The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-08-31


At the Democratic meeting, held on
Monday evening last, WILLIAM HoLL1Ns-
HEAD, Esq, of St. Paul, delivered logical
and eloquent speech in support of the Dem
9cratic nominees and platform. The follow
ing is correct report of the speech, the
copy Of which was kindly placed at our
disposal by Mr.. H., on the evening of the
meeting, but has been crowded out until this
morning:
Fellow Citizens :-Having been honored
by all invitation, from the Young Mems
Democratic Club to address you on this. occa-
sion, take pleasure in rendering, in my
my humble way, my tribute of support to
the Democratic cause-a pleasure which is
greatly enhanced by a conviction of the
worthiness of our candidates, and cordial
approval of the principles represented by
them, and which are set forth in the plat
form of our party. l am not, and do not
expect to be, a candidate for election, or ap-
pointment to Office, and can therefore confer
with you, with more freedom than it, by
such relation, l was open to the charge of
personal interest in the pending contest.
do not regard it as in good taste, nor as
good policy, to speak in abusive terms Of
the candidates of the opposite party, any
further than a correct reference to their
political principles may be abusive. 1t
does not follow, that, because citizen is
nominated for Office, he becomes infamous,
or loses his rights as freeman, or his feel
ings as a man, nor that he thereby be-
comes legitimate mark for the jibes and
libels of every scoundrel who can gain &C
cess to public audience, or to the columns
of a newspaper. His political position and
principles are all with which we have to do.
With his private relations in business, or in
social intercourse, we have not right to
NEEDLE, if they are unattended with i'm
morality, or crime.
Therefore if the pug-nosed whelp who
snarls daily through the columns of the
Minnesotian thinks that the course he is
pursuing in heaping epithets upon the Dem
ocratic candidates, will win, let him pursue
it, and we will see how it will turn out. If
my advice is taken, however, no further notice
will be given to his publications, than is
necessary to continue and aggravate their
grossness, until the election.
am willing, for the sake of the argument
at least, to accord to the candidates on the
Republican ticket responsibility of charac-
ter and conduct.
desire here to discuss simply and plainly
the political issues, involved in the canvass
now in progress, in calm and dispassionate
way, and in a manner which is worthy of
cause that relies upon the intelligence of
the people for support.
AS the election, now approaching, is to
have an important bearing upon our national
as well as our State affairs, the appropriate
division of remarks in regard to it is into
national and local points, of view. Adopt
ing this division of the subject, I propose to
treat the Republicans negatively, and the
Democratic party positively, or, in other
words, to endeavor to show why the Repub-
licap ticket should not, and why the Demo.
cratic ticket should, receive the support of
the voters Of Minnesota at this time.
As national party, they who call them
selves, most inappropriately, Republicans,
are unworthy of the support of the Ameri-
can people, because the theory of their
organization is opposed to the fundamental
principles of our government, and dangerous
to the peace and permanence of the nation.
And, further, because such organization in
its original design, and throughout its
progress, is hypocritical, and is grasped to
delude the people, and further the ends of
ambitions men, under professions of benevo-
lence and philanthropy.
1t is opposed to the principles of our
government, and dangerous to our peace, as
nation, because the constitution of the
government of the United States was
ordained, as its preamble recites, " to form a
more perfect union, establish justice, ensure
domestic tranquility, and promote the
general welfare" whereas these Republicans
promote disunion, villify, abuse, and treat
with contempt, (even in the Minnesota plat
form) the decision Of the highest tribunal of
Justice in the land, and destroy the general
welfare by arraying State against State