American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-07-12
SPEECH OF A. j. DONELSON,
AT NEW YORK.


and private secretary of Andrew Jackson.
The ratification meeting held at che Park
on the evening ofthe 18th.
Mr.. Donelson began by saying: :.
The mention of my name on this impor-
tant occasion, in connection with The Her
mitage, and the hero and patriot thaoeword
recalls 10 your memory, is a sufficient in
dlction of the thought that is uppermost in
your mind. and TO which must address,
myself. You desire to hear how Ia0n old
friend and relative Of Andrew Jackson
his private secretary during his PreSiden.
= cy, aud for more than thirty yearsS-up to-
the lasthours ofhis life. enjoying the freest
access 10 all his papers, and matQ@nning
the most intimate and Confidential relations
with him-can defend the principlssef tho
newly organized American party. Listen
10 me, fellow citizens: and think Il can
sstisfy you not only that AN consistent,
but that every motive of patriotism and
public duty demands Of me the abandon
nisnt ofa partv which no longer practices
tho old fashioned democracy Of Jefferson,
Madison and Jackson. but has done all that
itcould bring into discredit the most essen
tial and characteristic features of that de
mocracy. aa-t2
HOW GENERAL PIERCE CAME INTO POWER
Franklin Pierce came into power, to use
"a sea phrase. iutfe wake of the Compro.
mise of 1859. That measure, carried
through by the united action of such states
men as Clay. Webster. Cass and Houston,
enlisted the sympathies OF the American
people, and was welcomed in every corner
ofour widespread Union rs rebuke to
those factions which had abored under
the curb OF State rights, to bring the Fed
eril an'l State authorities IN open conflict
with each other.
Al several places in New England Mr.
Pierce stigmatized the opponents of lhat
measure as moral traitors He went so far
as 10 compliment me for my services in
what he called battle Of Union. He de-.
clared that in that battle he stood where
General Jackson did. Now call to mind
what General Jackson did-what he said.
and what the Democratic party maintain
ed when tho country wasin the crisis to
which Mr. Pearce alluded. Do you re.
member the ordinance of South Carolinia
arming her citizens, establishing test oaths,
and declaring her determination to carry
into execution her threat Of notification? +?
Tho proclamation of General Jackson,
denouncing the whole proceeding as uuau
thorzed. rebelious, and trailorous?-tho
force bill passed by Congress with great
promptness enabling the President to re-
ciby force all opposition to the execution
OF the laws? And then. gentlemen, dc
you remember the unanimity with which
not only the Democratic party applauded
Its President, but how the great body o
the American people, looking above party
and surveying only the good OF the coun
try, camo forward by thousands nndthou
sands to testify their respect for a states
man who faltered not in the performance
ofa high constitutional duty, Mr.. Joffer
son had said of Gel raj Jackson, af
ter the victory OF New Orleans, that h,
filed the measure Of his country's glory
But the patriotic American people pro
claimed, when the old hero carried tn,
Constitution unhurt through the struggle
with notification, that his name woul
hereafter stand by the side of Washington
as the proserver Of the Union Yes, zen
temen, 1t was here. in New York, thG
countless thousands came forward to gree
the old hero, and New England, not le,
than New York, salutod with tho aeclamf
ton OF joy and love the man who, whe
the satisfy of the Constitution was threa
cned deel red fearless that he would n,
survive its fall, but would uphold it, com
what might.
After speaking Of this as the practice
iaSa. the speaker referred to the action
Fierce concerning tho Missouri Compron
Use. He spoke Of the existence Of two pa
tiss--the Aboltionists in the North an
the Nulifers in the South.
GENERAL rIERoE's APPOINTMENTS.
This party at the South (sad the speal
er)had an organ whose columns leeme
with tho dirtiest abuse Of every man wi
would not subscrihs to its scheme of holc
ing Southern Congress, with powers II,
only 10 decare the Compromise unconst
tutional but 10 provide for its reslstenc
precisely as South Carolina had done
1892.
When the great and lamentable Webst
delivered his speech, on the occasion
laying Ihe coTnet-btone OF the new caplto
the response OF this Southern rights Den
ocratic sheet was. that it was vain cer
mony--that tho people Of the South shoul
be- putting their arms in order, to attac
the North. instead Of INDUCING hopes f
the preservation of the Union Cent,
men, one Of the first acts OF Mr.. Pier,
was TO give tho editor OF that dsunio
sheet an important consul r and diplomat
Office. Aud il you examine the charact,
ofhis appointments generally. you wi
find that in every quarter of the countl
they have been marked by an open col
tempt for his profession as a friend Of Il
doctrines Of the Democratic party Ye
gentlemen, l sert, without the fear
successful refutation from any quarter, III
the conduct Of President Pierce is disti
guisbed, if distinguished for anything.
insidious opposition to the doctrine alwa
maintained by the Democratic party
the subject of State rights.
ms IDEAS OF PIERcE PRESCRIPTION
f% We have seen (said Mr.. d. numero
illustrations of this fact in the recent CO
duct Of the British, French and Germs
governments, and even Turkey; but he
IN the United States, where public opinit