The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-21
THE POLITICS OF THE DAY.
REMARKs or HON, R. II GILLET
prom tho pos,aam az. Y.) Courier and Joarn

@ IFrom the Postdam an. Y) Courier and Joarnal VIZ
IL would be al, ungratefu return for the many avors
received at the hands Of the democracy OF st Lawrence
to decline 10 address you when the subjects which agi
tate the public mind are fraught with many important
consequences affecting not only the present but future
generations.
Our country is almost boundless having every variety
Of SOIL and producing endless diversity Of productions
and enjoys advantages unequaled by any nation earth
We have civil Institutions superior TO any contryed by
human wisdom, which are administered with wisdom
and ability and in manner which will not suffer by
comparison with any other country Our prosperity Is
unequaed and our own security and happiness is the
proud boast of every American citizen Amid all this,
there many who sorey suffer In the mind because
they unable to dictate to Others in their religious
belief and mode Of worshippng God, and others who
equally suffer because they control tho yotesof their
negbors at elections and dictate the political actions of
every aud county in the Union They are not con
tent what they right themselves but they desire
TO direct all Others and punish them for their independ
ence of thought and action. Millions Of men have
been in past ages slaughtered for nonconforming faith
in religion and budding Independence of thought in poll
tics Nations have been deluged in blood to repress or
propagate systems of government Our thirteen colonies
successfully resisted the bayonet mode OF suppcssng
ltical truths and propagation of unacceptable errors,
aud this resistance resulted in present unequalled
form of government. To a. national organization were
committed such powers and authority each State could
not SO well exercise and all other wisely left with
each to manage in its own way Provision was made for
adding new States to the serhood of thirteen to meet the
OF the future. Inc spoke
government into existence committing to it foreign
affairs national Defence and few other powers not oasi
l exercised by them, denying to 1t all other power and
expressly reservng to themselves all not thus delegated
Without preserving this State independence tho national
government could never have been formed When the
British power cmbed to the earth each State free
and independent having all power and authority within
its borders Each made constitution and such laws as
she chose and executed them in her own manner being
responsible to power earth Each yielded certain
specified powers to federal agency and expressly re-
served the residue OF power to herself
.sHa TIE REPUBLICAN, PARTY.
There has sprung up party who are dissatisfied
with institutions thus contrved, and insist that
tain Of the States shall not exercise the powers reserved
to themselves and shall not manage their affairs in
their own way but that such States shall conform to
their views and conduct them they shall dictate.
They propose to crush them out they fail to conform
They insist that those who do not yield to their views
shall be debarred all share IN the administration Of the
national agency and shall bc forever deemed infamous
and unworthy of equal social relations and political priv
ileges They further insist that what they do not deem
property and protect By law at home shall not be so
deemed elsewhere protected and that they will treat
as felon and outlaw whoever differs with them this
subject They claim the right to dictate to newly
acquired Territories what local and domestic institutions
they shall fo and insist that conformity shn be
ground of exclusion when they apply for admission
States They contend that the national agency created
by al the States and for other purposes shall be bent
and used to enforce their wishes They deny it possesses
those good qualities heretofore accredited to IT by all
Instead of its being benign instrument Of good they
say it is OF evil while they seek to convert it into
one of vengeance to punish those who differ with them
In opinion upon single question
The subjects Of wrong and error at home over
looked for those supposed to exist distance where
the people deemed themselves fully competent manage
their own affairs. Those who differ with them in opinion
concerning the control of affairs, by the constitution
committed exclusively to Others the subjects of po
cal warfare unparalleled times and nnequalled on
Garth where blood il not the price of Independent opin
ions. Beliefs and motives attributes to men which
never entered their hearts, the existence of which Is not
really believed by those most loud in procaming and
charging them upon others Under pretence Of control
ing affairs in distant States and Territories, where neither
the constitution, nor the fitness of things coners
them the power to do they seek to strike down all who
differ with them in opinion, while at home they carry
war for opinion sake down to the lowest cmpoyents
whether public or private. The tyranny and vengeance
manifested by this party fully equals that sgnally
rebukcd by foreathers in the days of the revolution
What special wonder s that this party tolerate
the present time without cbuke question every possible
variety of opinion upon every subject except that which
ates to the rights Of the States and Territories to manage
their local and domestic affairs in their way and
their own interference Upon other sub
ects their lenienoy permits changes and notifications of
opinions to suit surrounding exigencies without weaken
ing the strong bonds of union and fellowship upon this
meddling, narrow, and mlschieyous one. Even the
ayowed design of annhilang the constitution and its
authority and setting up wrangng small governments
place of the present noble and glorious one is toler
ated il not approved without reproch question They
fellowship and support for high Office who proposes
the annihaton of the negro race If necessary to rid
the country Of slavery Such of the theories and
designs of the republican party tho marvelousncss of
whose creed is only equaed by the extent and variety Of
its signal Inconsistencies.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY
The principles of this party have been or less
connected with human affairs since the origin of govern
ments but first acquired widespread prominence and
control in the days of the revolution. They
deeply implanted in the human breast, and, when not
misled by false lights veiled error guide the action Of
great majority of the American people They rest upon
the holy ground of equal rights duties and privileges and
a sacred adherence to the constitution as 1t exists Ilcdem
ocrat consrues his power under it, strictly and refuses to
exercise doubtful powers If there In II they
are not bis. He did not make them but merely
stres H as he understands It, lie believes that the
tional government is most useful and best performs It's
duty when 1t wisely exercises nnquestoned powers and
abstains from all others He is opposed TO its being
made the instrument to repress or specially build up any
State interest at the expense of Others. He is conf
dent that all power not conferred upon the federal gov
ernment remains with the States who empowered 10
exercise it In their way, and that outside
their limits is authorized to interfere Hc wishes
left free pursue his interests and happiness when
he does not unlawfuy encroach upon another, and.
that no third person shall dictate to him the mode
In which he shall accomplish these objects. Ho wishes
to conine all exercising authority within its clear
and acknowledged boundaries He is opposed to over
locking home evils to attend 10 the affairs OF others
elsewhere who equally competent to manage
them for themselves He insists that the federal gov
eminent shall not be the instrument for the punishment
Of men, or tho destruction of property where the
stituton has conferred such power He believes that
and node nf vrnrulir ftor.