The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1852-10-13
ACHIEVEMENTS OF DEMOCRACY.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF DEMOCRACY.
"By their fruits ye shall know them"
is no less a maxim of common sense than
a precept of divine wisdom; and few there
be who, tried by this test, can establish a
legitimate claim to the confidence of man
kind. Nevertheless, in the commerce Of
the world, deeds not words. actions and
not professions, constitute the only capital
upon which either men or parties are al
lowed TO trade.
The democratic party solicit the conf.
dence of the country. They ask the peo-
pie of the United States to entrust to them
the control ofpublic affairs. They submit
that the principles which they profess con.
stitute the only policy by which the welfare
Of the country can be promoted, its ex.
haustless be developed, and its
magnificent destiny accomplished. They
do not ask to be taken upon trust. They
cheerfully submit themselves to the search.
ing test Of being judged by their fruits
They proudly point to the past and to the
present-to what they have done and are
now doing for the glory Of the county,
They appeal to history, with its record Of
the achievements Of democracy, to attest
the validity Of their title to the confidence
Of the nation.
Seventy years ago the United States
were but thirteen in number, embracing a
population of scarcely five millions. Now
twenty-five millions of people, inhabiting a
continent, place this among the first of the
nations Of the earth. By what influence
has this mighty change been wrought! BY
the operation of what principle and policy
has this country been elevated to such an
eminence of prosperity and glory! An at.
tention 10 the successive steps in the pro.
gress Of our country will reveal the fact
that every onward impulse in its career
has been impaired to it by the democratic
%party-that every accession Of territory,
every triumph of liberal principle, every
measure by which the range of commerce
has been extended, the condition of the
masses elevated and ameliorated-in
short, that every Measure by which the
prosperity of the country has been promo.
ted, and its glory illustrated, was the
achievement of the democratic party and
the fruit Of democratic policy. This is the
unimpeachable testimony of history. The
war Of 1912. by which the violated rights
of the American sailor and the outraged
dignity of the American people were vim
dictated. was a democratic measure. The
war of 1916, undertaken to chastise an ag-
gressive and i~nsolent foe, illustrated by
such splendid triumphs Of the American
arms. and resulting in so vast an extention
of the American soil, was a democratic
measure. The acquisition of Louisiana
was a democratic measure. The acquisi.
ton of Florida was a democratic measure.
The annexation ofTexas was a democratic
measures; and the conquest Of California,
the richest gem of them all, was a demo.
cratic measure. The sub-treasury system
that splendid conception of financial
craftsmanship, which regulates the fiscal
relations Of the country with the precision
and fidelity Of a law Of Nature-was a
democratic measure. The revenue tariff
Of '46-which, as it swept from the country
the last vestige of class distinction, pecu.
liar privilege, and commercial monopoly,
is perhaps the most memorable achieve.
ment Of the free spirit Of the age-was a
democratic measure. The verdict Of his
tory is, that these were all measures and
achievements OF the democratic party
And it is a significant fact, that whilst the
administrations of wing Presidents-of the
elder and the younger Adams, of Harrison,
Taylor and Fillmore-are remembered for
no solitary Measure of public benefit ev.
cry democratic Administration is distin.
guished by its own appropriate achieve.
ment. To the administration of Jefferson
belongs the glory of having swept from the
statute book the alien and sedition laws,
and ofthe acquisition ofLouisiana. Madi-
son by the war of 1919 rebuked the haugh.
ty p~rstentions of England, and vindicated
the rights of America. Monroe redeemed
Florida from the dominion Of Spain, and
annexed it to the Union; and, more than
this-he proclaimed to the ~despotic powers
of Europe that the soil of the American
continent should not be made the theatre
Of their ambitious aggression and their
cruel expressions. When it is recorded
Of Jackson that his giant arm crushed the
United States Bank. no other achievement
is wanting to fiji the measure of his glory.
Upon the ruins of that monster of federal-
ism Van Buren, reared that beautiful sub.
treasury system. to which the country is in
a good measure indebted for its present
unparalleled prosperity. Under Folks ad-
ministration the policy Of the democratic
party bore its ripest fruits, and the glory
Of the country attained its highest point.
1t is no inyidious distinction, and derogates
nothing from the applause due other dem
ocratic Presidents, to accord to Mr.. Polk
the praise Of having crowded into the brief
term Of his administration almost as many
measures Of signal advantage to the coun.
try as the long line Of his predecessors
might jointly boast. It seemed to have