The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-02-07
Hon. L, M. I{eitt.

The following is an extract from the
speech Of Hon. l.. NJ. KE1rr, of S. c., be-
fore the present unorg,nizeI Congress. Mr..
WALKER. of Ala. had quoted from a speech
OF MIR. KEIrr's, delivered before his constit-
ucnts at BarnwclI, S. g., to prove division
in the Democratic ranks. Mr.. KElrr, in
reply, said that while he never had nor
never would wear party collar, lie had
cordially supported and co-operated with
the Democratic party. And after approv-
ing OF The resolutions Of the Democratic
Congressional Caucus, and exhibiting the
dosmas Of Know-No,lingism in their true
coIors, he gave the following picture Of De-
mocracy:
g pass now, sir, from this branch of the
inquiry Of my colleague. lie asks me-
also, if approve Of the Presidents mess;uc'
L do approve Of it most cmphaticalIy. 1t
Is bold, wise and states,nanlike document.
aud should commend itself to the sanction
of the public judgment. In this conncxion,
too, will say that while am opposed to
the representation Of my State in the Dom
ocratlc Nominating Convention at Cincin-
natl, II President Pierce is the nominee of
the Democratic party, will clcerrully and
cordially support him, and doubt not my
State will do SO. l think he has high
claims upon the party; and in this believe
but express the judgment Of the people Of
South Carolina
" My object, Mr.. Clerk, was to define my
own position. l will add, however, that /
believe the Democratic party is to-day purcr
anu truer to the constitution than it has
been for years. 1t has passed through fire
and water, and many Of its impurities have
been consumed or washed away. It has
the smell OF fire upon its garments, and
while it moves on in its historic tract of the
founders Of the republic, shall bid it God
speed! Many of the halt, and lame, and
blind have fallen by tho way; had this
fate overtakcn all such, it would have been
better.
"Ihe gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr.
Campbell says that the Democratic party
came into this hall two years ago upon the
crested wave of popular power; and lie
asks where is it now3 lie says it is fee
ble and scanty band. clinging to its broken
affairs. Why feeble and scantyl Because
it has been much more friendly to the
South and truer to the constitution than
either of the other parties. Clinging, says
the gentleman, to its broken altars! WHY,
sir, to what else should it cling7 While
abolition fanaticism is sweeping over the
free States. prostrating the guarantees of
the constitution, and tearing down the re-
naming pillars Of our republican edifice,
where should the Democratic party be but
within the sacred precincts, fighting down
the foot Whilertlle lust of northern DOM
ination and free-soil propsgandis,n is driving
the chariot of sectional power over the re-
mains of the constitution, to what should
the Democratic party, cling but to those
affairs, reared by the founders of the repub-
lie IL 1t be true ID the constitution, and
steadfasty in the sGith Of the fathers, let it
bind itself to the horns of the altar; and
az The angel descended to. rescue the son of
the patriarch even from the uplifted knife,
90 may the genius Of the land stoop down
to rescue fit from the cleaning dagger of
the fusion cohorts!"