The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-12-15
The Bright Dynasty.

The State ,JourRat gives the following
history of the Bright Rule, which is about
coming to close in this State:
The Bright dynasty has ruled the party
in this State, for the last dozen or fifteen
years with tyranny as absolute as that ex-
ercised over his subjects by the Gar of Rus
sia. Its influence in the councils of the
party has hitherto been omnipotent. 1t has
made and unmade creeds and platforms at
pleasure. With single wave of its magic
wand, it could render the Wilmot Proviso
orthodox or heterodox, banks democratic or
anti-democratic, tariffs beneficent or hurtful,
the election of Senators in Congress legal or
Illegal and the Legislature of the State TO
consist of ono branch or of two branches
It could make changes in an instant, meta
morphine an old line whig into first class
democrat in a single night; and consign
scores of life long democrats to the pit of
"Black Republicanism with single breath
of its displeasure.
The leading spirits of this wonderful ca
bal have been Jesse d. Bright, NJ. G. Bright,
James Whtcomb, Joseph A. Wright, r. d.
Owen, E. NJ. Chamberlain, John l.. Robin
son, G. N. Fitch, A. P. Willard, Jas. Hughes,
C. L. Dunham, w. J. Brown, ]. G. Davis,
d. w. Voorhees,, W. w. Wick, A. A. Ham
mond, w. b. Beach, and a few other lesser
lights. Whitcomb and Brown are dead
Wright, Davis, Wick and Chamberlain have
been excommunicated. Owen is out of the
country, and his position is doubtful The
two Brights Fitch, Robinson, Hughes, Will
lard, Dunham, Vorhees, Hammond and
Beach constitute the real dynasty and WELD
its power and influence. Willard and Ham,
mond may he regarded as a little disloyal
just now; but they will hardly dissolve
their connection with the cabal prior to the
defeat of their party in 1860 Not being as
well provided for as their colleagues, they
would like to harmonize the discordants'
elements of democracy until they could Sc
cure more lucrative positions.
Jesse d. Bright is the acknowledged head
of the cabal. He was the founder of the
dynasty, and in its Magnus Apollo. He did
not found it by deeds of wisdom or valor,
but by violation of law and constitutional
duty-by stealth and intrigue. In point of
talents he is q very ordinary man in in
dustry, tactics, stubbornness, imperiousness,
and perseverance, as his bulk would indi-
cate, he is Il giant. Accidentally made
Lieutenant Governor upon a humbug issue,
casting vote time and time again, to pre-
vent the peoples representatives. from dis
charging a plain constitutional duty-the
election of Senator 10 Congress. For this
violation of law ne Claimed his reward !;
it was pusilanimously' granted, and he be-
came the Senator himself IA Congress he
made his brother fortune, aud perhaps his
own. How, the records of the Navy De-
partment will partly disclose. 1t WAS as
sumed that Brooklyn water-lots were need
ed for Naval purposes. Mr.. G. Bright Il
Co. were the owners of them. The govern
ment had plenty OF money, aud, as usual,
got fieeced Jesse obtained reputation
of being the owner of negroes in Kentucky
and saying nothing He recolected the
adage in Webster's old spelling book,
Hear much and speak little, and profted
by it, His rubicund countenance, well
combed hair, and portly form were more
eloquent ssthanEhis tongue ssand he kept the
latter still. In the rural districts of In
DIANA or in a room of the Palmer House
surrounded by his faithful co-laborers, this
little member did not cleave to the roof of
his mouth. In the former he could belch
out vituperative epithets against the Brit
ish Wings or "Black Republicans with
out much regard to the rules of Murray,
and in the latter d" horrid oaths and impre-
cations against Democrats who exhibited
signs of rebellion to the cabal, or dislike of
the platform he desired For twelve years
he has ruled the party with rod of iron.
Coming into notice and obtaining position
by disregard OF law, securing his last en-
dorsement by a revolutionary and illegal
proceeding, iacetiously called " an election
he had the impudence to denouncc those
who protested against his right 10 n seat
in the Senate, as .actious violators of the
Inv
But his eagerness to retain his member
ship in that body betrayed him into the
commission of n capital error-the making
of It g set speech in the T. S. Senate 4
ranter at the hustings for twelve years
about the rights of the people and their ca
pacity for sclf-gcyernment; an eulogist of
written constitutions; q dcvotee at the shrine
of popular institutions; when he opened his
mouth in the Senate he demonstrated that
these professions, like his last election, were
mere sham and humbug. In that speech he
labored to deprt> 1atc the value of State con-
stitutions, and insisted that too much i'm :
portance had been attached to them; denied
the capacity of the people to make their
own organic laws; insisted that the princi-
pie of submitting constitutions to q vote of
the people was vicious; maintained that
they could not give an intelligent vote on
such instruments; proclaimed his adhesion
to Lecompton, and coolly declared that he
would not feel prepared to vote against it if
he were satisfied it was loathed, hated and
despised by a majority of the people of Kan
sas. His acceptance of Il seat in the Senate
under bogus election damaged him seri-
ously i'm the estimation of honorable men of
all parties but this speech, full of the rank
est Federalism aud Capitalization, abound
ing in distrust of the capacity of the people,
and in slurs on their rights, and reckne
with the insolence peculiar TO n vain and
tyranaical man dressed in little brief
authority" furnished the finishing blow
Prior to these events even his political op-
| ponents had a certain degree of confidence
in his straight forwardness, and gave him
credit for a fair share of political boldness
and manlineSs But he is dead, and died
of II sham election and Lecomptonism, ad-
ministered to him by his own hand, should
be engraved on his political tomb stone
! Whether he shall be permitted to occupy
the place now illegally held by him to the
end of the term, er not, the acceptance of it,
and the ruinous price at which he has been