Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-01-02
NATIONAL POLITICS.
sFEEch or rHssjssEF. HOWELL COBB,
OF GEORGIA.

OE Z G44OisGlA.st
We publish below the able speech of the
Hon. Howell Cobb. of Georgia. made in the
House of Representatives on Friday the 21st
ult, 1t is a bold and manly defence of the
principles and policy of the Democratic party
and will be heartily responded TO by every
true hearted Democrat who may peruso tt
Dir. Cobb Dir. Clerk, we are at the close
of the third week of the session without an
organization, and the charge has been made
from every quarter of the House that the
Democratic party is responsible for it. As a
member OF that party, acting with it, and Civ
ing to its actions here since the commence
Inent of this session my hearty and cordial APP
proval [ rise to say a word or two in refer
eoce to the position which it occupies before
the country, and to justify ami defend that
position. When the charge is made by those
who profess to have majority in this House,
those whose sentiments have been reflected by
the senior member, the gentleman from Ohio,
Mr. Giddings, the most of whom are cast
ing their votes for the honorable gentleman
from Massachusetts, for Speaker, the only re-
ply that feel called upon to make in behalf
OF the Democratic party is, that we in the
minority. 1t is a source of high qualification
to them, and they have congratulated the
country upon it. The minority, therefore,
is not responsible for this want of organiza-
ton.
The charge is made by another political or
ganization In this House, and q more extern
dod reply is perhaps demanded. 1t has been
said repeatedly, and it has gone to the coun-
try, ii at the failure OF the national men of
this House to unite in the election of a Speak
er is attributable to the resolution passed by
the Democratic caucus which nominated the
gentleman from Illinois Dir Richardson for
Speaker; that the resolution has erecLeti
barrier between the Democratic party and
those who hold national sentiments on some
subjects IN common with that party, and that
that barrier cannot be passed by them aud,
therefore, that we are responsible for the fail
ure to organize. 1t requires brief return to
the history of the past two years to respond
to this charge.
At the time, sir, when the contest was wa
ging and waxing warm in all the Southern
States when all the political organizations in
the Northern States out of the Democratic
party were warning upon Il on account of its
nationality; when for years it had stood firm
against these assaults from every quarter and
from every faction, there suddenly springs up
secret political organization. shown by sub
sequent history to be either the offspring or
the natural ally of this free soil organization
which had for years warred upon the national
principles of the Democratic party. Elec-
tions transpired; the friends of this national
principle. which had been illustrated in the
passage of the Nebraska and Kansas BILL and
which had been maintained for years by the
national Democracy of the North, were strick-
en- down l need only ask you to ca-t your
eyes over this House and notice those who
f1oy oenr1,v fha aaato a,,oa eIIol
of the Constitution, and desire YOU to tell me
through whose instrumentality those men were
driven from this hail. and their places sup
Piled by those who now respond to the senti-
ments OF the gentleman from Ohio, and who
cast thelr votes for the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts This was not the work of old Or
ganizatlons existing at the North They were
incapable of eHecting it, It was when those
sympathizing with them in their free-soil SEN
timents struck down, if you please. the ban
ners carried in broad daylight, and resorted
to their midnight assemblages, hid out from
the light OF day. and there conspirinp against
the best interests, or this country and the
constitutional rights of that section of it which
have the honor in part to represent, combi-
ming their secret power and influence with the
open enemies of the Constitution aid the
rights OF the States, were enabled to destroy
suu preaK uoWn the power OF the national
Democratic party in the Northern States, and
70 MI their seats with the advocates of those
principles to which 1 have alluded. Sir,
Wnen the tidings of these results were heard
Dy the people of my section of the country,
saere was one general expression of regret and
mortlhcatlon from all who could forget their
enmity to the Democratic party. If there
we're any who rejoieed in these results. If
there were any whose feelings and views were e
represented by that portion of the public nress
which heralded in, not the triumph of Free
Sollism. but the defeat of national Democraev :
such, trust, were few in numbers. 1t crea.
ted. however, these results: universal feel
ing through all the Southern States that the
time had arrived when of us there should be
but one voice, one people. one party, in de-
Eence OF rights dear to us as the constitution
p the country. which were now being warred
upon by sectional organization at the North.
a.a ma,ea ~as-as was indicated by the return Of
muers fr;nussr to this House--earrying before It
sas NV and success throughout the Northern
western States. We felt, all of our peo-