The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-04-21

me. He ran for Governor there he ran WELL
but was defeated. have been, fortunately
or unfortunately elected. And although !
have never claimed here specially to repre-
sent what we know in every State as the old
| line Democracy, still happen to DO the only
representative they have in Ohio. And will
say further, that although know the zeal, the
energy, and the boldness, with which the Sem
ator from California discharges his duties to
his constituents in California, have as faith
fully represented my constituents in Ohio upon
this floor | know that there are differences
of opinion. My opinions may not be 80 popu-
lar, or 50 much entitled to be popular, as the
opinions of the Senator from California but
they are mine, and | advocate them as mine,
and am ready to stand by them wherever
they are assaied, or whenever they may be
| questioned
Now, sir, word in regard to the condition
Of the Democracy in Ohio. The Senator has
referred to some observations of mine, made
upon another occasion and then, as now, in
stead of claiming to be the representative of
what is known as the old-lne Democracy of
! Ohio, distinctly said that did not claim to
be their representative in party sense for
while concur in opinion with vast majority
of those fellow citizens of mine-while | reject,
I
! ions constructed at Baltimore-while denounce
as they do those doctrines and those opinions,
in important respects, as antdemocratic and
anti-progressve-I did not feel myself at liber-
| ty to 20 with them in the support of the nOmi-
nees of that Convention. | said then, as say
now, that claim for the faith and the opinions
Of Ohio the same respect and the same defer
ence that is accorded to the faith and the opin-
ions of any other State and shall support ne
candidates standing upon platform which dis
regards the settled judgment OF my State ex-
pressed in all her acts.
If concurrence in mere party action makes
Democrat, and if that is all that is required
if there are no principles, no views Of public
policy belonging to that party-then unques-
tionably | am not a Democrat of that sort
But, sir, if to hold to the old maxims of Democ-
racy-if to believe with Jefferson that all men
are created equal, and are endowed with equal
rights-if to believe that it is the duty of pub
lie men % carry out those principles in their
practical application--if to oppose monopolies,
to advocate reforms, to endcavor to carry for
ward our country upon the line marked out by
our forefathers to the great destiny which
awaits us in the future, and if devotion to the
Union and the Constitution of those States,
make Democrat, | claim to be as good a
Democrat as any Senator upon this floor.
have no fear of any scrutiny Of my opinions | |
am perfectly willing TO abide any investigation |
of those opinions. have not the least doubt |
that some gentlemen who seem inclined to |
challenge my Democracy will come out great |
ways behind me, where any fair test of DemOc-
racy is applied.
The Senator from California has said that
the party represented by the National Era is
the Abolition party, and this party is trying TO
take Il now name Mr.. President, it is the
party which was organized at Buffalo in l84s.
1t is the party from which you have taken
some pretty distinguished members and plac-
cd them i'll high positions, without their having
recanted one word or one syllable of anything
that they have ever said. know very well
that those gentlemen whom you have thus ia
ken, and thus endorsed although they have
not recanted any principles, marched in the
line, and voted for the canddates-if that is
the only meaning of Democracy. Well, sir, the
new party, when 1T was organized, took the
name Of the Free Democracy, or the Independ-
ent Democracy; for care not which you call
It. BY that name it has been known ever since,
N their conventions, in their public resolves,
everywhere. Trying to stigmatize them as
'boi'tionlsts will not do any good. care not
|
,all me abolitonist if they choose; and shall
that some of the best men that ever
iyed-those who have served their country in
n every relation most faithfully-haye been
called by the same name, That which gen.
,lemen design as brand of reproach may be-
come crown of honor.
But, sir, in party sense, choose to call the
party with which act by the name which
hey assumed in their public conventions and
n their public resolves am perfectly willing
20 submit the title TO that name, so far as ad-
herence to Democratic principles ia concerned,
to any test to which it may be invited. Here
sit around me gentlemen who call themselves |
the representatives Of the Democratic party Of |
the country. do not challenge their title to |
that name. generally find myself voting with |
them. But how wide arc their diyersities Of |
opinion upon every class of subjects! How
wide their diversites of opinion even upon this |
one great question, which seems to rise I'D
everywhere with sort Of univcrsalty or ON. |
niprcsence In what do they concur, except
the simple support Of political candidates And |
has it come to this, that in the nineteenth GEN.
fury, and past lts noon, party is to be known
by It's adhesion to particular nominees, and not
by its recognition of any great universal prin-
ciples, applicable to the solution of all ques.
tons, and boldly applied to the solution of all 2
Sir, you may depend upon it, that if it has
come to this, the height Of its popular approval
has been reached and the Democratic party
which was organized under Jackson is hasten
ing to its decadcnce and downfall, precisely as
the party organized under jefferson fell during
the Monroe era. The very moment that the
people become convinced that there is no great,
prominent comprehensive principle lying as
tho basis OF its action, controlling it and direct
ing IT. capable of universal application, you
wall lose their confidence. And when confidence
of the people has deserted any party the date
Of its downfall is not distant
Mr. WELLER. | wish only to saw few
words in reply to the Senator from Ohio. That
Senator is very much mistaken if he supposes
that have cherished any unkind feelings to
towards his constituents. in consequence of nv
having been defeated there when candidate
for the Office of Governor in 1913. The history
OF that campaign is well known to the country.
1t was the only occasion in that State when
the Abolitionists did not run n candidate of
their own. was so odious to that party that
they united with my opponents, and the Abo
ilhonl.ts and Wuigs beat me by 297 out of
popular vote OF 100000. IL was the only for
tunate race that ever ran in my life. 1t was
the only streak of good luck that ever met
with. ! was fortunate in being defeated
My friend from Ohio says that he was sue
cessful He was elected, and know exactly
how he was elected. should have thought he
would have boon one Of the last men to boast
OF his success, having accomplished it in such
a way. ! know the history of the matter. He
had some three or four Abolition friends in the
legislature with Democratic tendencies They
welded controlling influence between the two
great political parties and before they would
suffer either party to elect Senator, they re-
quired them to enter into a bargain-and YOU
will allow me to say with all respect a dshon
orablc bargain. It's dishonorable bargain,
when great party gets down upon it's knees