The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-18

matter of course the people returned the paut of well
done TO the democracy and rejected the doctrines OF fede
rallsm as TOO nearly identical with those which they
had successfully fought against in the of the revou
tion According - the law of scfprcservation, they
could not have decided differently between the two poit
cal parties as first organized in this country.
but the federal opposition though defeated ia their ef
forts to model this government after that Of Great Brit
AIN, dd not weary in evil doing The next attempt was
10 contract the boundaries Of the OF freedom much
az possible From certain debates at the time OF the
adoption OF the constitution it is certain that they
in favor OF restricting the limit of the republic to the
ognai thirteen States But fortunately for this country
and Tor the human race the progressive democracy would
agree 70 no such restriction Some fifteen years after
wards the fcders violently opposed the acquisition OF
ouisiana bnt again the progressive democracy triumph-
ed and brought that Stat tsof incacuabe value and I'M
portance in POLITICAL commercial and military po 1t OF
view--under the wing of the American eagle.
The opposition of the federalsts, under the assumed
name Of whg to tho acquisition Of both exas and Cali
trnia Is within tho personal recollection Of most readers
For both Of these Invaluable acquisitions the people
ndehted to the progressive democracy They secured
he against the bitter dcuunciatons and strenuous
tons OF the opposition And here let stop ask what
progress would country have made in anything great
or glorious but for the democratic party! What would
have been the grand results OF the establishment of the
policy of the opposition Think of it, friends and
trynen Louisiana still French territory Florida a
Spanish colony! Texas in the hopeful condition
The Mississippi Valley inhabited by savages, by
OF cTed whites subject to European monarchy des
pOtl&n! Inc fatner Ol the great lakes OF
the West nothing but desert wastes of watcrs The
institutions of the United States excluded from all the
country between the Allegheny mountains and the Pacific
ocean Oar COUNT ,men shut out forever from Calitor-
nia the modern land Of golden promise and p.tmaace
Such would have been the condition of the republic at
the beginning of this year of 1858 had its destiny been
committed to the hands Of the opposition, the
mics of defnoc cac progress The democratic party
may well look back upon their with patriotic pride
and exultation Under their administration of affairs the
country has increased anna in population commerce.
territorial limits wealth, knowledge and every thing
else that helps to constitute the greatest republic known
in the history of the world Such is true and faithful
report of democratic progress in the United States
Every reader must decide for himself whether the
try would have beenga loser f tue opposition party
Of the past had succeeded in their efforts to arrest the
progress" of The democracy Each one must also d
Vine for himself whether the future interests of the repub
lie would be advanced preudced by crushing out the
democracy and placing the reins of government perma
nently in the hands Of the present opposition party.