The American patriot., 1855-07-07
Great Mass Meeting in New York.

Great Mass Meeting in New York.
A,dre,o Jackson Donezson-Natire american.
ism-.lodern Democracy.
n, the occasion Of the ratification Of the
Philadelphia platform in New York the largest
and most enthusiastic Mass meeting was held
over known to be assembled in that city. The
crowd was SO immensely large that one or two
orators could not possibly address the people.
Six stands were erected and as many orators
were holding forth at once during the entire
day. Americans were present from every
portion of the Union endorsing what their re-
presentatives in the convention had done. The
Northern and the Southern man stood togeth-
er upon their common platform with perfect
unanimity of principle and feeling. Anti.slave-
ry prejudice and sectional differences of opinion
were scattered to the winds and all agreed to
come up with one mind and with undivided
effort to the support Of the Constitution as it
was All felt that was no time to talk of the
North and the South and the sectional differ
ences which have been agitated between them
in times gone by. A great national cancer
was preying on the vitals of our country, the
wicked tendencies of foreign influence, and this
the Native American party would remedy.
Many Of the multitude of distinguished per-
sonages present delivered speeches, and among
the number Andrew jackson Donelson, the
adopted son of Old Hickory. This gentleman
was the private Secretary Of Gen. jackson,
and for many years was his most intimate bo-
som companion. He of all others should be
conversant with the character and political ten
ents Of that ironlike man, whose precepts have
become national, and whose doctrines we all
would practice. He complains that the mo-
dern democracy have sadly and widely erred
from the steps of his father, and he cannot, as
the only representative of that national name,
tolerate the doctrines now put forth as the
creed of the true democracy. The principles
Of Native Americanism, he indorscs with his
whole soul, and he intends to work in the cause
with his whole strength
Reader, if your purpose is to search out that
which is good and true, if you would rescue
the right doctrine from beneath the immense
mass of rubbish, misstatemcnts, slander and
villiication, which has been heaped upon our
faith with design to smother it, reader, give
the following speech a careful and thorough
perusal, study it we'll and treasure up its pre-.
cepts in your mind %,
Speech Of Hon. Andrew Donelson.
The mention Of my name, on this important
occasion, in connection with the hermitage,
and the hero and patriot that word recalls to
your memory, is sufficient indication of the
thought that is uppermost in your mind, and to
which must address myself You desire to
hear how l, an old friend and relative of An.
drew .Jackson's,-his private Secretary during
his Presidency, and for more than thirty years
up to the last hours Of his life, enjoying the
freest access to all his papers, and maintaining
the most intimate and confidential relations
with him,-can defend the principles of the
newly organized American party. Listen to
me, fellow citizens, and think can satisfy
you, not only that am consistent, but that
every motive of patriotism and public duty de-
manded Of me the abandonment of party
which no longer practices the old fashioned de-
mocracy of Jefferson, Madison and jackson,
uut HAS u)iic all tildl IL COulu u UTluK luLO
discredit the most essential and characteristic
features Of that Democracy.
Franklin Pierce came into power, to use a
sea phrase, in the wake of the compromise Of
1850. That measure, carried through by the
united action Of such statesman as Clay, Web.
ster, Cass, and Houston, enlisted the sympa.
thies Of the American people, and was welcom-
ed in every corner of our wide spread union as
rebuke to those factions which had labored,
under the garb of State rights, 10 bring the Fed
eral and State authorities in open conflict with
each other. At several places in New England
Mr. Pierce stignatized the opponents of that
measure as moral traitors. He went SO far as
TO comp'im II: me for my services in, what he
called, battle for the Union.-He declared
that in that battle he stood where Gen. Jack.
son did.
Now call to mind What General jackson did
what he said, and what the Democratic
party maintained when the country was in the
crisis to which Mr.. Pierce alluded. Do you
remember the ordinance of South Carolina,
srming her citizens. establishing test oaths
and declaring her determination to carry into
execution her threat qualification. The pro-
clamation of General jackson, denouncing the
whole proceeding as unauthorized, rebellious
and traitorous--the force bill passed by Con-
sress with great promptncss enabling the Pre-
sdent to repel by force all the opposition to the
execution of the laws. And then, gentlemen,
do You remember the unanimity with which
not only the Democratic party applauded its
President, but how the great body of the Ame-
rican people looking above party and survey
ing only the good Of the country, came forward
by thousands and thousands to testify their re-
spect for statesman who faltcrcd not in the
pefIOfmanCp ~ r..
Jefferson had said of Gen. jackson. after the
victory ofNew Orleans, that he filed the meas.
ure of his country's glory-But the patriotic
American neon]e nroclaimed whom thu o,a T..