Daily American organ., 1856-03-27
WHOLE NO. 431.
Speech Of the Hen. Jacob Broom,
AT THE AMERICAN RATIFICATION MEETING
in PHILADELPHIA,
On Wednesday eceniag, March 10, 1866,
ON THE DOMINATION OF
FILLMORE AND DONELSON.
Reported and revised.

ON THE NOMINATION
FILLMORE AND DONELS0N.
Reported and revised.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen:
am duly sensible of a solemnity In the prese,
posture OF our public affairs, and no one can doubt
that the present is a momentous crisis in the hi
tory OF our nation. But rejoice, sir, in the hope
with which am inspired, when / witness such
enthusiastic uprising of the masses as Is manifested
in every quarter in ratification of our national
nominations, for it shows that the people of the
country are returning 10 their senses by abandon
ing party ties and rushing in patriotic spirit to tho
| rescue of the Union-that glorious Union. which
cost the best blood Of our fathers to establish and
which trust will forever command the best blood
of their sons to defend.
have said, sir that momentous crisis in our
career Is at hand. This is manifest in the intensity
OF feeling which now exists in our country ipiurj-
ons 70, and threatening the destruction OF those
sentiments OF national brotherhood which alone
cement and hold together the very heart of the
nation. The unity which characterized the people
during the thirty five years Of the existence of the
Missouri act of 1920, has given place to feelings Of
deadly hostility, and demoniacal spirit of fratr
eide has already commenced its horrible work in
our land. This SOIL characterized by the glorious
achievements Of the Revolution, 1.-THE noblest con-
test which graces the page of proane history, and
under which now repose the ashes Of nearly all the
LnreACened a
very worst desecration which could by possibility
beall it-that Of civil strifeand nothing short Of
an enlightened intelligence and the exercise of the
soundest patriotism can redeem It from the per;l
This vast evil is attributable to the frenzy of
party which, in the spirit of the immortal Wash
ington, should be signally rebnked In years gone
by the struggles in party warfare shook the fabric
OF our freedom to its very basis; and 80 great be-
came the strife, that every auxiliary was eagcrIy
sought and grasped for the attainment of party
triumph, Among them was to be found one more
perncloui, and mightier in its power for mischief
than all the rest-the perucySio,, of the design or
me naturalization Of aliens. That there is and
has been for long series of years demagoguical
acts In the agrant abuse of the naturalization laws
70 augmen. the strength OF party, no one, Iappre-
bend, to whatever party he may belong, would be
wiling to risk his reputation for truth and nteli-
| gence in denying. The tragical scenes resulting
therefro, and the Infringement of inherent rights
inspired portion of the native born citizens who
felt love and honor for the country of their birth
TO move IN measures of defence and to counteract
and suppress it by the formation of American So
cietes allude to the old Native American party
which sprung into existence in 1874 Il was then
that the sensbilities of the patriotic heart were
deeply touched--our citizens had been murdered
IN cold blood, and the glorious flag of our fathers
which had foated triumphantly over every con.
test, Tor the first time treated with disdan and
trampled beneath the feet of the alien born It was
then that nearly the whole people of this city and
county, feeling justly indignant as we'll towards
the caisc as the effect triumphantly elected Ma,
tive American ticket, in rebuke of the demsgogui-
cal arts which had led to the disturbance Of our
tranquility II was but poor return, on the part
or aliens, whom we had ever received from abroad
with open arms, placed upon equality with our
selves, and who, but for the willy intrigues of de-
sgnlhg ana grasping politicians, might have be-
nnu
Here It was supposed by many that the evil was
at an end, while others thought that terrible out
burst was merely the result of some sudden cause
ana they returned to tho affairs of party But
year after year continued still further to develop
the active agency OF foreign power, seeking to
influence the destiny of this nation by an incrsas-
ing and vigorous interference with the system Of
public education established for the good of the
country. .
The people saw and recognised it. The spirit of
patriotism was famed into full blaze 1t few from
heart to heart with electrical swiftness, igniting
where it touched and illuminng the almost dor
mant hope of the old pioneers Party ties had
been strong, and the work when first began had
moved but slowly on. There is, thank God, a great
difference now. The whole nation became aroused
to the Importance of the matter, and finally, in or
der to circumvent the arts Of politicians who would
blindy tamper with evil, and endanger the peace and
security of their country societies mere formed
admit it in every part of the land, and for what
To persecute and prescribe foreigners or to manifest
hostile feelings towards hcmS No far from such
narrow purpose; but to re-establish our country
in that standing in which it was left to us by our
patriotic forefathers and, by the grace Of God, to
preserve it there. Such was the purpose and aim
alone of this much abused and misrepresented Sc
cret society lts work Is accomplished, and the
nation this day stands redeemed from the shackes
OF party, and ready to perform its duty of patriot
hliuer tho,,eo q
with hearts of enthusiasm and in the spirit of the
free, proclaims the vast result of that American
movement, and assures the grand ultmatum--ai,
American Administrations for the American peo-
pie c6 -.
This was but moral or political revolution.
effected, by the intelligence and patriotism of the
people, through the medium of the elective fran.
chise. No disturbance of the peace of the nation
resulted or was likely to result therefrom. On the
contrary, tranquility and happiness regned undis-
turoed in all the land, until the present National
Administration, headed by Franklin Pierce, sue
eeeded that of Millard Fillmore and to this ad.
ministration charge the whole disturbance ofthe
tranquility of this nation, and the responsibility of
every drop of blood which has been shed. and
which may be shed, in the great struggle which
now so fearfully agtates the country. The Demo
cratic party which had so long cherished and foe-
tered the alien prejudces of the naturazed citizen
now imbecile and tottering before the mightier
spirit OF Americanism, as last resort seized upon
the peculiar institution, and invoked the preju-
dces of the South, to sustain it in the hour of It's
trial and danger. Alas that party in which my
pohncal life began and continued for many years,
Seemed TO choose rather, like Samson, to tear away
the pillars which sustained the temple, involving
even its own destruction, than TO perish and leave
the edihce standing in its beauty. But when we
look back to the high exalted, aud patriotic posi-
ton of " Old Hickory can we now say of the
party of which he was the head, Excelsior y"
Mo- the passage of that once great and patriotic