The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-08-04
speech Of Hon. James Harlan


FELLOW CITIZENS:
Whether disposed to praise
sure the Administration of James Buchanan and
/ Franklin Pierce, all must admit .. .... ...
1 lst. The responsibility Of the Democratic Party
torhe present condition ofpuJiic atfdirs.
| 1t succeeded Mr. Fimore's Administration in 1852,
by the election of President, VicePresident, and
a majority Of the members Of both branches of Con-
gress The heads OF the executive departments and
officials throughout the country were Promty super
ceded by the appointment of Democratic fncumbents.
Having complete control Of the entire machinery of
government it able enforce its peculiar policy.
The justice and majesty, the good name and fame of
the great North American Repabc" among the ma
tons Of the earth, were committed to its keeping
Clothed with this great trusti startled the ears Of
the friends Of Repubcansm everyu here and delight
ed the despots of the Old World, by unb'ushng de-
NAL Of the truth Of the elementary principles Of civil
liberty, proclaimed by the revolutionary fathers,
established i'm the adoption Of the Federal Consttu
ton, and observed in the administration of the gov
ernment for three quarters OF century 1t assailed
the compromise measures of 1850. 1t repealed the
law extending the Principles of the Declaration Of
Independence embodied in the Ordinance Of 1877
of the Mississippi river, and inaugurated its Kan
policy. It naugurated IT'S foreign policy by the
bombarlment Of Greytown without authority Of law
and the fuminat Of the "Ostend Manifesto" bear
ing the OF James Buchanan and the other Minis
! tiers Plenpotentiary from this government to the
reatpowers OF Europe, disgraceful in principle
dangerous in practice.
| During the XXXIvth Congress the House Of Repre-.
sentatives was divided between the Democrats, Re-
publicans, and Americans. Neither had majority
Of all its members. But the Senate and all the execu
tive departments of the government, with all their
and influence still in the hands ofthe
Democratic party. .-r ... ..... &c.. -..-....
At the close of Mr.. Pierce's Administrations in 1885,
the Democratic party continued its power by the
election of President Vice President, and majority
of the members ofth, House of Representatives; It
maintained its supremacy in the Senate, and acquired
political dominion the Supreme Court.
During this period of more than six years from March
4th, 1853 to the present moment, every department
Of the government, except the House Of Representa-
tives for two sessions, when party had majority,
has been unequivocay in the hands OF the Democra-
cy. Democratic President has presided over a
Democratic cabinet "a Democratic Vice -President,
! over Democratic Senate "a Democratic Speak or,
over Demscratc House Of Representatives "a Dem
ocratic Secretary of War; the armies Of the
tion and the construction of her public buildings -
a Democratic Secretary OF the Navy, nation
/ al fleets Democratic Secretary of state, and Dem
ocratic Minister'S ambassadors and Consuls over our
foreign policy:-a Democratic Secretary Of The In
terror, our great land system Pensions, Patent
Office, and Indian affairs "a Democratic PostM aster
General, over our Post-Ofce system, extending into
every city, village, neigborhood, and across the
seas "a Democratic Attorney General and Supreme
Court our Judiciary system and national police
ramifying all the States and Territories "a Democrat
c Secretary of tie Treasury the Custom Houses
with the immense machinery for collecting the
nues. g. p r..a.-. ..
No one man is exclusively responsible for the acts
Of this administration; whatever OF evil or good
receive at its hands is not attributable, Individually
to Mr.. Buchanan or Douglas, to Hunter Toombs,
to Sdt or Davis is due to the party organization
to the aggregation Of the influence of men,
mttees, of conventions township county, State, and
national, which control its machinery-it Is due to
the enacity with which individuals cling to the party
name, and vote for its nominees. while condemn
ing its policy and measures. II Is not Mr.. Buchanan
alone, who has done the mischief of which the whole
country is plainingthe machinery of government
is vast for thishe must have the support Of the
heads IF Departments, of Democrats in the Senate,
in the House. in the courts, in subordinate ofices-
Of the hopes and fears Of ten thousand Of small
politicians, who ciingto the party name for future
preferment-it is the Democratic party which is re-
any vote for its nominees ?ifso he il response
BILE for its acts to the full extent Of his influence
citizen. You must alb .ndon the organization,
and repudiate 1t by your votes to escape RESPONSE
bility for its acts. Any other Democratic President
would have been compelled to do substantially Mr.
Buchanan has done, by the Democratic party as now
2nd. TIE Demoeratio party in tie Free States
has asanao"ed az i.s eheti.lea principles, ana has
From SAG to 1851 its distinpuisbinD doctrines war.
1 An adj aIoru,n dutv IN cd goods or Jirac,
x,tjon for The suppor of the nntiona oyer,n,ant
| , An independent treasury far the safe kac,in,,
of the pubIic money - - = %
| & The unrestricted t.yeto ~ nv the presidon.
Opposition TO the III at ibutiop of In. nroreeds .
the sales of public lands among the states
g. Opposition to the construction OF works of IN.
terpal Improvement by the federal government
| On these questions the American nconle were d;vi
ded from Main to Oreeon and from Michigan tn Texas
They were discussed All over the Confed racv in
contest. But since 1884 they have been abandoned
| The WING party has been dispersed and the Demo
cratic Marty re.conructed ON new nItforn, Inv nne
| on the tariff hank suttr.asurv veto mower dis
trbnt;on Of the proceeJsof the sales aftbe nub
| lie Lands or Internal imnrov.mrnts Win con
cedes the constitutional right OF the sIavehoderto
emiprate with and hold his slaves in al of the terri;
tories of the Republic Is a good Democrat IA Web
ster Wbp ga CLAW Wig ga moderate Whig San
mira Wiz without recanting a single ioctr;nn
maintain, in 1904 As or 80 and str n.,;no on tb;s
| pIatform il now a good Democrat Then these wbig
measures ,vere as awormwoo6 nd g,iIn 70 III i,an
ocracv Int now connIed with the toIeration of
nv in frec territory thew are ;as sweet as The honey
| IN tho bo,ev couh these tsoIdl;na Wh;,s"
tnat;onal men sucb AZ ReverJy Jobn.on and pierce
! ana pratt an, cboate ana Evar.,t ga II n -.
| and Reniimin and Clinpman ami Toomhs and Ste
| nbens ana 1mos W CIsGYrT and n " ST.RR and
II n nr,N are leaders in the Democrat;c marty ard
| are sent forth to prosoIyte the nation Whether
yhan ,bav no % m ado ,rosolyte he 90 as ,ha s.ri
tnres sarsth tswofoId more The child ~ l. sin than
before will not DELAY t. enquire farther than to re-
,ar tbat war rds N 10 eytran,aI is,.star
MAJ s'e' "i'. 90 "',