The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1859-10-07
Exsrsc' .. oes Governor Chase's speech

| facts Of our public policy. We arc
in the .midst OF new political era.
We have new political and party
organizations. lido not, for my own
part, care abont going very far back
to date the origin OF the present or
ganization. In 1851 the Democrats
of this state elected the Governor,
state officers, the State Legislature
and the Judiciary. AT that time !,
believing the platform upon which
the Democratic party stood, espe-
cially in regard TO the great subject
lof human slavery, to be correct and
right, stood with the Democracy in
the position which they occupied, |
stood there not as a mere party De-
mocrat, bound by the DEGREES Of p0-
litical caucuses and political con-
ventions to which | had assigned
over my conscience and honor, to
mould il as they pleased. | was
never such a Democrat as that!--
was Democrat because believed
in the old Jefersonian doctrines OF
Democracy, and with the party that
was willing to carry them out to
their legitimate consequences, was
willing to stand. 1t is Tor just that
reason that | stand with the Rspnb.
licans to day. (Applause.)
In 1852, as YOU all know, the old
political parties Of the country en-
dorsed the compromise measures at
Baltimore, and then when the Do.
mocratic party endorsed them and
nominated Mr. Pierce, /, for one,
stepped out OF the ranks and gave to
that platform and to that nomination
just as strenuous an opposition as |
had given to the Democratic candi.
dates in Ohio, the year before, my
most strenuous support. supported
the one because they stool upon
principles which | believed to be
just. | opposed the other because
they had deserted those principles
and had gone over to what | be-
lieved to be the slave power. just
at that time, as everybody knows,
there commenced great change in
the character ofparties. The Demo.
cratic party began to grow weak. -
Hundreds beside myself, not to say
thousands, left the ranks when they
quit the principles upon which they
had stood. Bnt the opponents OF the
Democratic party were then divided
as we all know. into two parties. -
There was the Independent Damo-
cracy. or the Free Soil party, ard
there was the old Whig party, both
opposing the Democratic party, but
from different stand points. Thus
divided, they we're unable OF COURSE,
to resist its power, although it was in
weaker condition than il had been.
The consequence was that, in 1882
80. the Democracy still succeeded
in CARRYING the state Of Ohio, bat it
was under new state Of thin s.
Mr. Pierce. with his platform anil
with his pro slavery measures. es
pecially the measures of the repeal
Of the Missouri prohibition, never
represented the Democracy of the
North. They swallowed him, but
, never digested him. (Langhter y
, They never believed in those pro-
slavery principles which he repre-
, sented, and the practical consequence
was that the party had TO support it
, eeIf by new devices and new IDEAS,
and new contingencies. 1t had t.
: support itself, not by principle, bu'
, by patronage, not 10y love OF jnstice
. and right. but 10y tho love OF office
= and hence it began to change il,
: characteristics. | attribute to this
4 (some differ with me. however, tn,
' great change which Immediately de
I veloped itsrl in the character of the
! Democratic party, that instead of &
I party Of freedom, it became the party
OF slavery-instead Of a party Of re-
form, the party OF corruption.
| Just refer to this for the pnrpos,
( Of showing to you that do not re
f gard the old Democratic principle Al
responsible for what | am about t,
: speak to you Of, but regard the new
necessity Of the Democratic party
which compelled it to trust to me,
and officers rather than to principle
4 as accountable for these things.
= LEGISLATION IN THE PAST.
. Mr. Breslin was one Of those wh'
J, composed that first Democratic al
, ministration. They had elected tn
= State Legislature AZ well. Wha
h, did that Legislature do? 1t was tn
: first that met under our new Con
a stitution. What was its duty? 1t
J, duty. was to organize your stat
;, government upon the best and mos
IS economical plan under the new Con
II sntution, to adapt all the movement
'e of your state institutions to this neS
% controlling power which had bee
Z. created by the people for tho gui
dance of all departments OF the gov
ernment. What did they do? Thei
t. first duty would be necessarily I
, raise your revenue and to disburse /
D. and in doiag this to be as economies
,r as possible. Ia there any pretenc
,r that they were economical? Non
W at all. Their own party men don
h pretend to-day that the first Demo
al cratic Legislature was either ecol
T. omical or prudent in tho administrf
g. ton Of affairs. Your taxation il
10 creased; yonr revenue increase,
4. your expenditures increased.
Iyl Well, when the revenue was tht
ir collected, from the people, what ",
It the duty Of the Legislature to Z
in regard to it2 II was their dut
C. one would think, to provide ii