The true Democrat., 1856-08-12

In one respect have been fortunate as a public man. My old enemies are obliged to gc back for more than thirty years to find plausible charges against me.
 In l0l4, when a very young man, (being this day 56 years of age,) I made my first public speech before meeting of my fellow citizens of Lancaster. The object of this speech was to urge upon them the duty of volunteering their services in defense of their invaded coun- try. volunteer company was raised upon the spot in which 1 was the first I believe to enter my name private. We forthwith proceeded to Baltimore, and served until we were honorably discharged
 In October, 1914, l was elected a member of the Pennsyl lvania Legislature and in that body gave my support to every measure calculated in my opinion to aid the country against the common enemy.
 In 1915, after peace had been concluded, did express opinions in relation to the causes and conduct of the war, which l very soon after regretted and recalled. Since that period have been ten years member of the House of Representatives and an equal time of the Senate, acting part on every great question:
 My political enemies, finding nothing assai- Table throughout this long public service, now resort back to my youthful years foy expres- slons to lnjure my political character. The brave and generous citizens of Tennessee, to whatever political party they may belong will agree that this is hard measure of justice; and 1t is still harder that, for this reason, they should condemn the President for having vo- luntamIy offered me seat in his cabinet
 never deemed 1t proper, at any period of my life, while the country was actually engag- ed in a war with foreign enemy, to utter a sentiment which could interfere with it's sue cessful prosecution. While the war with Great Britain was raging I should have dcem- ed 1t little better than moral treason to paralyze the arm of the government while dealing blows against the enemy. After peace had been con- cluded the case was different. My enemies cannot point to an expression uttered by me, during the continuance of the war, which was not favorable to its vigorous prosecution.
 From your friend, very respectfully,
 JAMES BUCHANAN.
 ln testimony of this, witness the noble stand taken by that patriot, while member of the Legislature in l915 when the State of Penn sylvanla, receiving no assistance from the ex- hausted general government, was proposing to defend herself, at her own expense, from the threatened attack of the foe upon Phila- delphiu.
 In the course of the debate, he said:
 "Since, then, Congress has deserted us in our time ot need, there is no alternative but either to protect ourselves by some efficient measures or surrender up that independence which has been purchased by tho blood of our forofathcrs No American can hesitate which of these al ternatives Ou 5ht to be adopted The invading enemy must De expelled from our shores; he must be taught to respect the rights of free mcn''
 But it is unnecessary to dwell longer upon facts too widely and honoraby kn)Nn through out the country to require comment.
 Let us consider another act of his career, equally meritorous, as an evidence of tht great ness of the mans true democracy.
 NATIvEIsM
 While thus conspicuous as a lover of lis own land Mr. Buchanan assumed position at this time upon the question of the prescription of naturalIzed citizens, position he has, through all the Iiuctuatins changes of politics tol forty years since, consistently adhered to- The Governors of Massachusetts anI Connecticut transmitted to the Governor of Peunsvlvaaia. and by him sent to the Legislature of his own State, resolutions recommending certain amend
  among which was the following:
 nat no person who shall be hereafter na- tulalzed, shall hc el gbr as d member of the Senate or he House of Representatives of the United States, or capable of holding any civil office under the authority of the United States''
 committee was appointed to report on this among other resolutions. They disapployed of every resolution sent; but we give a fart ot their report, relating to the one we have quoted:
 :" It may be fairly questioned whether thc total exclusion proposed is generous to others or wise to ourselves. The revolutions of Eu- rope may hereafter drive, as they have already driven, many an honorable aid distinguishc, exile to the shelter of our hospitality. The distance which separates him from his native country is some guarantee that he has not cho- sen h.s new residence from any motive of levity but from deliberate choice; and when he has ahured his allegiance to that country. when his fortunes and his family are fixed among us, when ne has closed all the avenues to his re- turn, when a long probation ha, evincpd hi> attachment 10 our institutions, wh1 should his mmd continue still in exile, aud why should the latUral and honorable ambition for politica '''+N'''Ne'''+ !, breast?
 Why, too, should we deprive ourselves of the choice of such man, whose European expc- rience may be useful, if the deliberate voice ot the community is in his favor? Other nation, do not indulge in so jealous an excluson- There is scarcely nation in Europe which does not hahtualIy employ the talents of stran- gers, wherever they can be most useful
 
 "The committee therefore recommend a dis sent from the proposcd amendment"
 Mr. Buchanan concurred fulv in this re- port and 1t was adopted unanimously by both Houses.
 THE CHARGE OF FEDERALISM.
 This miserable attempt to injurc MT. Buch anan at the present day hy luggiug up issues long gone by, and with no bearing whatever up- on the present contest, is thus summarly treat ed bv Mr. Horton
 "Orignally the name of federal was as ho- norable designation as any other. It took its rise from those who approved of our federal constitution, while those who felt that the go- vernment was too consolidated, called them selves anti-fedcraliSts or republicans; but after the constitution was adopted, and it was ac- cepted as the fundamental organic law of the land, as Jefferson truly remarked, five are all fedefalists, we are all republicans" After the adoption of the constitution, therefore, the term federal, so far as its primary signfcaton was concerned had nomeaning. But in few years it was soon discovered that the very men who had approved most earnestly of the constitution began to claim for it doubtful powers, and tc give it liberal construction.
 Mir. John Adams, the second President, was the first who boldly inaugurated this policy, and by the passage of the alien and seditior laws, overwhelmed himself and his party in disgrace. This was the first stain on the other wise fair name of federal. Then came the wal of 1912, when they completed their ruin as party, not by opposing the war in a reasonable manner, but by all odious and unconstitutona opposition, which finally terminated in a treach- erous convention in New England, to make { separate peace with Great Britain. These two acts destroyed the federal party and brought upon them the name an odious reproach.
 It will not be pretended by any one that Mir Buchanan approved either of the measures to