The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-10-07
raing for Hale This is but an illustration OF
the feeling aroused among the masses wherever
he goes.
THE NEW YORK EVENING POST AND THE
FREE DEMOCRACY"

New York Evening Post, in which two serious
charges were made against the Representatives
in Congress of "those who elect to be distin-
guished by the title of the Free Democracy"
The first was, that they had voted for and zeal
ously advocated the appropriation amounting
to some two millions of dollars, for the support
of ocean steamers the second that they had
voted for and zealously advocated the several
bills introduced at the late session OF Congress
for the donation of millions of acres of the pub
lie lands to railroad companies States, and local
institutions. The Post, not satisfied with I'M
peaching the Free Democratic members equally
with the members of the old parties, goes so tar
as to hold them chiefly responsible for these
most prohigate and lawless schemes OF public
extravaganza" 1t arraigns Messrs. Hale and
Sumner. of the Senate, rs principal offenders
in that body. and adds that in the lower
House the same spectacle was presented To
make the alleged profigacy of the Free Democ-
racy still more palpable. it calculates 1t by
dollars aud cents. We have not the means
at hand it says of fixing the amount very
accurately but We are confident that we do
not oeer-State the value of the land which the
Free Democracy voted to give away during
the last session Of Congress. At $50 600 900
territory enough, in superficial area. to he the
seat of an independent empire"
If the statements of the Post be true. if its
representation be fair and impartial, the e Free
Democracy is prohigate beyond either of the
old parties.
We take issue with the Post. and pronounce
its statements Incorrect and its representation
partial and unfair
We have agreed with that able journal, in
its opposition to the policy of extravagant
appropriations for ocean steamers and depre-
cate the interference of Government with pri-
vate enterprise We have also condemned
uniformly the depredations on the public do
main by :" donations of public lands to railroad
companies, States and local institutions" We
protested against the passage of the Bounty
land bill, against the bill making bounty-land
warrants assignable, against the log-rolling
schemes for securing the most valuable portions
of the public domain for the use of corporations,
against the monster Land bill, which proposed
to cede untold acres to the several States
The deep interest we took in all these ques-
tons, and our decided views respecting them,
led us to observe very carefully the course of
Parties in COr gress in relation to them and
if on this poipt we take issue with the Post, it
is because our own observe ion and an exami-
nation of the record constrain us to do so.
First, as it respects the extravagant appro-
priation for the support of Collins's line of
steamers The Free Democratic members of
Congress had nothing to do with reporting it,
nor did they undertake the responsibility of
carrying it through either branch of Congress.
The subject was never resolved into Party
Question,
In the Senate Mr. Hale made one short
speech in favor of il, placing his support of it
wholly upon the ground that the establishment
of ocean steamers would pave the way for the
abolition of the present navy, which costs the
Union some nine or ten millions annually.
Whatever we may think of his policy, the rea-
son for it s a very Democratic one
Mr. Sumner took no active part in favor of
the appropriation-he was doubtful Of its pro-
priety during the whole debate upon it, and at
last recorded his vote in the Affirmative, we are
bound to believe, with some hesitation.
Mr.. Chase opposed it. actively, in all its
stages, and at last voted against it.
Mr. Wade, his colleague from Ohio who
could not have been elected but by Free Dem
ocratc votes, also recorded his name against it.
Here, then, are four Senator's representing
the Free Democracy or holding their places
through Free Democratic votes--not one of them
taking any active part in the passage of the
appropriation one sustaining it out of hostility
to the existing navy, an enormous drain upon
the country, one voting for it reluctantly, and
two voting against it.
How was it in regard to the other parties
Some of the Wings opposed it, and voted in the
negative-a larger number sustained it.
The Democrats, like the Free Democrats,
were about equally divided
On motion made by Mr.. Jones, May 18th,
1852, to reduce the compensation to $25, 900
trip, we find that Messrs. Bradbury, Bright,
Cass, Douglas, twin, Hamlin, Houston, James,
the negative; and on the final passage of the
BILL May 2sth, the following Democrats re-
corded their names in the Affirmative: Bright,
CaSs, Hamlin, Houston, James, Jones OF Iowa.
Norris, Rusk, Shields, Soule, Stockton, and
Toucey or half lacking one) of the DEM
ocratic members prescnt--and of these, three
at least were distinguished Presidential candi
dates of the Democracy, another is the most
eloquent advocate Of Gen Pierce, another repre-
sonts in part the State which has given the De-
mocracy it's Presidential candidate and several
from time to time have been stamped rs ortho-
dox in all Democratic beliefs and practices by
the Post Some of these eminent Democrats, too,
were not satisfied with voting for the appropr-
ton, but warmly advocated it. And yet the
Free Democratic members of the Senate are
singled out for special condemnation by the
Post. ~ il THEY had been chiefly responsible
for this exacton ON the public treasury, when,
as the record shows, the Wing and Democratic
Senators were the principal cuprits.
How was it in the House Here again, the
Posi- holds up the Free Democratic members t.
special reprobation. Will not the reader be
surprised to learn that not single one of these
members had word to say for the appropria-
tion-that not one of them took any active part
in carrying it through-that the majority Of
them were opposed to it--that Mann and Per.
kins were the only Free Democrats who voted for