Washington sentinel., 1854-01-29

morals and politics Of the putty character, and
| who is ready 10 accommodate himself TO anything
which promises proht. IGreat laughier.l
| Last winter had a conversational the capitol
at Albany, with one OF our State officers, touching
!. this business of having been sound in rs, which
will perhaps explain my views upon that subject
a. well andas briefly as anything can say on the
/ subject
mike" said he, ado you not consider il I'M
generous and unfair in you to be questioning the
present sincerity ofmen who We're true in lsiS q
I" Were you true in rs ~ inquired WASN'T | ~
| he replied. " You may have been negatively so,
but didn't hear of your doing anything and don't
| know that you could have done much, if you had
even ieli so disposed continued. What do
you meant" he asked Provided you were
square in rs, does il follow that you must be re-
garded as square nowW Certainly" he said.
Not unless have read history TO very little
profit. Benedict Arnold was universally regarded
as heroic and sincere patriot, until there was
sufficient amount of British gold offered for his
treason; and unless my theological knowledge is
equally deficient, Judas Iscarloi was esteemed an
humble and true follower of our Saviour, until
those thirty pieces OF silver We're showed al him.
Laughterl | can therefore readily understand
how corrupt and mercenary man, when secretly
offered 10 be helped into positions far beyond the
measure Of his merits, by those who were form
erly arrayed against HIM, can readily play the part
of an Arnold or Iscarotn The only difference
Mr., Chairman, between g soft" and legitimate
abolitionist, is that the one is in the decomposng
process. [Laughter.l
Now, sir, wish, so far as | am concerned TO
be distinctly understood in this committee and |
believe what say will not conflict AT all with the
opinions of our friends. We do not propose TO
array ourselves against anything democratic which
may come through the administration, any more
than we would be governed in action, pro-
vided the administration were opposed to il. The
democratic party, as II formerly existed, was
party of well-defned and universally understood
principles; but the course which has been pursued
laterly, OF recognising the claim of iactonsts and
traitors 10 the smiles and favor of the admnstra-
ton, is degrading declaration sent forth 10 the
world that hereafter we are 10 come together, not
upon common ground of principle, but like
band of bandits, malgamated for the sake of
common plunder; standing like John Van Buren,
and company upon the platform, true 10 General
Pierces administration, or in other words as long
as we hold office, and afterwards TO be al liberty
TO return TO our old heresies
Now, Mr. Chairman, previous to closing want
to refer to one point, and that is the various votes
which have beea taken on sundry questions in this
House, (and where those who have voted for them
have denied that their votes were to be taken as
any test question: but which have all been claimed
as administration trinmphs as soon as they We're
carried. have been told by gentlemen upon this
floor, and by gentlemen occupying high positions
in the government-and ! wish TO be distinctly un-
derstood on this subject have been told, / say,
that their sympathies are with US I; but that they
did not regard the casting of their votes on certain
questions as arraying them against u.s. or as en-
dorsng the action Of the administration.
Let me repeat here, sir, what have told these
gentlemen personally, and that is that we are no
objects Of sympathy. Sympathy may be very APP
propriate for sick cripples and old ladies' but not
for men who have gallanty stood up for principle
| against the power and patronage of the present
corrupt and unscrupulous State and federal adj
ministrations. We are objects Of respect and adj
| miration; not Of sympathy. We despise sympa-
thy.