The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1852-04-14
EXTRACT FROM THE SPEECH
II OF -
Hon. Edison B. 0Ids, Of Ohio,

In the House of Representatives, Marcel
i s, 1859, on the Presideney-Democrat.
10 Distraction Wing Extravaganza.
In Ohio, sir, in 1910, and doubt moi
that the same fact obtained in all the other
States Of this Union, the Whig stumpers
kicked the bark from every stump, crying
Reform! Reform!! Sir, they not only op-
Grated upon the organ Of hearing, but they
called into requisition, also, the organ ol
vision. Do you not remember how, in
their mighty gatherings of the people. they
exhibited political charts, by which they
endeavored to demonstrate the expenses
Of the different Administrations II you
will visit the residences of our Wing
friends, in many Of them you will find,
hanging in mahogany frames, or suspend
ed back of their looking. glasses, these po-
litical charts. hardly know to what de-
scription Of architecture they particularly
belong; sufficient for all practical purposes
to say, that they were made up Of "block
and figure work." The Wings, at their
meetings, used them as school teachers
use the blackboard; and they would point
with the finger, or, perhaps, with a rod or
cane, to the different Administrations
showing how, under the different Admin
istrations, the expenses Of the Government
had run up and down. according to the
circumstances of peace and war, or Whig-
gerry and Democracy, until the year 1889,
under the Administration Of Mr.. Van
Buren,, when the "block and figure work"
lowered up like the steeple of Trinity
Church in New York. Underneath this
tower, they placed in large and life-like
figures, $39 100000! Sir, what was meant
by this splendid exhibition of the architec-
tural genius of the universal Wing party?
Why, sir, these Wing stumpers left US to
no doubtful Interpretation. They boldly
charged corruption and extravaganza upon
the Democracy; and promised the people
that, if they would vote the Wing ticket,
turn the Democracy out, and put the Wings
in power, you should have an economical
Administration of the Governments; that
the expenses of the Government should
be brought down to what it was in the
days of the "earlier Presidents;" and, sir,
to give coloring TO their charges Of extrav-
agance, they described, in gorgeous col
ors, the oriental magnifcence Of the EAST
Room" They painted Mr.. Van Buren,,
in his English coach, with his servants in
livery; they sent their spoony Ogles to spy
about the Presidential Mansion, to take an
inventory of his forks and spoons-his
towels and bed utensils, that the people
might see how the Democracy had de-
parted from the simplicity Of the earlier
Presidents.
The people, believing that "where there
was so great cry, there must be some
fire." turned the Democracy out and
turned the Wings in. And what have
they experienced9 Why, sir, ifthey would
only realize their condition, they would
learn the truthfulness of Esops fable of
the fox and the flies: they would feel that
they are "losng every remaining drop Of
blood in their veins" r
True, sir, Mr.. Van Buren's Admins.
tration was an expensive Administration;
but, sir, there were causes why such should
be the fact. In the year l839-the year
referred to in the architectural Wing ex-
hibition-we were engaged in the prose-
cution of the Seminole war. That year
alone. sir, this war cost US $4,000, 900,
which, deducted from the $50 900 900,
would have left the ordinary expenses of
the Government only $26.000,O0O.
But, Mr.. Chairman, have already re.
marked that the people, relying upon these
promises Of reform, generously gave the
Government into the hands OF the Wing
party. They hold the reins Of Govern
ment to-day, sir. But where is this proms-
ed reform? Who're is your boasted econ
omy? What now, under this Wing Ad-
ministration, are the expenses of your
Government Have we come back to the
simplicity and economy Of the earlier
Presidents! Now, sir, you have Wing
Administration, and you have no expen-
sive war upon your hands. No, sir; in
the emphatic and classic language of Gen.
eral Taylor, "you are at peace with all the
world and the rest Of mankind;" and yet,
sir, what are the annual expenses of your
Government Have youreduced them to
$26 ,OOO, 900, what Mr.. Van Buren's Ad.
ministration would have cost without the
Seminole warl Aye, sir, have you kept
them to the $39, 900, 900, what Mr.. Van
Buren's Administration did cost with the
Seminole warl No. sir; this Wing Ad.
ministration, brought into power under the
cry Of economy and reform, is costing us
annually more than $5o,0oO,ooo. Nay,
sir, this is not all: The Chairman of the
Ways and. Means has this very day i'm
portuned us to take up the deficiency bill
giving this Administration some $3,000,-
900 more. z
The highest expenditure Of your Gov
ernment, in any one year, during the Ad-
ministra,ion of Mr.. Van Buren,. (barring
the expense Of the Seminole wary was
$26, 600, 900; and yet, sir. your Corwins
and Crawfords perambulated the country.
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