20 vote supplies to carry on the war.
and by denouncing :he war as Gun holy and
damnah'e." and our brave and VIC torious sol
diers as "murderers and assassins," thereby
endangering the success of our patriotic army
and the honor Of or flag, as well rs the lives
Of our men, and endeavoring TO render the war
unpopular and odious. They endeavored TO
bold back the democratic party from acquiring
New Mexico and my own adopted State, Cali
fornla.
If tbic url; rty hoA al boop II,
we shou d have continued in the old thirteen
States. Thank Heaven it was not SO. The
democratic party had been in power, by the
will of the people, and had administered the
government, (ncluding the administration Of
Gen. Wa,hington,) forty eight out of the sixty
Yes, the democratic party Of this country has
selected and elected the Executive head of this
government, and controlled its political policy,
I at home and abroad, all that time, while the
whig party has occupied that position, chiefly
by accident, but fifteen years. During these
entire sixty three years no great leading mea'
sure of liberal. expanded, progressive political
policy has originated or been suggested by the
wings; but Oh the contrary every such measure,
and all the other great distinctive measures OF
the democratic party, which have done so much
for the glory and honor Of the country the pros,
perity and happiness of its citizens, for the ex'
tension of the area Of freedom, for the cause ol
! freedom and the hopes of frecmen throughout
the world, have met with their determined op.
position. During this time the States have in
creased from the original thirteen to thrty-one
and t,centy- -seoen Of them. to-day, boast demo
cratic Executive. Louisiana, Florida, Texas
New Mexico and California have been acquired
and each acquisition has been looked upon by
the wings, as they bindly opposed it, as fatal
to the perpetuity of our government, OIL the
monarchical principle or maxim, that self-gov-
ernment was only practicable in small or lin
tied territories.
In strict accordance with this maxim, and in
the true line of conformity with federal instincts
and propen,ities the present whig administra-
tion have signally demonstrated their opposi'
tion to all further progress.
1t is a fact in the history Of the present Gal,
that the proposed voluntary cession of the Sand
wich Islands had been most contemptuously
rejected by President Fillmore. This regard
as one of the greatest political bunders that
has ever been committed by any administra,
tion of this country, since the foundation of our
government. and for which no satisfactory ex'
cuse has been, or can be rendered to the peo
pie. A simple statement Of facts-which can
| not be controveri ed-exhibts the transaction
in all it's national folly, as sure working out
of whig doctrine. There was regular treaty
Of cession, entered into between our Commits
sioner to the Sandwich Islands and the King
government Of that country, by which that
4 government ceded to the U. s the entire sove
reignty and jurisdiction of that Groupe of Isl
ands, the only consideration asked from the U
s., or accorded in the treaty, being the rights
and protection accorded to our own citizens
and pension of some 10 Tor 81, 900 per annum
to the King during his life. This treaty was
negotiated at the lslauds more than year ago
and has been the files Of the State Depart
ment at Washington for nearly the same period
The present whig administration rejected the
treaty, or what was ;antamount thereto, gave
it the qo-by: and when called upon last winter
for information upon the subject, by a resolu
tion of Col Weller. z S Senator from Caifor.
mia, the President declined furnishing the in.
for nation called for, on the alledged ground
of its incompatibility with the public inter
ests." These facts then establish these two
points:
lst That treaty was negotiated, by the
competent power, ceding to the U s these Isl
ands.
I'd. That the present whig administration has
either rejected the same or By it, culpable ne,
glect, has greatly pe,iled its consummation.
An opportunity has thus been lost. at least
for the present, and perhaps forever. of making
one of the most important acquisitions to our
territory that has ever presented itself to US
since We were government-and all through
the pusilanimiiy, the anti American feeling
and anti progressive predictions and propen.
sites of this hold back federal whig adminlstra.
tion.
The importance of these Islands as a posses.
sion of the United States, no man can estimate
when they are considered ip connection with