M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-02-23

might transfer power from one party
TO another. For at all times would K
be easy to select questions for this pro,
cess OF removal, which no honest man,
OF an opposite party, could support.
Some OF these are constitutional anC
others scarcely interior to them in i'm.
portanee, involving points Of policy,
forming the very landmarks Of the de.
batable ground where our struggles have
always heretofore taken place. That
this power would be used, abused in,
deed, for this purpose, no man will de,
ny. The excitements OF the past war;
us as TO what the future would brine
with it And that the disadvantage
would be the share of the Democracy
isreFtain, for il Is well understood thal
in the creed Of our opponents, instruc.
Ilons carry with them neither the duty
10 obey nor the obligation to resign
The two Wing Senators who have oc.
cupied seats in this body from Michi,
gan, one OF them my immediate pre-.
deceSsor, and the other my colleague
during a portion of my first term oil
service, honorable and distinguished
citizens, both disavowed the obliea.
tion OF instructions, and both refused,
at least in one instance, to obey the ex,
pressed will OF the Legislature convey.
ed to them by its resolutions. And
believe their views were in conformity
with the opinion Of their party in the
State.
| am not called upon to discuss the
general doctrine. All | sce K Is to ex.
plain why | acknowledge the obliga.
tlons OF the former instructions and de-
ny those oil the present. And when
deny the power Of the existing majority
OF the Legislature OF Michigan, com.
posed as it is OF political opponent,
whose efficient bond of union is antag
onism to the Democracy, to instruc
me out Of Office, | feel that my obiec
is accomplished. Ipresume there was
not a memberof the General Assembly
whose will is embodied in that docu
ment, who did not know that no human
consideration would induce me to sup,
port the measures which find such ia
yor in their eyes. So lar as respect.
myself, it was the vacation of the offic,
that was hoped tor.
Mr., President, strange doctrines are
abroad, and strange organizations ar,
employed 10 promulgate and enforc,
them. Our political history contains
no such chapter in the progress of ou
country as that which is now opening
The grave questions OF constitutional
ity and policy which have been so ons
the battle cry OF parties are contemptu
ously rejected, ,and intolerance, religion.
and political, finds jealous, and it may
be, they will prove successful advocates
in the middle Of the nineteenth centu
ry, 5oasting, with much Self.compIa.
cency, OF its intelligence, and in thi.
free country, founded upon emigration
and grown prosperous and powerful by
liberation,
1t is system Of prescription, which
would exclude the Inst General who
fell at the head of an organized Amer
ican army-and nobIy and gallant,
did he fall, while fighting for our infan
liberties, under the walls OF Quebec
from all political confidence, because
he happened TO be born on the wrons
side OF the Atlantic; and would exclud,
also the last surviving signer OF tn
Declaration Of Independence from an,
similar token of regard, because h,
was catholic. What ii these enrinen
leaders in our revolutionary cause wer
living 10 witness this appeal to loca
and sectarian prejudices! But Mon
gomery and Carroll went to their grave
with the weights Of no such ingrat itud
on their hearts.
Two great parties, equally altache,
to the principles Of our government, bu
differing upon many questions of ad
ministration, and alternately borne t,
power and driven from it, and whethe
in place or out of it, watching eacI
other with jealous scrutiny, present
wise and fortunate arrangement for tn
preservation OF freedom, and for guard
ing against the abuse OF authority
Such has been our condition, and wei
and wisely has its work been DONE
What new experiment is needed9-
What more does this lately awakened
zeal propose? As a country we are il
possession Of everything the heart o.
man can desire--power, intelligence
prosperity, happiness, abundance, tree
dom, equally, the religion OF God ant
respect OF man--all the elements, in
deed, which give value to social life o
security for the duration of politica
blessings. We want no new parties
no new platforms, no new organiEa
tions, and the sooner these dangerou,
efforts are abandoned, the better will i
be Tor US and for those who are to fol.
low us in this heritage OF freedom.-
During the process OF freedom. Du,
ring the process of constructing a par
ty upon this narrow basis OF exclusion
humbly affecting to know nothing
while resolutely determined to direc