Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-10-09
,..anIc of Virginin

" ,o,' IN nerson and rs am about to leave the
Stote for while, adopt this method of addressing
vo, nm subject of tn emost vital interest to us III
Virginia and the Southern country generally.
II must be apparent to all that the Democratic
Marty have in their action and practice, differing
SO widely from their profession given up and aban-
doned all their issues, and acknowledged virtually
that the principles of the Wing party those alone
OIL which the Government can be successfully au-
ministered.
Take their Platform, for example, as established
at Baltimore, and contrast it with their practice in
Congress. tfE. LEi! IN
In the Platform they declare t'Thatthe Constitu-
ton does not confer upon the General Government
the power to commence and carry on general sys-
TEN of Internal improvements"
This was intended to appease the Strict ConstIuc-
tonists of the South. Yet that party, IN iour
weeks after, by q large majority, in House con-
tanning Democratic majority of hfty-SX or seven,
passed River and Harbor bill containing appropri-
atoms (including works yet to be commenced) oil a
million and half, which was afterwards increased,
in the Democratic Senate, to two millions OF up
wards, and which finally became law oil the
land.
They declare in their Platform, "That they are
opposed TO any law for the distribution OF the pro-
ceeds (of the public lands) among the States' as
alike inexpedient in policy and repugnant to The
Constitution"
of Representatives passed n bill distributing one
hundred and fifty thousand acres OF land Tor every
member of Congress in both houses, according to
their Federal population, which Dill lies on the Ia
BILE of the Senate, to be acted on next winter.
1t is known that the Democratic patty have for
MANY wears denied in the broadcast terms, the con-
sttutional power of protection to home OF domestic
labor and enterprise, and in their Platform they
assert. F,t- -.El y s.N .L
..Tbat Justice aad sound policy forbid the Federal
Government foster one branch of industry 10 the
detriment of any other or 10 cherish the interests oil
,one portion To the injury of another portion OF our
common country.''S'r.~ti
Yet, in view Of this principle, thus laid down,
that same party have, since the adoption oil their
Platform recognized the principle of protection III
its most odious form, while the most clamerons mem
bers OF Congress for reduction OF the Tamil oil i6
have been found in the so-callcd ranks oil The Dc
mocracy. They are opposed 10 the principles ot
protectiun; yet they have in It's most oDccllonab'e
form recognized it, by protecting one branch oil en-
terprsc to the dctriment OF another. In lew
weeks after this broad declaration OF principles rs
they call them, (Which unlike questions oil pohcy,
are immuable, unchangcablc, and UNIVERSAL they
appropriated S33 900 for every trip made by the
Collins line of steamers, upon the ground that 1t
was necessary 10 the protection of the navigation of
the United States against the navigation of the
British Cunard linc-thus discriminating not only
in favor OF steam navigation against ordinary sail
navigation, but in preference TO all other interests
Our policy is to protect every interest, Commercial,
Agricultural, and Manufacturing, without distmc-
ton or preference for any. ..r
But the most extraordinary and alarming portion
of the Democratic Platform, and one that has at
tractcd less notice than any other, remains yet to be
considered; and desire 10 call your especial atcn-
ton to it; and hope 1t will not be lost upon amy
portion of the South.
The Sth resolution Of that Platform declares
sThat the liberal principles embodied by Jclcr-
son in the Declaration of Independence, and sane
toned in the Constitution, which makes ours the
land OF liberty and the asylum of the oppressed OF
every nation, have ever been the cardinal princ-
pies of the Democratic party
Now what does this mean, and for what was il
adopted "
am sure YOU h-vc never heard that there was
any issue i'll Virginia, or any other portion of the
Southern country, between the Wing and Demo
cratic parties upon the principles of the Declaration
of independence, and never before did you heir of
the necessity Of rc-adopting or re affirming those
principles; and the casual reader would NJ once
conclude that it but part and parcel of the same
unmcanng Platform, which expresses opinions up
on other Subjects such as the Bank Of the United
States, and assumption Of State dcbis,-queSiioiis
that are i'll no manner at ISSUE between the two
parties But propose 10 show that there is much
meaning and alarming consequences 10 be attached
to the foregoing declarations; and to ascertain hat,
we must look 10 the Declaration of Independence
To learn what are the Hbrrui principles therein en-
bodied, TO which this clause of the Platform, thus
endorsed and ratified by the entire Democracy OF
the South and North, had reference.
Upon critical examination, 1t will be found that
the only principles set fort IN that declaration are
the following:
eve hold these truths to he self-cvidcnt: That
all men created equal; that they are endowed,
by their creator, with certain inalienabc rights
that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness; that 10 secure these rights govern
ments are Instituted among men, &C., &c. Then
we have long list of grievances cnumerated; but
these the only principles set forth by the De-
claration-and these principles, although they
never constituted an issue between Wings and
Democrats, have nevertheless been made the
foundation and the corner stone upon which The
whole fabric of Abolition has been erected; and
here we find the Democracy of the South, as well
as the North, endorsing the Abolition creed, upon
which alone they rely for their Justification to the
fullest extent, without reservation or qualifications
and they now call upon the people of Virginia to
commit themselves 10 the same suicidal policy
from which they can never hereafter escape if they
give the vote of Virginia to Franklin Pierce and
that platform, for when they endorse the one they
necessarily endorse the other.
I have before me, while write, book publish
cd in 1912, cntitled: "rhe Legion of Liberty and
Force of Truth, containing the thoughts and deeds
of prominent apostles, Champions aud Martyrs"
1t is filed with cuts or plates, presenting the most
revolving scenes that distorted and diSoTlcred
imagination can conceive-such as negro, who
has taken refuge in the water, being pursued by
blood hounds, and shot at by his master from the
banks Of the stream; another tied naked TO tree
and fire kinded around him TO burn him alive; and
still third, with negro stretched and confined by
cords to n platform; and the master or ovcrseer
chopping him up by piece-meal with an axe and
throwing the several parts into fire close by.
These are intended 10 represent the different modes
of punishment resorcd TO in the South all of which
are calculated and intended TO niSlead and infanc
the ignorant and fanatic portion of the North.
This book contains some 200 pages. filled with
elegant extract from the "Apostlrs, Champions
and Martyrs ofthc Abolition party, prefaced with
frontispiece, which present the likeness of Mr..
Jefferson, with the following beneath taken from
the Declaration of Independence, as the "libcral
principle" embodied by him in that instrument
'taH men arc created equaf'-and which now stands
before the world endorsed by the Democratic party,
rs having "ercr been a cardinal principle in The
Democratic Jaifh," which you are called upon now
to confirm. a..
To show more clearly and distinctly what was
meant by those northern men, who framed this plat
form, and by the southern Democracy, who thus