Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-07-29
would otherwise have had the energy to have

Considering the number OF foreigners IN lhlS
country, amounting to almost one fourth OF the
free white population, think the fact that there
are two out of two hundred and thirty members
in the House, and two out sixty.tw members oil
the Senate; will not be thought very large or
dangerous proportion. And it is but justice. TO
the Democratic party to say that through It's llO'
erality TO foreigners these all owe their electloh'
shall make no other remarks OF party char'
actcr ; tor had this manifestation OF the con-
temptible spirit OF Nativlsm come from any otheT
member on this floor, Of either party, shoulu
have been surprised. | was not surprised 10
hear it from the gentleman from North Carolina
have only to say further 10 that gentleman
that my constituents consider themselves abunu-
ant!y competent to select their own Representa-
ives they certainly will moi take the trouble 10
ask his advice; and should he offer it unasked,
they will probably tell him to mind his own
business. And for myself, | add while nave
the honor to represent on this floor huhureu
thousand freeman, shall take the liberty 10
speak when and how | think proper Without
asking permission of any man, and least OF ali
of one who comes here the representatives OF
whips, and mauaces, and slaves. In these rev
words trust Fhaye not forgotten what was due
to the place or 10 the gentlemen by whom anu
surrounded Lhave no ambition to contend Tor
the palm of bldckguariism, especially with one
who would have so much the start OF me, and
whose unenviabe reputation has already reached
beyond the limits of our own country.
Mr. Chairmaa, ! am ardently attached to the
, Democratic faith. i believe that all men, in re-
spect to their n A1rab and inl,ienable rights, are
created equal. That civil Government has no
! legimlte purpose but the protection OF those
rights, and no rightfu authority except what Is
derived from the consent ofthe governed. That
as all persons have The same inherent rights to
protect, all are equally interested and equally
entitled to be particlpatorS in what pertains to
government. | deny that Government has the
right to confer special privileges on some, ana
impose unequal burdens and disabilities on 9TH
Grs. | believe in the sovereignty OF the people
and of the several States and therefore oppose
all assumptions of power or encroachments on
the rights of the people or States by the Fedora
Government. do not think that any wrong
can be sanctfed by age or Legislation or that
the dead past has any right to control the living
present. look forward to rational progress and
a good time coming, and protest against the
sleepy conservatism that, for fear Of innovation
WOulu prevent all ICiOflll'
And the Democratic party recognize as the
best agency through which Just ideas oil clvl
government ,can be established. Its history
proves it to possess the elements and spirit o
progress to be the party Of the present and failure
rather than the party Of the past. Hence have
co-operated with this party, and worked with ant
for it, with whatever zeal or ability could com
mand. But the Democratic party is not my
owner, or body whose measures am bound il
all things to support right or wrong 1t is bn
means or agency which choose to employ
when, in my judgment, can, by so doing, hes
subserve the great interests of humanity and jus
tce.
The Democratic Convention at Baltimore
composed as it was, Of the chosen delegate
from the Democracy of the whole country, wa
doubtless duly authorized to select some person
to be the standard-bcarer in the approachin!
campaign and, by usage, the Convention wa
authorized to proclaim 10 the world what are thu
common doctrines Of the party. l do not under
stand it to he the right. much less the duty, o
that Convention to publish, as the sentiment 0
the Democratic party, doctrines which are onI,
entertained by a portion of the party.
That Convention endorsed the Compromise
of the last Congress--l series of measure
concocted by Clay, sustained by Webster, an
forced through by the power and influence q
Flllmore's administration, protest against an
stealing of Wing thunder. That party has
right to whateSef OF glory or of shame attache
70 thessaneasuFes do not want to steal Viii
tfmber foAbAeezpnstrucio of our platform.
Among these Compromise acts is provision
that Utah and New Mexico may come into tn
IVT 81 Al
may choose. Now, lei it be distinctly under
stood, that the Democrats ofObio do not consen
to that arrangement. They consider slavery tt
be an evil Of such magnitude that they will fee
it their duty at all times to use all constitutions
power to prevent its increase.
The Convention also endorsed the constitution
ality of the fugitive slave bill, IN opposition t,
the views of large portion OF the Democratic
party, who consider it to be unconstitutional, a.
we'll as the essence and embodiment of Federal
ism. 1t is strange that such a course shout,
have been pursued, while no one has YET satistac
tory shown Its constltutionality, or attempted t,
answer the arguments Of the gentleman frou
Massachusetts, Mr. Ranloul And this, too, il
the face of one Of the first resolutions adopted
at Baltimore" that the Federal Government i.
one Of limited powers derived solely from the
the Constitution, and the grants of power made
therein ought to be strictly construed By all the
departments and agents Of the Government, unt
that it is ineXpedent and dangerous to exercise
doubtful constitutional powers" And the Con
ventlon further pledges the party to abide by
law that aboshes jury trial, by erparte evidence
creates swarms of petty officers to enforce it
gives double compensation to find every CLAIM
| &C II n in nf tho aud q,
Penses of returning fugltives from the public
Treasury.
The Convention also undertakes to make the
endorsement of these measures test of part,
fidelity. On all the old party issues any varia
ton OF opinion may be tolerated. rhc Pennsyl
vanlans who come here asking for a protective
tariff on iron, aud those of lis from Ohio who
are for free trade, and direct instead Of indirec
taxation, are, so far as this is concerned, rool
Democrats. Our Western friends, who count
here asking alternate sections for cana Is railroad,
and almost every other imaginable purpose, ant
Frank Pierce, who voted against appropriation!
tor our Like hafborS are equally good Demo
Gratis. One thing only is needfu. All mus
pronounce the shbboleh ofslavery just as slave
holders require 1t to be pronounced then the,
can pass, and not without Thus is the SINE olu
no"-the photographic symptom of The Con
Venuon's Democracy
The Convention also agreed to suppress al
agitation OF Gins question. Think of 1.-THE
Democratic party going to suppress freedom o
speech, and to permit to remain 10 eternal ouie
the greatest polltcolan social wrong that eve
existed in this or in any other country.
And the candidates nominated by the Conyen
ton were evidently selected, not 50 much fol-
great ability or eminent services in the cause o
democracy as heretofore understood, but mainl,
ana chiefly because they are unexceptionaby
sound on this slavery question. In lust SO ia,
as these candidates stand on this COMPROMISE
platform, and are understood to be its enbodi
mellt and representatives, they fail to represent
what understand to be national and Democrat
&c ground. In that position cannot give them
any support.
protest against all these interpretations into
the Democratic creed, and against any such in
depreciation of Democracy as makes it the ally