The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-10
SPEECH OF THE HON. J. CLANCY JONES
TO he Democracy Of o6l1mbia County dclroed al Bloom
burg Pennsylvania, October 2, 1851.

1885, and the everish excitement OF the country as Cum
tased with the current campaign and ascrbing IL TO the
fact that the people in the calm exercise Of their en-
lghtened Judgment have become satisfied that the POSI-
ton taken 10y the democratic party right Mr. Jones
briefly reviewed the acts of the administration OF MI
Buchanan as far II has advanced noting the cordial
approval Il everywhere elected the confidence reposed in
the President by the people of the whole country their
implicit reliance his integrity, patriotism, and COM
pehensiye knowledge of all the relations of the govern
nent at home and abroad and in abiding to the fact of
the President having nfexibly determined not to be
candidate for second term, said he would be thus
abed disinterestedy TO devote himself to the faith
full execution of his high trust during the -four years Of
his present term. Under these circumstances cordial
support of the party in the liberal spirit at least in
the 35th Congress, justly due him. that the House
should be organized by the democrats in Congress as
TO give the President ample and power to unfold
his policy to the country leaving II thus for the people
decide for against it, according to the dictates OF
their Judgment the 36h Congress aording ample time
and opportunity for those who wish, to look after
the succession in 1860 To Pennsylvania ION whose soil
Independence and the constitution first declared and
fraedj accorded the honor of presidential candi
date for a national democracy, united to man on him
and the principles of the party II conceded at the
time of the nomination that the safety of the constitu
ton and the Union might depend upon Pennsylvania.
Events proved this apprehension to be true Our proud
old Commonwealth thus reoices in the highest possible
honor OF saving the country under the leadership of her
own distinguished son.
Having thus disposed Of these points, Mr.. Jones pro-
ceeded to speak Of national questions.
The organic law, said he of our government, framed
by our oreathers in eventful crisis and without the
lanp of experience TO guide them in the mperishabe
work of establishing free representative government,
lin which all the elements of pure democracy should be
secured and GUARANTEED US far as possible under repre-
sentative system with checks and balances not to thwart
the public will, but simply to check the conyusve up
heavings of morbid fnatcism which otherwise, under
everish temporary excitement might pass for the COOL
deliberate judgment of the people, had of necessity to
be based on compromises. The conflicting opinions and
interests of the inhabitants of thirteen cooniesin
their origin of diverse language, religion and national
ityadded in their homes to the sporadic diversity
of SOIL climate and facilities commercial, manuactu-
ring and agricultural pursuits suggested cotemporane
ousy with the idea of union confederacy of these
colonies the irresistible conviction that to consummate
it compromise must be effected to bring order out
of these confused and heterogeneous materials Taking
calm and practical view of this subject at Albany, in
1885, when the confedeated colonies by their represent
atives, assembled for the purpose of combining
their forces against their common enemes-the French
and the Indians Benjamin Franklin, representative
from Pennsylvania declared in letter written to
of his constituents at Of these colonie, n
possibility
To use figure OF speech the centrifugal force at that
day of their local interests largely peponderated
any supposed advantages that might from concen
trated combined action, that the idea of permanent
stable confederacy deemed chimera. Yet, notwth
standing all this the potential influence OF external pres
sure the rise of enemy in the British government more
formidable than all their other enemies combined did, in
very short time fuse their dscordant materials the
pressure of necessity their fears and common
hopes did what human foresight could oretel and
human reason could effect 1t oblterated their local
selfish interests, developed noble, selfsacrcng patriot
ISM such the world never witnessed before, and in
few years, early 1774 taught the world that the
American colonies reared giants whose devotion to hui
freedom intense that for its achievement
and maintenance, when the exigency required it, they
would sacrifice everything not excluding their lives and
fortunes
1t was this same spirit which ruled the councils of the
fran of he
concted with the eest and fullest enjoyment of comb
ned national freedom discarded by Them and all
Others compromised is oga, lac to insure that
The government tcod last hg the constitution should be
Veed It's authors respected and its provisions observed with
fidelity by posterity
In consequence Of this NOBLE self-sacrcng spirit of
compromise in the constitution when it absolutely
sent to the creation of present form of government
delusive, morbid sentiment has been engendered
hbtng itself at various periods in the history of
government and often entertained by good men animated
by pure love of country-to wit that because gov
eminent founded in compromise 1t is always to be
Quoted in compromise that because mpelled by necessity,
the trainers of the constitution had to compromise interest,"
not principles, in organizing confederated government in
order to the fullest enjoyment of rational political
liberty, and position in the family of nations, which
would guaranty its stability and perpetuty the
quence is that we the descendants of its founders must
in Legislative action, be eternay compromising and
other extremists not stopping at principle,
nsng any human authority would invoke higher lac
which said higher law being the dictate of private judg
men should override the associated political judgment
of not alone the action of the confedcacy exhibited in
its executive judicial and legislative branches but of
the people themselves imboded in the sober dictates
of constitutional law the highest and only authority in
free government.
This is the fatal fruitful source of all the exciting ee-
ehts of discord and embtered controversy agitatng
and convsng the social fabric at different periods of
history, and at times rocking it to its very foundation
Had fathers Immediately after the adoption Of the
constitution, established the principle unalteaby that
compromises began in the constitution and should end
there should have been troubled with Bank
the United States protected by judicial sanction gov
enmental paper currency, instead of constitutional
treasury system protective policy taxing interest
to support another Missouri Compromise the offspring
of assumed not delegated power mo matter how gem
orally acquiesced in however well intended it has
been outside of the constitution and subssted thirty
and only the principle of eomnais error, and
n suspension of the exercise of the judicial functions
of the government J emissions of bills of credit COM
monty called State bonds held valid under judicial
tions the spurious doctrine of necessity consent
&c., all outside of the constitution and in this instance
in the very teeth of that venerable instrument State
charters authorizing corporations to do what they
knowledge they have constitutional power do them
selves and the surrender of that sound old State
doctrine that the STATE in the exercise of her sovereign
power under constitution which she her execu-
tive her legislature, and her Judiciary to support tc de-
Arer up fugitives from justice and labor without waiting
for or leaving 1t to the general government exclusively
to exercise this power delegated TO il in the constitution
it were by almost superhuman foresight in anticipation
of degenerate age, when delinquent States might wish
to finch from the honest discharge of their duty order
to cater to morbid appetite engendeed in atmosphere
of higher-aw regime If State authorities, IN good