The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-06-18

viable fortune to aid in battle and share in

viable fortune to aid in battle and share ir
glory and victory. ~, =, ....'.-.
Not the acquisition of Louisiana, with
her fertile and boundless plains; not the
annexation of Texas, which extended .oul
empire still farther southward; not plant.
ling our standards upon the turrets o1
Mexico, or the golden shores of Califor-
MIA, will equal, in moment or Importance
that great contest upon which now centre
for preservation, our internal tranquility,
the maintenance of eur laws, and the res
toration, concord and perpetuation of the
great political system bequeathed to US
by our revolutionary fathers. In this they
served and embattled against all adversa-
ries, defiant in their patriotism. Ener-
getic in virtue, conscious in the purity OF
their motives, assured that they will main
tain them in impregnable strength against
every adversary; republicanism, in that
battle, will have not less than two hundred
thousand earnest and most devoted adhe-
rents of the old line Whig party and stand-
ing by them; shoulder to shoulder, aug
mented by no hope but that ofpublic vel
fare; forgetting the past; hoping only to
assure victory at the approaching Presi-
dental contest.
! Before resuming my seat / trust the
convention will pardon me.for alluding to
another portion Of theaD Democratic party,
many of whose leaders see assembled
round me to-day In that tempest fury
of fanatiesm, which burst loose upon. our
country upon the passage of the Kansas
Nebraska act--in that time which tried
mems souls--when shrunk tiniid and stood
still brave men--when Douglas, the noble
statesman of Illinois, with splendid in
trepidlty led the forlorn hopefor the resto.
ration and equal rights OF States, many oi
the first men in our country, leaders,
whom I now see around me- in thesame
spirit came forward for the maintenance
of the true doctrines of Democracy
The storm burst upon them in all violence.
! They stood with steadfast courage as al
Thermopylae, and brayed its. fury. They
were left PROSTATE. upon the field of pub
lie affairs, and if they should never rise
again, they might claim to have inscribed
upon their monuments words that com.
men nsur..ted fate to the defenders of Greece
go stranger and at Lacedemonia tell tina
here we are obedient.to her laws" W.
fell, but cannot believe that such wiA bt
the result; they believe they are not dead
butronIy for d time everthrown, and tha
the democracy here around me will lif
them in their arms, bind up their wounds
and, amidst clanger of fight, will hal
them as leaders in the. approaching con
test. Stand here to-day, Mr.. President
in the midst of this most imposing Assem-
bly,; stand among the delegates from 8:
States, and you will see them demonstrat
ing their nationality by the unanimity
with which they declare their principles
and announce their candidate. No othe
party in the land can challenge equality
l claim for them superiority, and rest su
: periority in nationality. No factions di
vide us, no discordant ideas rend us, and
standing in Cincinnati, and looking at th'
shore of our native Kentucky, ] can SO.
with truth no geographical line, no noun
tains, no river sewers. our party.
Under these views, Mr.. President, !
as one old Whig, and there are thousand
of others, embarked in this campaign; W
come in uneonnected with any traditiona
glories of Democracy, without any of it
;, achievements emblazoned in shields, bu
we come determined to ride deep into th
, camps of foes, that beleaguer US, anit
4 win our spurs upon the field, Is