, 1855-03-17

FErLow-CrIzENs
The undersigned having been appointed
by the PIERCE County DEMOCRATIC CLuB,'
committee TO prepare circaar for the
consideration Of the democracy of the
county; and in the fuflment of that trust,
and in the discharge of that duty. we would
most respectfully urge upon You the pro-
priety and necessity Of strict and com.
plete political organization on the broad,
national and safe platform of the Demo,
cratic party.
Believing, as we do that those great
principles of our party rest at the founda-
tion Of our national prosperity, are the basis
Of all civil and religious liberty, and are as
star of hope to the oppressed naiioas Of
tIie world, to lead and guide them in the
path of Republican Liberty, as set forth in
the Declaration Of Independence, secured
ty the Constitution of the United States,
nnd acted upon End carried ont by the DEM
ocratic party of the country.
From the formation Of our government
to the present. time, there have at all tines
been political parties. At all times there
has been one great political party, denomi-
national in character, and progressive in its
tendency. They have at all times advoca-
ted and believed that the federal govern
ment was one Of restricted and limited
powers; that it was created by the sover-
eign states, with powers and duties clearly
defined and limited. That all powers not
delegated to it, remained with the states
and the people. Hence that party has al
ways been in favor Of a strict construction
of the constitution, believing that the lib
critics of the people depended mainly on the
sovereignty of each state.
For this reason, they have been opposed
to the creation, by Congress, of monster
corporationS-of granting of exclusive priv
ileges to few, of high protective tariff,
whose operation is TO tax the many to en-
rich the few. They believe in collecting no
more money from the people than is Snlfi-
cient TO defray the economical expens(s Of
the government, and when a surplus of rev.
enue has, or is about to accumulate, reduce
the tariff and lower the taxes. They have
at all times believed in the capablity of the
people for selfgovernment, believing and
trusting that the instincts Of mankind were
right on the great subject of liberty, wheth-
er born under a monarchy, despotism, or
constitutional government. They believe
that liberal principles are not the exclusive
growth Of any clilne-that they are not to
be encompassed by parallels of latitude
geographical limits, or confined within the
boundaries of nationalties. They believed
them to be inherent in men-immutably
right-self-existent and eternal.
These ore part Of the great doctrines
Of the democratic party. as laid down by
Thomas jefferson, the author of the Dcclu-
ration Of Independence, and the father Of
the democratic parry in the United States.
In the early history Of the organization
of parties in the United States, and oppos-
ed TO Mr.. Jefferson, stood Alexander Ham
ilton, the father Of the old federal party,
and promulgator Of the leading Odious doc
trines that are cherished by the different
fragments ofthat party at this day. Mr..
Hamilton was a brilliant orator and states
man, and was thought by many to possess
great political knowledge Mr.. Hamilton
had no confidence in the masses; he could not
believe that the people were capable of self
government; he did not hesitate to give his
preference for form of government similar
10 that of Great Britain--a limited monar-
chy-with a King, Lords and Commons,
with wealthy landed aristOcracy to rule,
and people burthened with taxes aud
rents, TO obey. In fact. it was the reitera-
tion Of the old dogma, that the many were
made for the few. No wonder, with such
discordant elements in the first ndminislra-
ofn Mr I.N. nm
and Mr.. Hamilton, that separate party or
CARNATIONS would be created. No wonder
that The laboring masses followed Mr.. JEFF
ferson; and men Of large expectations, who
wished TO live of the government, by filling
places Of honor and profit, to the exclusion
Of others, followed Mr.. Hamilton. In the
first contest Of the parties for the admins
tration Of the government, Mr.. jefferson
and Mr. Adams were the opposing candi-
dates Of the par les. The federal party
was successful, aud Mr.. Adams was elected.
But the triumph Of federalism was short /;
for at the end Of his first term Of Office, Mr..
Jefferson, again his opponent, was elected
by an overwhelming majority. Short as
Mr.. Adams administration was, he has left
his mark on the history Of the country, as
indelbly as any predecessor could have, or
ofany that should follow after him; but that
administration is only remembered by what
has long been considered, a gross aud u
great error in political life. One act was the
enactment by Congress, at the request Of
the President, Of the "alien and sedition
laws."' BY this law, the president was en-
powered to remove by force, from the Uni
ted States, any man Of foreign birth, that
he might consider obnoxious to the govern
ment: thus giving him as despotic power
as any tyrant might wish 10 use.
On the ascendancy of the democratic
party to power, with Mr.. Jefferson as pres.
ident, those obnoxious statutes were re-
pealed, and naturalization laws enacted for
The announcement Of the emilrra tim Of