Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-09-21
Governor Bigler in Montrosc.

vened In this county met at Montrose on Tues
day, the 29th ult. At three o'clock in tn,
afternoon the multitude convened in front o
the Academy, where platform had previous
ly been prepared for the occasion. The
meeting was called to order by G. A Grow
whereupon Hon. NJ. Tyler was chosen pre-
sident, Amherst, Carpenter, Calvin Leets
Lewis Brush, Isaac Reckhow Thomas John
son, Torrey Whitney chosen Vice Presidents,
and A j. Davis chosen Secretary
The President then introduced his Excel
lency, VIM. Bigler, who spoke upon the to-
pics of the day in his usual able and states
manlike manner. being frequently interTupt-
I ed By cheers from the crowd
The substance of his remarks upon some
of the topics touched upon by him were as
| follows:
He first gave general review of State af-
fairs-spoke of the prosperous condition of the
! Commonwealth-of the condition of her f.
nances, showing most clearly that but for pro-
jects of expenditure commenced before his in
duction into office, over two millions of the
public debt mi ght have been paid within the
the last three years. He declared himself
unqualifedly against the construction of any
additional improvements by the State-that
individual enterprise and capital were equal
to the accomplishment of all feasible schemes
of this kind, and the people should be no
longer Iurthencd with taxation for such pur-
poses He next alluded to the monetary con-
dition of the country-to the bank failures
which were daily heralded through the news
papers, and said that it should not be forgot
ten when he came into office, project was ON
foot under the auspices of his predecessor,
Wing Governor, to introduce into our State
the Free-or to use the classic language of the
IL. n. 4
Banking He showed that had this measure
of Whig policy been adopted, Pennsylvania,
and especially her commercial Metropolis
would now be the scene of these commercial
disasters-that even had he yielded to the de-
mands of the Legislature for an extension of
our present system We should now be in the
condition of some of the surrounding States
He defined his views and the Democratic po-
licy on the subject generally. He spoke of
the loose system of granting corporate privi-
leges in practice when he came into office-a
system which gave undue rights and advan-
tages to capital, in its relations labor that
enabled the shrewd and dcsi signing to impose
upon the honest and unwary. He spoke most
feelingly and eloqucntly of our Common School
System. Said he had not supposed that it
would ever be necessary for him to define his
position on & subject, or repel the accusa-
ton, that the Democracy desired to make in
roads upon the system, but he had mistaken,
for there were those who had shown themselves
bold and reckless enough to make the charge.
He repelled it with feeling and manifest in
dignation, and declared that he always had
been was now and ever should be the devot-
ed friend of our Common School SYSTEM
that it should be his pride and pleasure to
labor to perfect aud extend it, and he looked
forward to the day when the Commonwealth
should be prepared to provide for public edu-
cation of all grades.
He next alluded to the temperance cause
TO the effort that had been made to turn it to
political or partizan account He said his po-
sition was defined in his letter to the State
Temperance Convention. He deplored the
evils of intemperance, and was willing to
sanction any reasonable measure to mitigate
and if possible to exterminate the vice. But
he could not pledge himself to sanction a
law which he had never seen. lie could
not, under the obligation of an oath, say
that a statute was just and constitutional,
not one word of which he had ever seen,
and for this he had been abused by certain
politicians and pretended temperance men. |
He said the question had been referred TO the
people, and their voice would decide so far as
related to the policy of the measure Should
they demand the law, and the representatives
of the people put it in constitutional form,
neither he nor his opponent would have the
moral courage to reject It,
He next alluded to the strange political /
dogmas promulgated by the Wing, Native
American and Know Nothing Mayor of Phi
ladelphia-to the effect that no citizen, not
born in the country, should be permitted to
hold office, no matter how pure his character,
how strong his love of country, how valuable
his services The accident of birth was to
decide the civil rights of the citizen. We
shall pot attempt to give an idea of the biting
sarcasm and burning eloquence of this part
Of his speech. 1t was truly great. He ex-
hibited the fragrant injustice of the idea, de-
bounced it as immoral. as unjust, propo-
sition to disgrace our country, by breaking
he faith of our fathers plighted in the
constitution The secret order of 'tKnow
Nothings," who embrace the doctrine of
Mayor Conrad, together with another dogma
hat seeks to prescribe citizens from civil
lights, because of their religious belief. was
lext reviewed and rejected as most insidious,
dangerous and unjust measure. lie inquired
yhv a secret and oath bound association was
necessary in this country, and argued that Ii
here be political or moral evils amongst us
which needs correction, that it should be
daylight business, that the end should be ac-
in a manner consistent with. the
American character, that they were out r
poken, and gloried in the liberty of speech
md the freedom of the press. He invoked
Il denominations and iall classes of people to
new ~ the constitution, that they had per-
-; ',-.--rr:,a e ereirst eneroach,nent fron any
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