Washington sentinel., 1855-07-21
fomthe Democratic partyl souniversallr was this

givings Of our own candidate, burst the bands of
party, and rallied to the opposition banner We
have one Of the most distinguished speakers of
that heated contest inou mind-a Wing then, as
now--who proclaimed from the hustings in every
speech he delivered that 9 General Harrison
tras IS good an aai-Jank man--as good an anil
tariff man-ds good an GnG-disiribution man-as
good an dnti-iaternd improvement man, as any
mfmbCr n hr Democratic party - Was this, then,
your platform, NIessrs hteligcnccr We reckon
not, or why, General Harrison being dead,
was John Tyler repudiated by you short
month after your Administration came into
power: Next came the contest Of IS44 This
time you put forth your strength in your greatest
and nobest leader, and the name Of Henry Clay
shone in bright characters upon every banner.
We viii frankly admit, that this was an honest
contest upon principle, and the principles repu-
dated by the whole Wing party in 1910, were
platform other than that, which the life and poll
teal career Of Henry Clay carried with them.
In 1913, dispiriteds by the defeat of your pria,-
cipiD in IA, You again adopted the military de-
vice, and General Zachary Tay lor, flushed with
the brilliant victories of great military cam
paign, was entrusted with your standard. Where
was this grand platform then--this mighty work
that has stood firm, fresh, and sound, under
the storms OF half a century, Did you dare
use the word rcspcctully-to publish any
platform then: Did you not, as in lS40, repu-
date your principles, and rely upon the freaks
OF chance for the administration Of themi Was
not this so much the case, that in one section of
the country General Taylor was claimed as III
favor Of one set of principles, and in another
section quite different set Of principles; Nay,
more: was il not always i'll doubt whether or not
General Taylor was Wig Democrat
Where, then, was this ''Great Wing platform -
this fire and water proof Wing platform, which
had withstood the storms and vicissitudes of all
political weather, and we are free to admit it had
grem ra,icty 10 withstand
Next came the contcst-and the last Of the
series embraced in the fifteen years we have
taken-of 1852. Still welded less to its primer
pass over the claims that the conservative and
digniiied administration of Millard Fillmore
should have given him, and, dropping that gen
tleman, gave To General Scott the honor of It's
leadership. Here, we think, we remember there
was kind of platform; but by no means such
one as our neighbor described. II was a vague
and feeble cnuncaton of principles, which a
portion Of the Whig party itself would not
adopt. General Scott, in his august person, it
will be remembered, travelled through the coun-
try 10 assure the foreigners Of our land how much
he was enamoured Of their sweet brogue aud
dulcet accents. This became ''plank" in the
"great Wing platform" Has that ''plank' not
been lost neighbor-has that nail not been
rlstedi If not, where, then have sprung the prin-
ciples-adopted and endorsed by you, neighbor-
of your new ".imerican party" Is the Irish
brogue less sweet, the German accent less mel
lfuous, than when they fell upon the ear of your
great leader in 80, only three short years ago;
Or are these sons of Erin 50 ungruteful and OBJ
durate as 10 resist the destinations of your great
chieftain, and thus forfeit your regard and con-
sideration Verify this "Great Wing platform"
is the mighty marvel of the age!
We make bold, then, 10 say, we have proven
this ''great Whig platform" exists only in your
prurcnt imagnation-ts Of fancy's phan-
toms-a mere coinage Of the brain--the baseless
fabric Of vision. Nay, neighbor, there never
was 'great Whig PLATFORM" though but for
your unamiable comment upon the Democratic
platform, We had INDUCED you in your castle
building. You say that the constant repairs
which il has undergone leaves il scarcely frac-
ton Of lis original material. We scarcely know
how 10 treat, seriously, such an assertion as this
We believe that every candid contemporary in
the country, even Of the opposition, would smile
at this, for we challenge the Inisilgencer 10 poiut
TO a single instance where the principles Of the
Democratic party have not been clearly an
nounced, or where any convention has not bound
its nominee TO the support Of those principles.
We thus pass over this extraordinary assertion,
unworthy Of our further notice, because entirely
unsupported by the facts Of the case. But the
InitHigencer further adds: "The latter (the Dem
ocratic patform) has one advantage over its rival
at every repair an opportunity was afforded Of
extending is area, that greater number Of
people could stand upon il and swear fealty to
the sorereign Of our great country" Sorefeign
Of our great country! What sovereign; Does
the hisiiigencer mean 10 say, the President Of the
United States is the sorereign Of the country;
We have always known and deplored the federal
and centrazing proclivitcs Of our -.leighbor, but
we never dreamed that he carried thcm to the
extent Of admitting any one man, administration,
o. party, as "sorsrsign" Of our great country
We Of the Democratic party acknowledge no 80
yeregnty, but tie sovereignty Of the States Of the
Union The Federal Government Is their crea-
TIRE, and the President Of the United States their
serrani But the fnteiiigencer ieers at the sex
tension Of the area" Of the Democratic platform
lf the platform is based upon principles then It's
area must be increased whercsoever those princi-
pies point There can be no cireumscription Of
the area principles-and il is a chief beauty in
the Democratic platform that il can extend the
area Of those principles TO suit the exgencies Of
the times and the progress Of the world. Because
thirteen States originally composed this confedc-
racy, should no others be admitted members Of
it--and ir admitted 70 full membership, shall the
Administration not be required 70 increase and
- =. IL a