The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-02
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from the IVBnsslsaula Patriot AM uaonl "A, !, -
Were IT not for the injury ts production l. likely to
niict upon the democratic party and the fact that its
author is now the recipient Of emouments from that
party feelings Of personal friendship would certainly
restrain from noticing the extraordinary speech he de-
yered at Cochmnve, Chester county the 18th inst
Before proceeding TO notice the Speech will say that
we not without authority for asserting that Gov.
Packer, OF whose administration Judge Knox forms a
part is fully and unequivocaly in favor Of the election Of
all the regular nominees Of the party and that his friends
him best in giving these their active support
Judge Knox went to Chester county 10 aid the election
Of gentleman who candidate for the democratic
nomination, failing to receive which he sought the
publican nomination with the greatest energy, and fail
ing in that offers himself candidate by his
nationa gentleman who in Congress supported the adj
mission Of Kansas under the fraudulent Topeka constu
ton, which was far more pointedy at variance with
popular sovereignty than even the enemies OF Lecomp
ton urge the latter to have been Now, To bolster up
an anti democratic candidate like this Judge Knox
quotes the following words from the constitution Con
gress shall have power to dispose of and make all need
full rules and regulation respecting the territory other
property of the United States This il the CLAUSE under
which the republicans in 1856 claimed the power for
Congress to govern the people of the Territories, and this
clause relied upon by Them full to and
extnguisher of the doctrine that the people in the
Territories should settle their domestic institutions
in their way. This republican doctrine (Which we
deny, but will not dscuss) Judge Knox endorses
NEST singuarly endorsesn speech in which he urges
the election Of John Hickman, the ground that he is
advocate of popular Sovereignty the opposite, the
very antipodes, Of the doctrine
Again, Judge Knox drags in the otropeated history
of the ordinance of 81, and claims Mr. jefferson the
father of freeso doctrines, because he the author Of
this ordinance We certainly would not object to the
repetition of this bit of history if the distinguished gem
teman had deemed it prudent to give the whole. The
history of the whole matter in its material substance Is
simply that Mr. Jefferson reported the ordinance for the
government of the Northwestern Territory with an anti
slavery proviso for the alleged that the necess
ties Of the government demanded am immediate sale Of
the lands that the emgrants to the West were then all
Europeans and that these prejudiced against sa
very that they would not purchase unless guaranteed
against it, nearly all the States then being savehodng
States. But If forever to prevent anybody from
scribng to atsayery feeling, Mr. Jefferson at the
time reported the ordinance for the govern
ment of the Southwestern Territory emitting the anti
slavery proviso So much for the truth Of history and
the honorable gentleman's argument on this point
Judge Knox regrets the passage of the Kansas Nebraska
BILL but does not desire to be understood opposed to
the prncple Of popular sovereignty contained in the
act. viii he inform of the date Of his conversion to
that principle? Was it before after John Hickman
voted for the admission of Kansas under the Topeka con-
stitutionl Or is it of yet more recent date 7
To paliate the conduct of Hickman and his support
in deying the regular nomination of the party Judge
Knox offers the lame excuse that THAT great and good
man. Andrew Jackson was not the nominee of any eau
Gus" Very well let again give bit Of history
Mr. Jefferson, the first democratic candidate for Pres
dent adopted such by general consent because he
was the founder of the party. Mr.. Madison next
chosen because he was the ablest and most proIni-
nent friend of Mr.. Jefferson; but some dis
posed to take Mr.. Monroe, the question set
tied by u congressional caucus. MIR. Monroe was
designated by general consent his successor and
also endorsed by similar nomination. In 1924 the
members of Congress undertook to make President who
had not been designated by the people, and such
power had been conferred upon them, their action
treated with contempt IT under the administration
and by the direct support Of Cen jackson that the dele
gate system grew up and he always regarded those
enemies to the party who did not readily yield to its
legitimately expressed will.
But how ungrateful in Judge Knox to take ground
against regular nominations What else made him q
member of the legislature? His consistent support of
that very doctrine induced the friendship of Gov Skunk,
which made him judge. Again. the force of regular
nominations elected him first judge of the inferior and
then of the Supreme Court and the potent power
has given him the State attorney generlship Yet he
now raises his voice strike down the very party and
the very that have given him consequence and
placel @
With all this Judge Knox does not yet to think
that he has sufficiently deed his party and derided its
of success but IL to epitomize all disorganz
ton all actionsm, and all rabd scctionalsm he pro-
ceeds to culogize my friend John w. Forney, the gal
liant editor of the Press who boldly takes ground against
nearly all the nominees of his party State and local. Lc
compton or anti Lccompton
The democratic party has survived dcsertion in
critical periods than the present and need not fear it
The future will prove it invincible but
insist that honorable gentleman who holds lncr-
tive office by virtue of its organization is bound to lay it
down when he longer give that party and its
usages his best support.
. Is . H----- az