Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-06
wasbingtolt Sentinel.
SPEECH OF HON. D. 5. DICKINSON.
AT DELHI, My, sEPrEMRER 20, 1854.
Exported Jor the NJ. Heral.il

sitting here, and he had no expectation that
he should have the pleasure of meeting so large |
an assemblage Of democratic friends, or the
honor Of addressing them upon invitation; that
although he came entirely upon business which |
demanded his attention. and although the po |
litical campaign had not yet fairly opened, he
was always happy, upon all suitable occasions,
to address his fellow-ctizens upon public affairs
He said he had not for some time appeared
before the public upon political subjects, and
some questions Of exciting interest had arisen |
and been canvassed, upon which he had not
spoken. The most active part of his life had
been devoted to the public service. When he
entered upon it his brow was ruddy with the
glow of youth, and when he left it his head was
white with the weight of years. When he re-
turned to his home, at the expiration of about
fifteen years, he had been bereaved Of one half
the little household with which it had pleased
Heaven to bless him--his domestic altar lights
were nearly extinguished, and his private in
terests crippled, by long neglect. His profes
sion, to which he had returned, and his private
business, had demanded his best energies, and
his mind had sought that seclusion from excit
ing topics which his tastes approved and his in
terests demanded, to which, after long period
of arduous labors, he deemed himself entitled
He had learned to look upon political strug-
giles with more of calm philosophy than par
tisan asperity, and it was only during the can
vass of some stirring campaign he engaged
in public discussions. He said that the only
end and aim in political affairs worthy of
tie pursuit of an honorable mind, was that
Of establishing sound principles; and that
organization for the mere purpose of obtain
ing Office and place, were in the highest de-
gree mean and discreditable; that the masses Of
all parties were honest and sincere-the leaders
of all, in a greater or less degree, selfish and
ambitious, and laboring for the attainment of
personal ends. That professions of patriotism
were cheap and plenty on every side, and that
the only safe mode for the people, was to Judge
of each party by the fruits Of its policy. He
said the democrats had placed in nomination
for governor, Greene C. Bronson, an individual
who some time since had the honor of holding
some correspondence with Mr.. Guthrie, a cor
respondence which his hearers probobly re-
membered, and which he presumed the honor
able secretary had not yet forgotten. That if
Judge Bronson was defeated, it would be a
source Of qualification to remember that the
democrats had presented a candidate who was
eminently worthy of their support; and. If
elected that the first State In the Union would
be honored by governor who, for learning.
integrity, and craftsmanship, had no superior
in the Union that he had been presented for
no personal purpose, but as the representative
Of great principles upon which the national
democratic organization reposed- principles
founded and established by jefferson, and prac.
tised and illustrated by Jackson. Those prin.
ciples constituted the platform of the demo
cratic organization; oil could read and under
stand il, and would respect its manly frankness,
if they did not approve Its sentiments; its
az.
perstructure justice, equality, and truth These
principles may be entombed for a season, but
they were sacred in the estimation of the peo
pie, and would again come forth, like Lazarus
from the grave, and be clothed with health
and beauty. The great natural and hered.
itary antagonist of the democratic principle
was what was now known as the whig or
ganization; il had, from the foundation Of the
government opposed every leading demo
cratic measure, and in the end been compelled
20 acknowledge the justice and wisdom of the
democratic policy; and among such measures
he mentioned the acquisition Of Louisiana. the
war of 1912, the overthrow Of the United States
Bank, protective tariff, the independent frea
sury system, the annexation Of Texas. and the
acquisition of California; and yet he said they
entered upon every campaign with some fresh
prelension Of regard for the public good, with
ms much assurance as though their policy had
been approved; that they got into power only
upon errors OF the democratic party, and were
speedily out upon errors Of their own; that he
feared we were about 10 lose them, and that
they would be merged in the formation Of a
great, absorbing anti-slayery party, for we
should not soon again find party combining
40 much personal cleverness and so much DO.
litical error; that democracy must have an OBJ
ponent, and he disliked 70 see one between
whom and himself SO many blows had been
received and returned 90 out Of the field, espe-
cially as we we're constantly getting their best
men, and they our worst men IN exchange;
that the wing party had for considerable time
professed anti-slavery doctrines, but that this
year they had planted themselves more tho
roughly upon the anti-slayery policy than usual,
and would most inevitably bring up in the end,
in effect, IL not in name a party devoted en-.
tirely in It's leading idea TO abolitionism; that
Il was a party Of most convenient capacity
was usually in favor Of everything which was
popular or plausible, and now, like the opos.
sum, which concealed its young from danger
under false or double skin, created for the
purpose, the wing party was carrying and con
ceaiine some half-dozen parties, lately Uttered,
in its capacious bosom; that their candidate
for Governor, he was given to understand, was
au amiable and worthy cn;Zen in all his private
relations, but as TO his public abi;iy he believed
he had never been overrated by the ;s--higs
themselves.
As 10 the organization called Sons-and he
used terms only as desgnations-ther had
been considerable anxiety manifested TO know
whether Governor Seymour, their candidate for
renewed honors, would consent 10 run. He
thought If the report ofthe proceedings OF their
convention was correct, there was no difficulty
on that subject; for, according to the published
accounts, the governor ran the moment be
heard Of the nomination, and at the last report,
although they pursued him with the telegraph,
they had not yet caught him, and it was fair
10 presume that the skirts Of his coat were yet
standing ont in horizontal position in his
fight He could not but congratulate his Soft
friends on having a candidate who thus far has
run 30 well. The Soft organization could not
long exist; and he invoked the rank and file
who we're misled BY the pretensions OF inter
ssted leaders, to return 10 the democratic stand
ard The organization was based upon no
loftier pretension than the support Of an admin