Washington sentinel., 1853-10-13

AT ROCHESTER,.

10 the enlightened, progressive poncy OF tne
democratic party, my fellow democrats, is the
country indebted for its present eminent posi-
ton before the nations Of the earth, and for its
domestic repose. This policy, under the guild
ance and teachings ofa Jefferson and Jackson,
extended our boundaries by the acquisition OF
Louisiana, Florida, Texas, California, and other
| territories-opened an asylum for the oppressed
ofearth in every cline, BY liberal system Of
naturalization, and gave the death blow to mo-
nopoly and privilege in the shape of national
banks, protective tariffs and public debt.
| Since the origin of political parties in the
United States, the administration of affairs have
| reposed in democratic hands more than three
fonrths Of the time; and the policy Of the par
| ty is written in every chapter ofts history, and
| interviewer with every fibre Of its framework.
| This policy originated in the loftest concep-
tions of craftsmanship sit was intended to in
culcate in temporal affairs a political new testa-
ment which should bring the tidings offreedom
and good will to men. Ii was founded in the
purest principles Of well defined morality, and
| destined to stand the hereditary antagonism of
violence, fraud and usurpation, through all
coming time. Its true votares would as soon
commit fraud in a commercial transaction as
in an election,--or as soon resort to violence to
extort money as to gain political success.
The practice of these principles attracted the
toiling masses, who soon saw in their simpli-
city justice, equality, and freedom; and they
rallied to the support of such principles, and
established the democratic party upon broad
and deep foundations. This party, like all
other organizations, has from time to time suf
fered by the detection and decay Of some Of its
| members, and been, like other bodies, recruited
by fresh supplies from healthy sources-so that
i ,t bo, dat,., e.nr
| the desertion Of the timid, the Vaccinations of
the treacherous, or the daggers of the revenge
ful. Those who, hungering for the flesh pots
of the treasury, or desiring the consequence Of
1 place, who could not wait to have their merits
discovered, but became restive, we're permitted
| to signalize their detection by desertion to
the enemy and, whether the number was large
or small, or the deserters of high or humble
degree, it was called detection, and, if after
wards they choose to return, they were sent,
| like other deserters, to the rear We then had
no divisions, no political hybrids, and no har-
monizing contracts.
But in lS47 and 1913, because as all know,
the democratic party declined to renew the
lease of particular family detection the
most base, heartless, trcacherons, and malig-
nant which ever characterized political organi-
cations took place, and by force Of the influence
and position which for more than quarter Of
century had been accommodating from favors
lavished by the democratic party upon this
family, that party was defeated in both State
and nation and this detection, because it was
so infamous, shameful, and brazen, was most
gingerly dignifed by many as being an unfor-
t,taate dicision in the democratic party. The
London Punch says, when Prince Albert gets
| intoxicated, the papers call it elated-when a
/ c.l.o r a., AL
| they say he was elerated; but when a farmer,
merchant, or mechanic gets in that condition,
they say he was drunk. So when democrats
| of ordinary clay desert their faith, it is called
"defection;" when this old family walks over
into the enemies ranks and plays abolition, it
is "dirision."
1t organized in lS47, upon the rejection Of
its abolition corner stone,' because it was
important that a canal commissioner should
believe in the "Proviso," and threw the State
government into whig hands; and in l848,
keeping on foot the same piratical organiza-
ton, merged itself in the motley Buffalo con-
vention--defcated General Cass, and gave the
national administration also to the wings.
| In lS49, having glutted its revenge and de-
stroyed its power Of mischief, it sought means
of gaining admission to the democratic camp.
Unfortunately, we had, in our ranks, a few
political mendicants-men wanting principle,
and wanting consequence--some of them re-
membering, doubtless, that the democratic
party had so long bestowed upon them its
highest honors that new dispensation was to
be expected-that new issues and other men
were gaining public consideration, and that
their 'togyismn could no longer count upon a
monopoly of official honors and emoluments;
! others, whose ambition, like stinted Indian
i l.co tIa,.
capacity in advance of the public, and foresaw
that their only chance of preferment was
through some back-door process, and both Of
these classes, acting in meretricious concert,
entered into an arrangement to betray the true
/ men and true principles of the democratic
party into the hands of the "freesoif' traitors
of lS48-they christening the base coalition as
\ the "union and harmony Of the democratic
party, and receiving as their wages not thirty
pieces of silver, but its equivalent in official
rewards; and, in return for "freesoil' conf
dence and support, these sefconstituted "har-
monious negotiators were to procure full abb
solution for s.freesoil' leaders-were to aid in
striking down such national democrats as these
leaders should designate; and, in furtherance
of "union and harmony" to induce the demo-
cratic organization to leave its national prin-
ciples in the back ground, and speak in its
resolutions and addresses upon national ques-
tons, in language SO oracular that it could
be read either way.
Such was this most foul conspiracy, as has
been abundantly proved by the developments
of time, and up to the present moment it has
pursued, with more than fendish hate all old
line democrats who would not prostitute them
selves TO the embrace of freesoil." In an
unsuspecting moment these men--some Of them,
standing high at that time with the democratic
party-aded by others who, in perfect good
faith, had been induced to enter upon this un-
fortunate experiment, procured the call Of two
conventions of the democrats, and the
other Of "freesoil''--to be held at Rome, in
August, ls49, for the purpose, as was openly
admitted of uniting organizations and dividing
offices.-I had the honor of attending as a dele
gate to the former, with the determination and for
the purpose, on my own part, and in accordance
with the desire Of those who sent me, to prevent
all spoils-making coalitions, and union of or
ganizations, except upon the single ground Of
n union in sentiment. The humiliating farce