Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-08-09

simply to repeal or amend the naturalization
laws for the future, but it was ayowed tina
they intended to strike at rights already &C
quired; that their object was to divide tn
citizens of this country into two classes, un
equal in their rights--a project as hostile /.
the true theory and principle Of the Constitu
ton as is the present projectuHf dividing The
States into unequal classes.
There, sir, this party, miscalled national,
after long, and angry, and violent debate
finally succeeded in adopting into the platform
its celebrated twelfth section--a meagre recog
milton of Southern rights, adopted almost ex
clusiyey by Southern votes--scarcey adopted
before it was repudiated by the protest of the
Northern delegates, followed by a Reputation
of majority of the Northern lodges, who, in
the stupid insoence of their temporary success
boasted that they did not want the South
They want it now, sir.
No sooner had the views and purposes Of
this party become displayed by the action Of
the Philadelp hia Convention, than my path oil
duty was clear. In an address to my constitu.
ents / informed them of what ] had heard
| before leaving Washington. ! stated my be-
lief that the machinery Of the party would be
used for the purpose OF elevating TO power the
worst enemies Of the South. pointed ont
| the hostility of the organization to Southern
! rights its hostility to freedom OF conscience
| and religious belief | went further, and ex-
| pressed the conviction that the Northern
Know-nothings would coalesce with the North.
ern Abolitionists, and that by their united ac-
| ton they would force on crisis, on the re-
suit of which would depend the destiny OF
| this country. l predicted that they would
tack to the appropriation bills some Adolf
| ton proviso, which could not become law
without the instant disruption of the Union.
Several thousand Wings in my State took
| the same view of the condition Of public
affairs that / did. Some refrained from vo-
| ting others attended Democratic meetings,
advocated openly the success of the Demo
cratic ticket, and the result was a decisive
| Democratic victory in the State of Louisiana.
Time has yet to test the accuracy OF my pre-
dictions about the appropriation bills. l may,
however, be permitted to say that speech has
| been publicly circulated, attributed to the
honorable senator from New York. said to
have been delivered by him in meeting of
his party, in which he threatens Withholding
supplies. have upon my table speech de-
livered in the other branch of Congress, by
| another leader Of the same party, in which /
find this passage:
| ~ hope, for the ends of justice, and for the
promotion of that peace which is the great de-
sire of every patriot in the land, if the object
cannot be otherwise secured, that we shall have
a proviso appropriately placed on some of our
| appropriation bills, at the right time, restor-
| ing freedom to Kansas and Nebraska; and
that there will be found nerve enough on the
| part of those gentlemen who talk loudly about
| freedom to stand by their colors. fear, when
the dollars and cents come in con Aict with this
| hp-love of liberty, Of which we have heard and
read so much, there will be some yielding, be.
cause appropriations for some cherished OBJ
ject-some lighthouse or breakwater, of salt.
,oares, or something else-may be likely to mis-
carry. But, if there be that nerve which there
| ought to be, we shall move the Executive and
| the Senate to concurrence with the popular
will on this subject or, if they will not concur,
stop the supplies. There is a constitutional
remedy; no man can justly say that is revolu-
| tionary."
Mr.. BUTLER. Whose speech was that?
Mr.. BENJAMIN. Mr.. Dunn's, of Indiana. Mr..
President if further proof were wanting that
had not misconceived nor misstated the objects
and purposes Of the northern Know-nothings
recent events again at Philadelphia afford the
amplest justification for what said to my peo-
pie at home. Why, sir, they held national
council, and then they abolished the twelfth Sec
ton, and the southern delegates retired; then
they held national convention, and nominated
| candidate suited to the South, and the north
ern delegates retired
In the earlier history of this Congress, dur.
ing the Unprecedented struggle for the organiza-
ton Of the other house, when every demo
cratic vote, North and South, was given in
solid column in support of the Democratic nom
inee not one Northern Know-nothing could be
found ready to support distinguished gentle
man of their own party from the State Of Ken
lucky of unquestioned ability to fulfil the du-
ties Of the Office. Finally on the last vote,
which carried to the Speakers chair gen.
tleman whose political principles are par
ticulary obnoxious to the Southern States, the
Northern and Southern wings of this new
party we're as sharply divided and as hostile
to each other as we're ever two antagonistic
parties in the history of the republic.
Mr.. President, with what Justice, with what
propriety, can party thus divided on sectional
principles claim for itself the title Of "natona?"
The continuance Of its organization can do no
good 1t is powerless for aught but mischief.
1t may succeed now in subserving the pur.
poses OF promoting the interests of that party
whose acknowledged leaders on this floor are
the honorable senator from New York and the
two honorable senators from Massachusetts
1t can subserve no other purpose.
And now, sir, when the struggle is narrowed
down to a contest between the Democratic and
Republican parties, should be recreant to
my trust-recreant to every principle of duty
and feeling Of patriotism--if allowed my
conduct to be influenced by the memory Of
past party ties, or past party prejudces On that
question, whose paramount Importance over.
shadows all other, the Democratic platform is
identical with that Of the old Wing party and
in declaring my adhesion to the former, but
change name, not principle. !, sir, therefore,
declare my purposs to join the Democratic
party. declare my intention to use the ut
most efforts of my feeble abilities to insure
its success In its tripmph-as triumph it
assuredly will-the Constitution Of my coun-
try will be secured from the dangers with
which it is menaced kind and brotherly feel
ings amongst the people Of all sections of the
confederacy will be restored religious intol
erance will be rebuked; the equality Of the
States, the keystone of the arch Of the govern
mental fabric, will be preserved intact; and
peace prosperitv and happiness will smile upon