The true Democrat., 1855-11-06
Speech of s. Fl. Hempstead,
At the Mass Meeting of the Democracy i
 Saline County. 27th Oct. 1855.

Speech of s. Fl. Hampstead,
 At the Mass Meeting of the Democracy in
 Saline County, 27th Oct, 1855.
 have come here to-day to respond, in per son, to your kind invitation, and to unite with the democracy of Saline in mass meeting- Without any pending election to bring out the masses, yet the great number here evince the deepinterest that is felt in the question between Democracy and Know N Nothingism. It is the ab- sorbing question of the day, and mean to speak to it plainly but justly, and I hope without offence to any one who may differ with me in opinion. I have ever been democrat, and expect to remain one whilst live It is a faith that has strengthened with my strength and grown with my growth, and I am unable to see any thing in the past or the present that ought to induce any man to abandon the ancient and time -honored principles of our party, or waver in their support, or despair of their suc- cess.
 Our country numbers twenty-five millions of people, and they are prosperous and happy. The national flag floats over our territory from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Thirty -one sove- reign States and five territories, form our con- federacy. It has been estimated that if our in- crease in population is as rapid in the future as it has been in the past, and we remain united. century will probably place this nation in point of numbers, beside the three hundred millions of the Chinese empire, and far in ad- vance of her in every thing that can elevate or add to the dignity and comfort of man.
 Such results have been and may be attained by an adherence to democratic principles, be- cause they lie at the foundation of the best government in the world, and why any one should be disinclned to embrace them is really unaccountable
 If the Know Nothing party is in the likeness of any thing in the heavens above, or the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth it must find many of its features in the Orangeism of Ireland and the Carbneria of Italy. It is made up of the bulk of the old whg party :; although there are proud and elevated whigs acting from principle, who would scorn to attach themselves to it, or give it the slightest coun- tenance and who, in the present emergency, will act with the democrats, or have separate organization to oppose the mad schemes of their late coadjutors.
 The Know Nothing party is inimical to the democracy-is an old acquaintance in new dress, and although some democrats have been brought into it, by misrepresentation of its objects, it is reasonable to presume that they will leave it in disgust when they observe, as they soon must that the real design of this order is the entire destruction of the democratic party, now the only national party in existence, and the only one to which any one can look for the maintenance of the constitution and the preservation of the Union.
 Know Nottingham claims to have arisen on the ruins of the whig and democratic parties ; but as recent elections have very clearly indi- cated good deal of life in the latter, we may fairly presume that it is the whg party only that is ruined. And in this fact was found the motive for reconstructlng new one. In past periods, the whigs under there leaders came into the political arena, proclaimed their doc trnes openly-banks, tariffs, distribution, check of the veto power, opposition to acquisitions of territory, and were uniformly defeated. The American people neither admiring their prnci- pies, nor impressed with their utility, indig- nantly and even sternly rejected them. No such rulers as whig rulers were wanted; and it may be noted that the foreign population, gen. rally republican in their sentiments, naturally fell into the democratic ranks
 Such was the condition of things when the Mexican war commenced. As party they were completely prostrated to rise no more, and could not hope to gain ascendency in the gov ernment by standing again on their political principles.
 Ever ready to turn every thing to advantage the victories on the Rio Grande, opened to them a new prospect, and offered an available candi- date for the presidency in the person of General Taylor. They pressed his name and military fame into their service as eagerly as they un- gratefully and even rudely put their former leaders aside. General Taylor had been bred as it were in the army-had been in camps and garrisons, and in the tented field for forty years had not studied or perhaps read the constitution of the United Statcs-had never held civil offices; and, as he honestly confessed, was igno- rant of the duties and affairs of government He had not mingled in the politics of the day, and hence if he had any political principles they were unknown. That gallant soldier was the most available candidate the whgs could possibly have selected, and although his inl. mate friends knew that, to the extent of his knowledge, he was a thorough whg in every thing, yet, as the people at large were led to believe he was no party man, and had no friends to reward or enemies to punish; they voted for him, and he was elected presdent.- Admiration for his military services, gave him thousands of votes-democrats voted for him because they were deceived into the belief that he was "no party man;" but, the election over, they were undeceived, when they saw officials in the highest and lowest offices pro- scribcd, and whigs rewarded with their places. The wings succeeded, not by putting their prn- ciples forward, but by keeping them back; and thus they had joyful jubilee But every jubilee must end and the time came to put up another candidate for the presidency, and as they had had such excellent success with one military hero, they could not resist the tempta- tiou of setting out another in "the wild hunt after office." And so General Scott, the first soldier of his time, received their endorsement as proper man. Now, it so happened that the General although of the army too, had been something of politician in his way, and having no mean idea of his abilities, had brought his opinions before the public somewhat promi- nently in the form of letters and speeches. His devotion to the whig party was undeniable, and his principles had been and were those of