Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-08-05
specch of Hon. Jere clemens.


catur. It is merciless review of the De-
mocratic Platform. The following extract
should be read and reflected upon by every
American citizen.
Tie next proposition 10 which shall direct
your attention is tile following:
"That the question connected with the For
eign policy of the Country is inferior to no
domestic question whatever. The time has
come for the people of the United States to
declare themselves in favor of free seas, and
progressive free trade throughout the World
And by solemn manifestations, TO place their
moral Influence by the side of their successful
example"
Our Sag Nicht friends have habit of COW
ering up their meaning by such ambiguous
words that it is not always easy for plain
man to tel! exactly what they are at. Free
Seas" is very taking expression, but there
is something behind more than meets the eye.
1t was intended to cover war with Denmark
on account of the Sound dues. Dues which
that Kingdom has collected from all vessels
navigating the Baltic for period dating back
beyond the discovery Of America. OR COM
MERGE there is triflng and The money collect
ed from our ship owners insignificant. Wash
ington. Jefferson, Madison and Jackson recog
nized the right of Denmark TO make the col
lection and secured it to her by solemn trea
ties. But Mr.. Pierce, more Jealous Of the IA
TONS rights than they, suddenly discovered
that it was inconsistent with the national hon
or to pay this paltry tax, when England,
France, Russia, all Europe had paid it before
our nation had an existence, and pay it yet
without a murmur; and when, moreover, six
= III. LII
be collected from US in century.
may do Mr.. Pierce injustice, but | think
can account for the sudden importance these
sound dues have assumed. He had seen proper
to indulge in good deal of clustering on the
occasion of Spanish vessel firing into the
Black Warrior. An unsophisticated person
would have supposed that he intended to land
an army on the Island in six weeks at far hest
But unfortunately the fleets of France
and England were riding in those seas, and it
was pretty well understood that a blow at Gu
ba, would be met by blow from the three
powers combined. Mr.. Perces courage was
not equal to such q trial. He hesitated, vascil-
lated, until his minister resigned in disgust,
and the Secretary of legation then patched mp
q compromise. Mr.. Pierce had backed square
out. 1t was Notifying, and he felt ii; so, like
the fellow who was whipped at a muster and
swore she'd be Id if he'd stay whipped
but would go straight home and whip Sally"
Mr.. Pierce determined not to stay backed out.
He would not fight England and France, but
he resolved to 'ptch into" little Denmark
So long as the thing was in his hands alone,
however, | had no great apprehensions OF a
rupture. | thought he would find some way
of getting ont of it, and sure enough he did.
When the time specified in the treaty bad ex-
pired instead of carrying nuth warlike threats
he issued circular to the American Merchant
men to pay the dues, but TO pay them un
der protest. SO a protest was substituted for
d war, aud there the ridiculous farce ought to
have ended, but the Democratic Convention
have taken it up, and what was farce may
soon be bloody tragedy. To do them justice
they mean what they say upon the subject of
fighting. They lack neither the courage nor
the will to do battle with the Devil himself if
it should strike their fancy to try and get pos
session of his kingdom. How far it becomes
peaceful citizens who delight not 10 blOodshed
whose trade, commerce and agriculture must
suffer gIievously in the event of foreign war;
to link themselves with party so reckless, and
and SO ready to quarrel with any body, and
upon any pretext, is question you must settle
for yourselves. For one | choose to follow
quiet paths. All history teaches that rational
liber,y can only be enjoyed far away from the
din of arms, and it is not the least of my OBJ
iections to the Anti American party that they
seems to take savage delight in every pros
pect of difficulty with other nations.
This resolution shadows forth another prin-
ciple more oppressive to the poor man, and
more blghting to the prosperity of the country
than all the foreign wars in which they prO-
pose to plunge US. They are not only 10 favor
OF ''free seas" but Stree trade throughout the
world" Free tradei Do you know what
that means2 1t means that instead of support
ing the Government by duties on imports, all
duties shall be abolished, and the money drag.
ged by taxation directly from the pockets OF
the people. Let us see how such q system
would work. There are in the United States
about twenty five millions of inhabitants.
Our expenses have been sweled as | have
already told you. to seventy-fve millions of
dollars. Equal taxation, therefore, upon free
trade principles, would take from You yearly
three dollars for yourself, three dollars for
your wife, three dollars for each of your chill
dren, and niue dollars for every five of your
negroes Add up these sums, and you will
have some idea of the paternal care the De-
mocracy propose to take of your pockets.
We in Alabama have had some experience
of direct taxation. There are few of you who
who do not DOW feel that the taxes you pay
are very serious burden. The Cincinnati
Convention held different opinion, and in
addition TO what you already pay, propose to
tax you with your proportion of seventy-five
millions of dollars To be squandered on works
Of internal Improvement, which will do you
no good-given away to steamship companies,
owned abroad, or wasted in extravagant sala.
res paid 10 public officers who are teasting on
French dishes, and drinking Champagne and
Burgundy, while you are restricted to corn
bread, butter milk, and midding meat.
Under our present system, you pay no taxes
to the support of the general government but
what you choose. The luxuries of the rich
are taxed-the necessaries of the poor are ex-
empt. The party now asking you TO support
James Buchanan propose to abandon this sys"
tenn, and resort to mode of taxation which
favors the rich and Expresses the poor-which
wrings from you your hard earnings to feast
the lazy drones about Washington.
Can such men be the friends of the peoplel
Are they entitled to the name they have AFRO
gantlv assumed Is it not dissertation of the
time-honored word Democracy to apply it to
those who have so far departed from all the
landmarks erected by Jefferson and Jacksonl
The resolutions which follow are all in rela-
ton TO the foreign policy of the government,
and are all mischievOus and dangerous 10 their
tendency. The last one of the series is equiv
alent to a general declaration of war against
the civilized world.
'That the Democratic party will expect from the
next Administration every proper effort TO be made
to insure our ascendency in the Gulf OF Mexico
and maintain permanent protection OF the great
outlets through which empted into its waters
the products raised on the SOIL and the commodi'
ties created by the industry Of the people OF out
Western valleys, and the Union at large"
There are two outlets TO the Gull Of Mexico
One into the caribbean Sea between Yucstan and
CHA ,hnre We do nnf nurn a fnol Of anil-nnror