The true Democrat., 1855-10-30
Speech of Hon. Arch'd Dixon,

J. N. HILLHoUSE Secretary.
 Speech of Hon. Arch'd Dixon,
 At a Meeting of the Democratic and Ma tiOnal men of the county of Henderson. Delivered at the Court-fI Ouse, in the city of Henderson, on Monday the 24th of
 September, 1855.
 MR. PRESIDENT
 Englan and France, long enemies, and waging the fercest conflicts with each other are now united as allies against the all -grasping power of the Czar of Russia, which seeks to break down the balance of power in Europe and render subordinate to 1t all other powers. So the old line whigs and democrats, long d- vlded upon questions of manor importance, are compelled from the circumstances of the times, to lay aside the subjects of their former divis- ions and strifes, and to meet together on a com mon platform-embracing in its great principles the preservation of the Union of the States of the constitution of the United States, and the rights of the citizens of all and every section of our country, as secured by the federal consti- tuition. To aid and assist in the maintenance of these rights he was willing to blot out all former party distinctions-to forget all former party names and to burn upon the altar of his country all his former party preudices. h. deed, he said that the great whig party with which he had been associated from the time he was old enough to take any part in politics, had ceased to exist as political organization; but the principles for which it had battled for more than quarter of a century were still living rincples--they lived in the hearts of thousands of patriots, and would continue to live there so long as there were men found to love their country and to aid in the defence of it's insti- tutions.
 His party, he said, had been nearly absorbed by the American party which had risen upon its ruins. To this party he had never attach ed hlmself--not because he doubted its patriot ism or devotion to the Union, for it numbered among its supporters some of the best and ab!est men ot the country-hut because he distIusted from the beginning its power to do good, or to save the country in its hour of danger and ex- tremty. This distrust had not been lessened, but confirmed by recent developments made by the American party in the free States. He said that his sympathies had been, and were now, ifnot with the American party south, with those who composed it. They were, most of them, his old political frends-they were true men-true to the old whig party so long as it had a political organizaton-true to the great principles which that party combined, and above all, true to the country. They were the men who, with the immortal Clay at their head, knew no north and no south-men of whom it might be said that all the ends they aimed at were their countrys, their Gods and truths. True to their ancient instincts they had made an honest effort, at Philadelphia to build up great national party--a party founded upon the constitution and it's sacred guarantees-that would be true at once to the people of the north and in the south-that, looking to the Union of the States as the great palladium of American freedom, would protect the rights of the people of every section of this great confe- deracv, against the aggressions of those, who, from whatever motive, might seek to destroy them; and in resisting such aggressons, feel that each effort they made was to uphold the constitution and preserve the Union-well knowing, as they did, that the great object of the constitution of the United States and of the Union of the States was the protection of State rights and of individual rights, and that every blow aimed at them was blow aimed at the constitution and the Union. Could they have succeeded in their noble and patriotic effort the country, would have been saved; but alas! for the times; the all embracing spirit of patriotism which animated the noble and immortal Web- Ster, and which he imparted to all classes of the people in the north whilst he lived, Gf it did not die with him) has ceased to guide the poli- tcal counsels of the north, and left the true men of the country without the support that is necessary to save the constitution and the Union.
 Fanaticism and blind and bitter hostility to the people of the south and southern insttu. tons is the foundation of all their political movements. Resistance to the slave power as they call it, when the slave power has never encroached upon any right, political or other wise, belonging to the people of the north has become a cardinal principle in nearly all of their political rituals; and so great is the extent to which they carry their opposition to the south and her institutions that on the 4th day of July, 1854-a day forever sacred to the cause of free- dom throughout the world--a party headed by the notorious Garrison, amidst bacchanalian shouts and wild hurahs, burnt the constitution of the United States in the streets of Boston, declaring that they preferred the freedom of the southern slave to the preservation of con- stitution which authorized his servitude and secured his services to the owner. have said that the southern members of the American par ty made noble and patriotic effort in their convention at Philadelphia, to build up na- tional partv-a party which, knowing no geo. graphical distinction, would be as ready to de- fend and protect the constitutional rights of the
 
 and in the defence of which the citizens of the extreme south might unite. But, unfortunately for them and their country, their effort proved a signal failure. Instead of great national party to defend the constitution and protect the Union, two great sectional parties, like the fabled goddess that sprang from the brain of upiter, leapt full armed to do the country evil, from the deliberations of the convention- Fourteen northern and western States united on common platform in oppositonto to the con- stitutiona rights of the citizens of the southern States. whilst the fifteen slave States, with Cali fornia to assist them, united upon platform in defence of these rights, and as opposite in principle to that put forth by the northern States as the light is to darkness; and so utterly hostile are the parties to each other that Union of them on national principles can never be ef- fected.
 That this separate organization of the whole Of the northern States upon common platform In opposition to the constitutional rights of the people of the south promises no good to the coontry, all must admit; but on the contrary menaces the Union with almost certain destruc- ton.
 For, said he, should the contest for power in the future elections of the country. be between these two organizations of the Know Nothings formed by the Philadelphia convention, it would amount to nothing more nor less than a contest between the northern and southern States. The one warning upon the rights of the other, and the other defending those rights to