Washington telegraph., 1855-07-25

party. Yes. gentlemen. I assert without
the fear of successful refutation from anv
quarter, that the conduct of President
Pierce is distinguished, if distinguished for
anything, for insidious opposition to the doe
trine always maintained by the Democratic
party on the subject of State rights Mr..
Madison has told us over and over again,
that his party in 1898 repudiated the doc
trine of notification as claimed BY South
Carolina ip 1892 and as insisted on by he
Southern Convention assembled at Nash
vile.
You remember the celebrated letter of
Mr.. Madison, in which he thanks Mr.. Web
ster for his able refutation of the absurd
idea that State could enforce her own con-
structiof of the constitution against the con-
sent of the other States, and the decisions
of the Supreme Court. The records of
Tammany Hall will bear witness that the
party supporting Messrs. Jefferson and Mad
ison during the embargo. and up to the as
sembling of the Hartford Convention, main
tanned everywhere, in Congress and out of
Congress. that the general government pos
sessed the power of removing any and eve
ry obstruction to the execution of the laws
passed in pursuance of the constitution.
advert to these great and leading facts to re-
mind you where l stood. and where Gen1
jackson stood, and where the Democratic
party stood, on this doctrine of State rights.
Suppose. gentlemen, that in 1900 Mr. JEFF
ferson had lavished his favors on those who
passed the alien and sedition laws-or that
the war party in 1872 had called to the cabi-
net.or the chief military commands, men who
held ont the blue lights to the enemy or
that Gen. jackson, in carrying out his mea-
sures against the Bank of the United States,
or the system of internal improvements as
advocated by Mr. Adams. should have Civ
eE his high places of government to his op-
ponents-would you not have called the
policy suicidal and unjust Suppose that
in 1882 cabinet had been formed of men
who opposed the policy of the government
and the sentiment of the country in respect
to the doctrine of notification and seces-
sion. what would the people have thought
of it?
To ask such a question seems almost to
insult the common intelligence. for even in
the worst government in Europe it is ad-
mitted that public measures of importance
can only be intfusted to those who are
friendly to such measures. and that when
the measures change, the men to execute
them must change accordingly We have
seen numerous illustrations of this fact in
the recent conduct of the British, French,
and German governments, and even III Tur-
key but here in the United States, where
public opinion is omnipotent-whered dis
cussion is as free as the air, and where the
statesman looks to the people for reward. el-
ovation and renown. when his labors and
services entitle him to be considered the
author of a system calculated to aid the
prosperity, preservation. and happiness of
the country. President Franklin Pierce un-
dertakes to set up the doctrine that the pa
tronage of office can suPercede the relation
between measure and its supporters, and
that the true way to govern people is to
conciliate parties by giving place to leaders
without reference to their agency in defeat
ing or advancing the great principles of a
virtuous administration.
You have had the evidence. gentlemen, of
this doctrine in your own city, when you
saw the noble and honest Bronson thrown
down and crushed because he would no, be-
come the instrument of miserable attempt
by selling out the Custom House offices to
them as the hucksterer does his beef and
his corn. And the spectacle which you
have witnessed has been felt in every quar-
ter of this wide Union Now, compare the
practice of this administration on this sub
ject with that of Gen. jackson, or every
aud all of his predecessors The maxim
has been to look to honesty, fidelity, and ca
pacity: and, above all. not to bring the pa
trOnage of the Federal Government into
conflict with the freedom of elections
Why, gentlemen, so far from looking to
these conditions in the use Of the appointing
power, it seems to be the duty of the Attor-
ney General to telegraph, or cause to be tel
egraphed, on the eve of important elections,
just what is necessary TO defeat candidates
who have not given in their adhesion to this
new-schooi doctrine of State rights Look
at Washington and what do you see there
that changes the view 1 have taken of Pres
ident Pierce's inidelity to the great princi-
pies of Democracy Did you ever hear Of
Mr. Marcy standing by anybody. or helping
anybody. because he took the true position
IN the great battle which Mr.. Pierce declar-
ed was necessary TO be fought in order to
save the country from the abolitionists and
nulli6ers
From the time he betrayed Mr. Van Bu-
ren, when the scheme of the Sub-Treasury
was first started, has he ever been known to
risk thought. or venture an act, calculated
to resene the right from the wrong? Long
and difficult persuasion induced him to pre-
side over some meeting where an effort was
made to heal the party division in this State,
by recognising acquie~cence in the compro-
mise as the duty of all members Of the par.
ty, but no one ever heard of him when the
measure remained for months and months
the captive of the malignant passion brough,