The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1857-06-20
ADDRESS.

ADDRESS.
Called by the passing away Of another year
10 meet the members of the American party
in National Council, the occasion demands a
Icatlii nation Of our opinions. We are ready
to-day as alOrctimc to give reason for the
faith that is in us. and as ready to-day as
ever before to stand fast by our vows Of dcvo.
ton to our whole country. Neither diSmay-
I'd by dctea t. nor di>hcartcncd by opposition
neither discouraged by the past, nor without
hope for the futurc-wc meet together both
TO council one with another, and to show to
the people of the United States ny our pre-
svncc and our numbers here in open convcn-
ton. that as Il party we are hopeful and de.
trrmincd AS to our future course of action.
The dominant party at the North and the
dominant party at the So:ith, by appeals made
to sections Of country and the passions of the
day, are temporary successful. But a tempo
lary triumph is 10 evidence of success. Nor
does victory secured by passion give evidence
OF true attachment to principle A tue
soldier will never he dShcartcncd iii sustain
ing u good cause Of one Or many defeats
The nine hundred thousand American vo-
tiers who sustained the American candidates
FIR the two first offices in the gift Of the poo
Pile III November last. may enjoy the conSci.
BUSINESS OF an honest work we'll meant and
well done. They neither counted the cost OF
defeat nor tal,crcd in the discharge of great
public duty, and had the thousands Of men
no agreed with them in opinion as to the
Justice Of their principles and the fitness Of
their candidates, acted upon the sSInc cOnvic-
tl"n of pubic duty, the result wonld have been
far different. At the North. tens Of thousands
voted for Mr.. Fremont upon the plea that
there was no chance for Mr.. Fillmore, while
tens Of thousands voted for Mr.. Buchanan at
the South upon the plea that IL vote for Mr..
Fillmore would secure the election Of the mis-
called Republican party lit was cruel and
uncallrd ,oI sacrifice of principle upon the al.
tar ofcxpcdicncy, and one Of those sacrifices
of principle which, if persisted in. in private
life. as it sometimes the case, in the consider
alton OF subjects Of grca! public moment,
would result IN common disaster. When pa
trolism becomes the rule Of action and a true
love of county points out the path Of duty
nothing can excuse the yielding up Of that
which is right for that which is merely eXpe.
dent.
We do not however seek to recall anything
In the past calculated to wound the feelings
of those who were tempted in a moment Of
tlcSpondency of thoughtlessness to forget their
obligations to their country or their assoca-
ties in principle.
Thousands who left our ranks in november
drawn away by the temporary expe'lients and
passions Of the hour, have returned to the fold
Of the American party. They. have been
taught in the bitter school Of experience that
the word Of promise may be made TO the ear
and broken to the hope. Where there was a
pledge to secure and the power to effect pure
haiOt-boX-the want of which is one Of the
great evils Of the times and to accomplished
which ought to unite the good men ofal par
ti"s-thcre has been either criminal indlfcr-
cnce to the evil itself, or bold partcip patton
IN that wrong. So i'll the pronices made at
the North to secure pure franchise through
the agency Of registry law, where all could
Fce and know who, under the constitution and
by the laws, were entitled 10 vote.
In no instance that we can recall to mind
have either of the two great organizations OPP
posed to the American party endeavOrcd to
secure those wholesome reforms which arc
essential either TO an intelligent or honest ex
crcise or the rights ef franchise. Even where
an attempt has been made, as in New York
TO secure a practical reform under the natu-
ralization laws, so that, while the change
would not extend the five years residence pre-
vious to naturslizing provided by the laws
of the United States, it would, nevertheless
secure small portion Of this limited residence
before the alien was allowed to vote. the at
tempt has failed, by the combined opposition
OF both the Democratic and Republican par.
ties who not unfrcquen'ly work together at the
North to destroy the orgazation. And while
there has been neglect to franchise for white
voters and an open and earnest opposition to
all reforms. proposing simply remedial inca.
surcs for admitted great public evils. there
has also been enacted in New York success.
full measure looking to such an amendment
of the Constitution as would secure general
system in one part Of the Union State Con.
stitution is opened to sustain the question oil
negro suff RACES. while in another part of the
Uuion the alien has had conferred upon him
privileges wholly unknown to the native born
citizen Of suffrsges to negroes Of the State. Thus
TO day foreign pauper or criminal driven
or banisfcd from the pest or prison houses Of
Europe, is made in all things, and regardless
of his residence in this country, and equal
with the citizen whose service has been life
long, patriotic, and useful in the land Of hi
birth. Tomorrow. again, States IN another
section Of the country became revolutionary
in lhcirplans Of opposition 10 the Federal Gov
ernmcniand exhaust their patriotism and labor
III measures Of mere special ~ and favor fol
the negro. d. j.
We seek to avoid such anomalies OF legis
lntiu,i in both our Federal and State govern,
,,,,,t Thcir trmlcy is r,:ticr towards hui