The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-08-22
Mr.. BUCHANAN'S LANCASTER
SPEECH.
His pietcs Of Democracy-Hs Opinions q
Poreignism.

Detpered oef0re the washington Assocsdtto'
Of Lancaster, on the All July, 1915.
BY JAMES BUCHANAN, ESQ.
THIRTY-NINE years ago, upon this day
we were declared an independent people. A
that time the Continental Congress burs
asunder the chains which bound them (,
Great Britain, and resolved to be free or per
ish in the attempt Upon that day they pre-
scented to the world spectacle Of wisdom AM
frmness which has never been excelle6.
To make proper estimate of their conduct
we must take into view the then situation o
this country compared with that of our enc
my. On the one side, the armies of Grea
Britain were numerous and veteran; they wer
led by commanders who had acquired military
reputation in every cline; they were support
ed and furnished with every implement o
war by nation whose wealth has, upor
different occasions, purchased the services o
all the crowned heads in Europe. On tn,
other side, our armies were small and unac
quainted with military discipline; our officer,
were destitute of experience, and we were 8,
miserably poor that our brave soldiers were
not more than half clothed, and their winte
marches over the frosty ground which the,
were defending, could be tracked oy the blood
that flowed from their naked feet.
But even these were not the only disad
vantages under which We labored. Whls
our enemy invaded Ms from without, the
torch of discord and treason was lighted "
within. When Independence was declared
the mother country had q powerful part,
throughout the middle States, and many adj
herents in every other part of the Union.
HE BECOMES VERY PERIODICALLY INCLINED
Dreadful, therefore, was the responsibilit,
of that Congress. Had not victory carried
their banners, their names would have beer
cursed by the people of this country as the
promoters of destructive civil war, while
their blood would have flowed on the scafiod
as sacrifice to nppease the spirit of British
vengeance. In this awful situation, Wills,
the dark cloud of destruction appeared ready
to burst upon them, they declared to the
world our Independence. They thought that
zone day, one hour Of virtuous liberty,
Was worth whole eternity Of bondage"
Everlasting honor to their names! The
gratitude of free people will forever hallow
their memory.
1t is not my intention, at this time, to give
you narrative of those glorious events ol
the revolutionary war, which led to the re.
cognition Of our Independence by Great Bri
tain and by the world. They have been the
subject of so many orations, and of such
general interest, that they are familiar to every
mind. The present oration shall contain d
short historical sketch of the most prominen,
action of the party now in power in this
country, and their consequences; and nlso
enquiry concerning the course which sound
policy dictates that the government of the
United States should pursue in future. The
importance of those subjects, although moi
strictly connected with the celebration of this
day, will, trust, be their apology to every
mind.
There pas a powerful IA CTION in The
United States opposed to the adoption of The
Federal Constitution. The individuals ol
which II was composed we called anti FEEDER.
nlists, and rere the founders of the Democratic
party. They gloried in setting themselves in
array against our. present admirable form OF
The authors of this opposition
ioerc chiefly DEMAGOGUES, who might
have risen TO the hend of state faction, but
who felt conscious that their talents would
be eclipsed, when the luminaries of the United
States should be collected around the General
To gratify their ambition, they
wished that this country should continue di.
gided into number Of pretty state sovereign.
lies without any efficient government for their
control.
This they desired, although they had the
of ancient Greece before their eyes,
md we'll knew the clashing interests of the
States and their mutual jealousies kept alive
BY alliances with different foreign nations,
would have made this country a perpetual
lIeatre of contentious and civil war, until it
,ad fled for refuge into the arms of despotism.
They, therefore, sounded the alarm through.
,ut the Union against the Federal Constitu-
ion. They produced ruin to the State gov
and to the liberties of the people,
rom the powers given to the federal govern
nent. BY these means they succeeded in
farming the fears of many good men, and
inducing them to believe that government,
which is now the palladium of their safety,
would be the instrument of their destruction.
notwithstanding their desperate efforts, the
constitution was adopted, and Washington
ras elected President.
It might have been supposed that these
dictionaries would have been awed into ST.
ence BY his wisdom and virtue. This was
OF the case. The opposition which they had
iven to the federal government, was now
ransferred to its administration. AT first,
,deed, the voice of caumny dared only to
'hisper against Washington and his meas.
res, but ere long il was heard in thunder.
When the French revolution commenced,
was hailed by the people of this country,
enerally, as the dawn Of rational liberty in
Europe. But when in its progress il had be-
ONE the destruction of religion and morality
when thousands Of citizens were daily sen
enced to death and butcIlered without trial
nd without crime--when Nil the horrors Of
narchy were poured out upon that devoted
ountry at home-and when Attila like IL had
ecome the scouree Of God to foreign nations;
he Washingtonan party began to entertain
ears of its result, and thought il necessary to
ten the torrent of French influence, which
'as rapidly overlooking our country. To this
uly they were imperiously called, as II was
OF only in theory one oil the avowed objects
{ that government to spread revolutionary
over the whole world, but they had
ctually attempted TO SOW the seeds Of rebel.
on throughout the United States.
4 ACCUSES THE DEMOCRACY OF LBELLNe
WASHINGTON.
True to their original principles and their
rst love, The Democratic party Of that day
scame more the friends OF the French AS
HEY BECAME MORE THE ENEMIES
IF SOCIAL ORDER. When the procla-
'ation of neutrality was issued by Washing
'n--that proclamation which is now almost
admitted to have been the saliva
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