Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-11-09

naqe no pretenSlOlS 10 prophecy, nor Clu ne
assume to penetrate further into the miseries
of the future than other men, but he would
venture to predict that the day was not re-
mote when heprinciples which have just been
prostrated in Pennsylvania win be yindicated
and endorsed by the people-when theD Demo-
cratic party viii be again in the ascendancy
and also that the policy of the Democracy IN
the contest of 1854 will constitute one of the
j brightest pages in the history af cur party.
I It was not the first time that the Democracy
have been defeated whilst eestefaiIse esz jslzt
/ principles and a wise public policy. This
late contest, said Gov B., viii be recorded as
another instance in which that party have
contended for the right, regardless of the
consequence; have preferred principles to
unworthy success.
Since the election Mr.. b. said he had no.
ticcd with much interest and IN some irstan-
ces with establishment, the efforts of certain
| of the opposition press to save their party
from the consequences of this fusion triumph ]
Conscious that some of the false issues which
they had raised are likely to cost them dearly
! in future they are attempting to attribute
the origin of these to the action of the Demo-
cracy Drcading the ultimate effects of the
| intolerant doctrines that have just triumphed
| in Pennsylvania and the frightful error of
arraying one class of American citizens and
one denomination of protesting Christians
| against another, they are vainly attempting to
escape just responsibility. By what facts
or process or reasoning this work is to be ac-
complished, Mr.. B. said he was at a loss to
imagine As yet he had seen no argument
on this subject that could mislead the most
dull of comprehension. The Democracy did
not in the late contest, nor in any other, nor
will they in the future, attempt to mingle
Io,r
distincly denounced all such attempts. As
member of that party, he had done so, and
should continue to do so on all proper occa-
sions; nor had he sought to conciliate
any sect or class of people by tampering
with their feeling or yielding to their preju
dices.
How these new questions arose in Pennsyl-
vania can be readily discovered. The Whig
Mayor of Philadelphia, in his inaugural ad-
dress had distinctly avowed the doctrine that
a citizen born out of the country should not
be trusted with civil office. and that he shonld
make his principle rule Of action in the dis
| tribution of the patronage of his Office. The
Democratic party deny the justice OF this
doctrine, aud insist that the guarantees of the
Constitution must be scrupulously observed
that no adm illustrative officer should lay down
rules inconsistent with a just administration
of the laws; that each American citizen,
wherever born, should be permitted to enjoy
all his rights and opportunities under the
Constitution Our opponents, who had thus
| commenced an aggression upon adopted citi-
zens, Immediately raising the cry OF foreign
influence" and charge that the Democracy
are the special friends and apologists Of our
foreign population, and address themselves to
the national prejudices of our people. We
deny this allegation that we are the special
guardians of any class of citizens The Dem
ocratie party seek only to defend the Consti-
tution and to maintain that each citizen shall
be permitted to enjoy the rights, privileges
and opportunities which it guarantees to him.
Were the encreachment made upcn any other
class of people the position of the Democratic
party would not be changed. They would
still insist upon just administration of the
Constitution They would then be called the
partizans of the native born citizens.
Secret and oatlf-boand societies have been
formed for the known purpose of abridging
the constitutional rights of American citizens
because of the place of their birth. and the
rights of a certain religious denomination of
people, whether born in America or else
where The Democratic party again insist
that the constitutional guarantees must be OBJ
served; that no citizen shall be prescribed
from civil place because of his religious be-
lief; and, again, a false charge is raised, to
the effect that we are the apologists of the
Catholic religion We deny this allegation,
said Mr. B. The Democratic party are the
guardians of no religious denomination but
simply defend the constitution against the in
novations that would render is guara ltee
dead letter. Were similar combinations made
against the Presbyterian, or Methodist,
any other determinations the Democracy would
| resist such encroachment Then, with equal
Justice, they might be called the special
friends of these denominations. The Demo-
cratic party is not the guardian of any parti-
| cular religious denomination it seeks to Sc
cure the especial favor of none, but maintains
the constitutional rights of all. 1t has not.
and he trusted it never would recognize the
demands of any sect or class Of people, as
such for otGiice or honor. 1t viii maintain the
| legal and moral rights of al; and leave each
citizen to depend upon his own merits and
qualifications for Office and honor.
The doctrine, said Mr. b., that the acci-
dent of birth is to determine the rights and
opportunities of an American citizen to at
tain to and to hold civil office, is inconsistent
with Justice and right. Citizens, agreeably
| to the Constitution, are entitled to like bene-
6ts, rights. privileges, and immunitics; and,
| for one, he denied the justice of all attempts,
either by power Of secret combinations or by
| laws, to restrict or withdraw these blessings
and liberties as to particular citizens. The
| proposition, said Mr.. b is unjust, ileglti-
mate, and revolutionary, and he was at
| loss to understand how any one making pre-
tensions to Christianity could countenanee so
great wrong. The acceptance of our con-
IL l.