The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1855-07-07

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to declare the compromise unconstitutional,
but to provide for its resistance. precisely as
South Carolina had done in 1899. when
the great and lamcnted Webster delivered his
speech on the occasion of LAYING the corner
of the few capitol the response of this South
crn Rights democratic sheet was, that it was
a vain ceremony-that the people of the
South should be putting their arms in order,
to attack the North, Instead of INDUCING
hopes for the preservation of the Union.
Gentlemen one Of the first acts of Mr..
Pierce was to give the editor of that disunion
sheet an important Consular and Diplomatic
office. And if you examine the character of
his appointments generally You will find that
IN every quarter of the country they have
been marked by an open contem pit for his
profession asa friend Of the doctrines Of tie
Democratic party.
| les, gentlemen, | assert, without the fear
OF successful rcfutation from any quarter,
that the conduct Of President Pierce is dis
hhgnlshcd. If distinguished for anything, for
lnsldous opposition to the doctrine always
maintained by the Democratic party on the
subject of State rights. Mr.. Madison has
told us over and over again that his party in
1923, rcpudlatcd the doctrine of notification
as claimed by South Carolina in 1892 and as
insisted OH by the Southern Convention as
Scinblcd ut Nashville. You remember the
celebrated letter of Mr.. Madison III which he
thanks Mr.. Webster for his able rcfutation
of the absurd idea that II State could enforce
her own construction of the cor.Stitutonaltv
against the consent Of the other States, and
the decisions Of the Supreme Court. The
records of Tammany Hall will also bear wit
ness that the party supporting Mcssrs JEFF
tcrson and Madison during the time Of en-.
barge and up TO the aSScmhlagc of the Hart
ford Convention, maintained every where in
Congress and out of Congress, that the Gen
cral Government possessed the power Of re-
moving any and every obstruction to the cx-
cruiion of the laws passed in pursuance of
the Constitution.
advert to these great and leading facts to
remind you where stood and where Cen
jackson stood, and where the Democratic
Party stood, on this doctrine Of State Rights.
Suppose. gentlemen that in 1900 Mr.. JEFF
lcrSon had lavlshcd his favors on those who
passed the alien and Scdition laws-or that
the war party in 1872 had called to the cabi-
net or the chi,fmilitary commands, men who
held out blue lights to the enemy, of that
ten. jackson in carrying ont his measures
against the Bank Of the United States. or
the system OF internal improvements as adj
vocatcd by MIR. Adams, should have given
the high places of Government to his oppo-
ncnts-would You not have called the policy
OF doing so suicidal and unjust ?-Supposc
that III 1882 Cabinet had been formed of
men who opposed the policy of the Govern
mcnt and the sentiment of the country in
respect to the doctrine of notification and
secession. what would hcpcople have thought
OF 1t! 10 ask such question seems almost
to insult the common intelligence. for even in
the worst Government IN Europe il is admit
ted that public measures of importance can
only DC entrusted to those who are friendly to
such measures, and that when the measures
change the men to execute them must change
accordingly
We have seen numerous illustrations Of
this fact in the recent conduct of the British.
French and German Governments. and even
in Turkey. But here in the United States,
where public opinion is omnipotcnt, where
discussion is as free as the air, and where
the statesman looks to the people for reward,
elevation and rcnown, when his labors and
services cntitc him to he considered the au-
thor of system calculated to aid the pros
prity, preservation and happiness of the
country. President Franklin Piece under
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mage Of Office can SupcIccdc the relation be-
tween measure and its supporter and that
| the true way to govern people is to conci-
ate parties by giving place to leaders without
reference to their agency in defeating or adj
vancing the great principles of vnuous adj
ministration. You have had the evidence.
gentlemen, of this doctrine in your own CITY.
when you saw the noble and honest Bronson
! thrown dawn n,,1 uh,5 hcco,e, Ia, ,,..,,I,l
not become instrument ofa miserable attempt
to conciliatc aboitonists and frccsocrs, by
selling out the Custom House offices to them,
as the huckstcr docs his beef and his corn.
And the spectacle which you have witnessed
has been felt in every quarter of this wide
Union.
Now. compare the practice of this admin
lstralion on this subject with that of General
jackson, or every and all of his professors.
The maxim has been to look to honesty, f.
deity and capacity, and above all not to
bring the patronage of the federal government
into conflict with the freedom of elections.
Why, gentlemen, so far from looking to
these conditions in the use Of the appointing
power, it seems to be the duty of the Attor-
ney General to telegraph or cause to lie tclc-
graphed, on the eve of important elections,
just what is necessary to defeat candidates
who have not given in the adhesion to this
new school doctrine about States rights.
Look at Washington, and what do you see
there that changes the view have taken of
President Pcrces inlidellty to the great
principles of Democracy Did you ever
hear of Mr. Marcy's standing by anybody or
helping anybody because he took the true
position i'll the great battle which Mr.. Pierce
declared was necessary to be fought in order
to save the country from the abotionlsts and
nulliiicrs? From the time he betrayed Mr..
Van Buren,, when the scheme of the sub
treasury was first started has lie ever been
known to risk thought. or venture an act.
calculated to rescue the right from the wrong?
Long and difficult persuasion induced him to
preside over some meeting where an effort
was made to heal the party division in the
State by recognizing acquicscenc in the COM
promise as the duty CT all members of the
party, but no one ever heard of him when the
measure remained for months and months
the captive of the malignant passion brought
into action by the nullifcrs Of the North and
the South.
Turn next to the War Department. filled
by the chvalrous gentlemen from Mississippi
pl. After doing all he could to nflame the
people of the South, he takes the back track
| whom hn finds thoy conlI MT l,o ;p,l,,oa3 IN