Nebraska advertiser., 1858-06-03
Political.
Democratic Address.


FELLOW DEMocRATs:
The day is fast approaching when Ne
braska will seek admission into the Union.
But three years have passed away since
her wide extent of Territory was opened
for settlement, and she has already at
tanned to more than one half Of the popu-
lalion usually required of Territories
when admitted to the independent sove-
reignty Of States, aud this too when party
and personal excitements, the nation
through. have directed into Kansas the
great tide of emigration. Now that these
excitements are being allayed, and the
emigrant selects his own pathway, unin-
fluenced by morbid partizan feelings,
three more years can hardly elapse before
our Territory viii be ready to throw off
the swaddling clothes of her minority and
claim the sovereignty of full grown in
dependent state.
That day will be one of mcmentous
Importance to our political future. There
will be adopted by US a Constitution,
moulded according to the views and sem
timents Of the people at the time, consti-
tuition which, being the fundamental law
Of the new State, will shape and give CO.
loring to all subsequent Legislation. Con-
gress requires of the Constitution of a
State seeking admission into the Union no
other qualification than that il be republic
can in form. A wide field is here left to
the discretion and choice of the people
composing the new State. They may
adopt a constitution upon the old federal
ist plan, cOnferring large powers upon the
government, powers of oppressive taxa
ton, powers of large patronage in the ap-
pointment to lucrative offices by the Exc
cutive, instead Of electing them by the
people, powers of managing the public
funds OF systems and plans of ruinous
extravaganza, and of establishing mann
moth monopoIies which rival aud crush
the interests of individual citizens, thu:
making the people and their substantial
good subservient to the government
which is the theory of :yrannies, instead
of making the government subServient Il
the people, which is and always has beer
the theory of the Democratic party.
On the other hand, they may adopt {
constitution whose basis shall be the glori
Gus democratic motto THAT government
is best which governs least" 1t may
leave the people free TO elect all their Owl
officers, with power to arraign them be
: fore the tribunal Of public opinion when
4 ever their misdeedS or shortcomings de
mand it, 1t may grant to its officers onl,
such limited powers as faithful and eff
cient discharge of their duties abSolutel
requires. 1t may limit taxation both il
its objects and amounts. 1t may forbi
all lavish expenditures of public monies
= 1t may restrain the chartering of bank
/. and monied corporations whose balefU
effects upon the public prosperity we ar
now sorely experiencing. In short 1t ma
provide an economical, safe and demoC
J, ratio government. Between extremes S
very wide the new State will be permitte
to form its own domestic institutions.
II Democrats, you believe that the latte
= and not the former description of const
tuition is the true one for a Democrat
peoples best suited to our intelligence
prosperity and wants. You belong I
' that great and glorious party whose four
= der was Thomas Jefferson; which froI
the first formation of our government ur
til now, has contendedfor such constitl
tion. You could not content yourself
live under one less free-less democrati
Not one of you but would indignant
spurn the idea of living in State rule
by federaliSts. whose leading doctrine
to increase the power Of the governmel
sc at the expense of the power of the peopl
J. As this Territory is so soon TO make II
choice of the constitution which it Wi
have, and as every democrat, every fret
a = man, is personally aud vitality interestt
to in framing a constitution free and demc
of cratic in all its parts, it is very appare
that no time is to be lost in adopting me-
sures and means for securing it. Publ
sentiment should be moulded early, tho;
who are of opposite views should be Il
formed and convinced, while those wi
are of like views should be impresst
with an adequate idea of their importanc
and all of us should be trained into an a
= my, compact, determined and stron
which can sweep the field of every oppo
ing foe.
J., Considerations of this character ha'
induced Democrats from all parts of Il
Territory to urge upon their brethren Il
l. propriety of an early and thorough org
nization of the party.
;m nl In all new countries. personal and Sc
We tional iealousies wage bitter contests.
our Territory has been no exception
the general rule--if we have been unwi
" ing witnesses of the unnatural strifes
Democrats with Democrats, let US r
member, let the bitterest opponents r
O. member that now we are approaching
h. new era-that another than a section
ng warfare is. coming on, warfare IN viii
',s 1D are involved the vital and permanent j
terests, not of one section only but of {
together, not of one man or set of M
only, but of all democrats, and that
common triumph or common defe
await us all. If our zeal for Democra
doctrines, principles and usages, has wa