Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-03

questions. | must say, by way of introduction,
as this is the first opportunity that have had for
some time, of addressing the Democracy of New
York, that cannot but congratulate you upon
4 the great improvement in one particular which
I des re TO mention among others, in the system
which we now have OF meeting together and
/ const ierng public questions When look upon
the order and decorum, the dignity and concert
of an assemblage like the present, which i'm
press most strongly by contrast with the
scene OF confusion and turmoil, and rowdysm,
\ while. are the characteristic of Tammany Hall.
| lCrie Of "good, good, and applause And,
\ fellow Democrats, am pleased in another point
OF vie w, for must say, that within the past few
! days | have heard so much croaking about the
possib ility Of getting up a demonstration of the
Nato nal Democracy in this city, that had be-
gun to have must with shame confess it, some
doubt upon the subject; but when ! in a
leadin e journal of this morning, public intima-
! ton aat the National Democracy were extn-
guisht ID, and that this meeting would be "fzze"
! Ito Use its own expression--l knew that that
annou ncement would appeal to every one who
boasts with pride of belonging to that great and
gallaf 1t party, and that the result would be we
see II has been tonight, an overwhelming demon
stratlo II of public sentiment in favor of our prn-
ciples. Applause.
| Int ne name of the National Democracy thank
that ,urnal for this additional contribution TO the
cause of good principles and sound democratic
doctri mes, to which it has already contributed in
| SO mi my instances, in its able and influential
colum ms. MIR. President, this is indeed an inter
estng juncture in the public affairs Of country,
| and l am glad of the opportunity afforded by the
call OF the meeting to have chance in common
with ny fellow citizens, to consider the condition
| and pr aspects of the National Democratic party.
| When we look back for two years--when we look
| back o the period Of lS52--we remember the
Demo cratic party were completely triumphant
over L ne nation; we remember that more than
three ourths of the States gave in their adhesion
| to the principles adopted tonight in the resou-
| tons cad; we remember that we then looked for
ward 20 long career of peace, of prosperity, and
OF free 'dom from sectional discord-to the Absence
| in the future, of sectional agitation. Unhappy,
howeI rer, to-day, when survey the political
| field, we find that great party, which then
| trium plant ITSELF had almost said well nigh
prostr eteddivided in State after State, and the
| reins of government in many of the States given
INTO u he hands of incompetent and unworthy
1t viii not be profitable to detan you by recur-
renee to all the causes and Influences which pro-
duced this great change 1t is sufficient for us to
| know that we are not in the condition we were in
IN Is. Y, and that great, and victorious and uni
ted ell orts on the part OF those who approved Of
primer pies is necessary TO restore the ascendency
| OF the statesmen and the principles of the Demo-
cratic faith. Power in this country now is com
| mitte' TO the hands of three four sets of ia
natlcs - may say, in word, that il is commit
ted to the hands of fanaticsm and of fanatics I'M
! der ifferent forms. In some States we have the
| kno, y-nothing party triumphant. in others, we
| have the abolition element in the ascendant; and
else' where, the leading idea, perhaps, of those in
pow or seems to be the passage of prohbitory
hqu, r laws. These three subdivisions Of fanati-
cism now maintain almost undsputed sway in
| the Northern, the Eastern, and the Western
Stat es, with here and there only an occasional
exec ption; and till this tide of fana.icsm, which,
orig mating in the East, had swept the North and
Yves t, till the tide undertook to spread its force
agar nst the rocks and mountains Of Virginia, it
| seen led to find no obstacle that could resist its
lmpe tus. As has been well said, the waves of
fana acisln dashed and broke against the hills of
virg nia-Iapplausel THAT great and glorious
State true to its history, faithful to its principles
and traditions, loyal to the memory of the great
men whom it has given to the nation, devoted
now, as always, to the great principles of the de-
moor attic faith in this one of the darkest hours in
the istory of the party-comes up TO the work
and oyerwhelms its opponents within its own
boun DIARIES, and proves TO you, men of New York,
all ~ need IS courage, devotion, and determine
ton TO initiate that glorious example, and restore
the lag of your State to its former proud po-
stio n. lApplause.l Gentlemen, it is to this
task OF reinvigorating and recognizing the Ma
| ton al Democracy, and Of marshalling it for the
| gree I fight before us of next autumn, and the
grei tier fight Of 1856 in the Presidential contest
| that propose TO invite your attention TO a few
brie observations. This victory can only be won,
Graf &c party upon principles; and there can be no
hop es in our ranks of such organization of that
par ty unless well defined principles be laid down
| and distinctly enunciated and cordially and hon
estl agreed to obey those with whom we are to
CO.. operate. How prominent among the great
1881 les which will enter into the next national
con test are the questions of Know nothingism
and the old issue of slavery, it up in the
| Ne oraska bill. In this State and some others,we
vii add to these issues, and we will place it con-
sp euously upon our flag, the issue of the repeal
of the prohibitory liquor law. Applause.
| th ok, gentlemen, that although we are out of
po' yer, there is consolation in the contest be-
| for 0 us, and that is, that nobody Of any conse-
qu' snce has taken our place. Laughter and aj-
| pla use. Take Massachusetts, for instance, as
| an exemplihcation of the Know-nothng gentle
| me u. We cannot get inside Of her lodges unless
we turn spies and play tricks upon them, and
| that would hardly be fair to such honorable gen.
| tie men they are. We don't know much of
thu mr. mysteries, but it is not necessary to dive in
| TO those to ascertain their purposes. We can find
tbs I by looking at grave legislative bodies. They
/ an we can discover the ends, results and char
ac,;eristcs Of their administration, by looking al
| the. laws they pass, and those they appoint and
| eluct Lot us look for instant at the doings Of
| NJ ASA chusetts for the past year, and let re-
| ,mber that il is that Massachusetts, where the
1 ba tile of Bunker Hill was fought-that il is that
| Massachusetts where Hancock lived which was
| the home Of Daniel Webster Applause And
10 what has il fallen' Into the hands of the
know-nothings. They carried Massachusetts, as
no State has been carried in this country. be-
lieve there was only single member elected of
the six hundred that belonged 10 any party but
the Know -nothings; and | ask you how many
mon composing that Legislature you have heard
of-how many names of those gentlemen can you
| repeat?
| Several Voices-Hiss- laughter and Kisses
| Mr.. Sickles--So | thought. One man, them
| out of The six hundred representatives of the
| know-nothings Of Massachusetts,, only has irnmor-
talized himself But this is not ALL Mr.. Hiss's
performances were only an illustration Of the
manner in which they proposed to reform the
educational establishments Of Massa chusetts.
But they did not stop at improving the schools Of
that state, they have gone on to teach the South
notification. il has been heretofore supposed
that tho doctrines of notification were confined
pretty mnch to South Carolina; and no State has
been more eloquent, moro energetic, more severe
in denunciaton Of notification, than the State Of
| Massachusetts, that is TO say, when the nulifca-