Daily American organ., 1856-03-18
WHOLE NO. 423
speech of Hon. Lewis d. Campbell.
or OHIO,
AZ he ADerican Mass Meeting IN Waslingto,.
CITY, february 29h, 1856.

Mr.. CAMPBELL entered the hall, and was receiy-
ed with enthusiastic cheers by the assembly.
lie appeared upon the stand and said !: -
Mr.. President and Fsiioe Citizens / have
this moment entered the hall, and do not know
exactly what you are doing, and what you in
tend to do. In fact Sir, / have been almost
forced from my quiet apartments, a few steps
up the hill by your committee, after had once
declined the invitation in the early part of tie
evening. feel, therefore, that am placed under
embarrassing circumstances. If IL be your pur-
pose to perpetuate the great principles Of Amer.
can Liberty and the Union Of the States in that
spirit In which our Revolutionary fathers secured
them for us. then am with you With all my soul
Cheers
Before proceed TO make a speech, it is but
proper that should say that came here with no
intention to commit myself to the support Of men,
or to identify myself with your proceedings further
than TO speak my views upon american principles
! have always been Wing. Enlistng under
the banner of that great party in 1882, when ID
was gallantly borne onward by that lamented
American statesman, Harry oft Vest did
not desert II SO long as the organization contin-
ued But u is now conceded that the Wing party
is dcad-that it is "defunct in the abstracti'
Laughter and applause.] 1t was a glorious old
party, and my eminent friend from Kentucky CIR.
Crittenden, who sat on the stand) and will long
cherish our pleasant recoectons Of it in the stir
ring times of lS4o and 1884, when, shoulder 10
shoulder, without reference to geographical lines,
we battled for its principles. Applause.
Mr. President, all the old parties have been
knocked to pieces. [Cheers. To use the favorte
expression of a western friend, they are now In a
state of I" confusion coafassled." Laughter and
cheers.1 Why, Sir, where s the Democratic party,
the party 1t existed in the days of General Jack
son? 1t has been reduced to a mere association
of men whose only aim appears to be the epoiis
Of victory Applause.] It no longer exists as
party of fixed principles. Were President Pierce
to send out all his force of marshals and deputy
marahals to find such party each one provided
with national search warrant, they would fail to
discover the fugitive [Applause.l It. too, has
departed His marshas would have to make re.
turns upon their writs similar to that of the
Kentucky constable. A Kent,tck fight once oc-
Cured at a tavern on bar grass !" One of the
combatants broke a whiskey bottle over the head
of his antagonist. The result was States war
rant. The defendant fed through corn-feld, over
the creek, into swamp, and there climed a stump,
Seating himself in tho fork, he drew his Bowie"
and as the constable approached in pursuit. he nd
dressed him:
Now Mr.. Constable, you want to take ne, and
give you fair warning that If you attempt to climb
this stump, "by the eternal Y IN take yo4 r.
Laughter and applause. The constable who had
been about the court house enough TO learn some
of the technical terms used in returning writs,
went back to the squires Office and endorsed upon
the warrant "non est inpentusi through feidi-
bus, across creeknm, IN swdDipa8a, an staanpanl
non comeotib,ts p Laughter and cheers. SO il
is with the old jackson Democratic party" non
comeati6usr [Cheers.]
At this point disturbance and rencontre took
place in distant part of the hall. Cries of "put
him out !" Sag Nichtp "put him out /" Mr.
Campbell cried at the top Of his voice. "No!
don't put him out" Bring him here and give him
a seat on the stand!" This created much laughter
and restored order, when Mr., Campbell again pro-,
ceeded
1t is an interesting point to observe what has
caused this disruption of these great parties Il ia
due to truth and fankness to say that it was that
"vexed question" of slavery--a question which
has, from the foundations of the government, given
us, as nation, very great trouble. That question
has destroyed the Wing party it has split into
fragments the Democratic party, and now threat
ems to divide and render powerless the American
party Yes, gentlemen, it is the "disting,eished
gentleman from Atrica"-. laughter who was at
an early period dragged to this favored land Of
ours, Ito which he edidn't belong) by the cupidity
Of Northern as well as of Southern men--he has
done this thing. It is the coored gentleman in
the fuel" orsGf may be permitted to express il
in vulgar parlance) the nigger in the acood pile
who has given US all this trouble. [Cheers and
laughter.l He ought never to have been put in
our fuel, and if | could have my way, / would take
Africa where he belongs. Renewed cheeringl
My opinions on this mischievous question OF slave
ry are well known here, and everywhere, where |
am known. l always have maintained maintain
now, and expect to contend hereafter that all the
powers of the constitution ought to be exercised
TO prevent its extension and that the North freely
accord to the slave States, in good fath all that
isguarGnteed to them by that American bond of
union which makes us one people, aud binds US all
m nd 1
On this subject intend hereafter, as heretofore
to think for myself act for myself, and on proper
occasions speak for myself as an American may
do on all proper occasions, independent of party
drill and party platforms. Cheers
But, sir, when this American party was first
formed slavery was regarded as outside issue,
having no legitimate connexion with the reforms
which it Intended to accomplish Iregret that cir
cumstances afterwards occurred which have pre-
vented its continuing to be outside issue. That
mischievous act which repealed the longacquiesced-
in Missouri Compromise, and startled the whole
country, has forced into the American party this
disturbing element. Yet, sir lsaid Mr.. Campbell,
turning to Mr.. Crittenden of the Senate and Mr..
Puryear of North Carolina, of the House, who sat
Immediately on his left,) such is mS confidence in
the honor and patriotism of the two distinguished
gentlemen from the South on my left,* that be-
lieve we could retire to an ante-room, and although
IL would be two TO one as between North and
South, fix up platform in reference to the merits
of that act, upon just and conciliatory terms inten
minutes [Cheeral But the trouble is, il would
not stay fixed, laughter because unfortunately
there are extremists in both sections, who seem
determined to defyfhe Constitution and jeopardize
the Union, and to disregard pnghted faith.
But, Mr. President, pass from this melancholy
theme, which it may not bo proper to discuss on
an occasion Ike this TO brief consideration Of
some Of the moro legitimate topcs-to the princi-
pies for which your organization was originally
formed.