Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-09-18

glorious victory, but had also elected a
President, that of Tippecanoe would also
accomplish like results. They were not
deceived, General Harrison was elected
He was cordially supported by Mr. Clay,
because he did not hesitate to avow genu-
inc Wing principles. Providence in his
wisdom permitted him to hold the reips OF
government but very short time. The
Vice President by the accident of his death
became the President, and so administered
his high charge that his name is bye
word for treachery. This, fellow citizens,
was the first phase of the military experi
ence of the Wing party. They were sue
cessful; but their vcrtoy was a barren vic
tory; like dead sea fruitsit turned to ashes.
The year 184G saw the idea that avala-
bility and success were preferable to all
else carried to It's fullest extent by the Wing
party The convention at Philadelphia.
passing over the claims of Mr. Clay, select
ed man as its candidate for the Presilen-
cy, one who refused to own himselfa Whig;
who told them that he intended to run, no
matter whom they mi yht nominate, and the
convention, with lmirable subserviencv
to the principle of availability, was content
to take the plume of the military chiefain
in lieu ofthe principle, and actually refused
even to put forth platform Of cid Whig
doctrines.
What was the result? Providence again
interposed, and a second time in less than
ten years, Vice President became Presi-
dent by accident, and not by the voice of
the people.
Not content with the high rcbukes it had
received, Il third time in 1852 the Whig
party determined to try the experiment OF
military availabiliy;--and a third time ii
signally failed; and this time not by the in
terposi-ion If Pr violence, but by the will
of the people Fellow-ci,izens the Whis
party was disorganized and destroyed, NOT
because the principles of its old leaders
were false, but because the politicians and
office seekers would no longer follow them,
but adopted availability a all hazard as
their motto.
Fellow-ci,izens, at the risk Of wearying
you by telling You truths which you all
know as we'll us |, l have vcnturcd to call
your attention 10 the concluding chapter of
The Yet unwritten history Of one Of the
greatest political parties our country has
ever known. 1t has not been without a
purpose that have done so. Since the
defeat Of General Scott in 1859, there has
been no longer an organized Wing party
in this land and although there are hun
dreds Of thousands Of true old line Wings,
Wings upon principle, in the country, de-
serted by their leaders, utterly disorgauized
with no candida.es Of their own to vote for,
they are perplexed to make that choice be-
tween The other two parties which their du
iy as citizens require Of them to make for
the good of their country.
Fellow liens, wish to be distinctly
unders!ood-I wish it to be distinctly pres
ent to your minds-that ] am not making
a speech for the purpose of advocating the
principles Of the Know Nothing. the Re-
publican, or the Democratic parties; there
Is neither of them with which fully agree,
there is neither to which | have given in
my adhesion. Ny party was the Wing
party. Wing principles are now. my prin
ciples, and expect always to maintain
them. But we have no longer Whis par
ty. or Wing candidates for whom to cast
our votes. We Wings from principle are
forced to one or two alternatives; either to
fold our arms and take no part in this con
test IN which we are as much interested as
any body els 4, or we must make choice be
tween the parties who do present candl
dates for the suffrage ofthe nation. Own
ing not the sliy yhtest allegiance to either Of
them, We owe duty and an allegiance
higher and above that which belong to any
party whatsoever. We owe our duty to
our country and it is now especially ne
cessary that we should act for the salvation
Of the very Union iiself With the Union
as above all parties constantly IN view, l
propose to consider the claim of each to
our sulirages.
The Know Nothing, or so-called Ameri-
can party presents itself to our attention,
because j is mainly composed of those who
once we're Wings; We are naturally attract
ed to ii by the ties of old Association with its !
members; it has presented as its candidate
for the highest office man who once be-
fore administered the government as a
Wing, in a manner which had the applause
Of the good men ofall parties. Standing
upon Whis platform, surrounded by the
best and ablest Wing men. sustained in his
great trial by the Union men of all parties,
1t would have been marvellous thing had 1
he acted otherwise than he did, They tell