The Constitutional. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1860-1861, 1860-10-06
SPEECH OF
HON. JERE CLEMENS.
Dcl,ccrcd nj HuntsciHe, dla.

I'll oi you have been 1 l, personal friends throuol
very chang of parties and politics If, therefor,
ihl To satisfy you that my present political po
stl"n Is tn" night one, know You will do inc
the justice 10 believe that it is the result of DELHI
crate examination and earnest conviction mn
iIu'ncrd by any consideration but the public
goud
am here To advocate the election of John Bel
and Edward Everett, whom regard as among
t!ic w.-cst aud purcst of living statesmen but in
ia" Discharge OF tlat duty l have no warfare to
max" upon the fricnds'Of Stephen A. Douglas
Differing nom them upon various questions OF
public policy, there is yet one link between us
would no; willingly break believe them to be
sincerely devoted to the union of these States, and
rs. long a, they are So, could not hold myself
acqUit'i Al the bar of my conscience for treating
thrm as ou'micS Besides il would be- unjust 10
held them accountable" for the fpllies and coTup-
items Of IN Administration in which they have had
neither lot nor part; but by which, on the contra
~. they have been pursued with the bitcrest per-
sccution. In speaking of the Democracy may
not always distinguish between them and the
lhrcklnIidgc wing, and for some of the causes
of complaint to which shall advert they must
bear part of the responsibility; but my business
to-day is not with them. John G.. Brcckinrdgc
is the rcsiduary lrCatcc of James Buchanan's Adj
npotra,on, and when ! speak of Democratic sins
| wish to be- understood as referring to that De-
nocracy which he r"prcs,nis
Before entering upon the discussion Of these
questions which they have forced into the fore
Ground, and dcSgnydly made the main issues in
me present canvass ! propose TO strip from their
shoulders the robes they have assumed, and
prove beyond doubt or cavil that they have been
false to every principle of the Old Democracy
That they have tom down every landmark erected
by las fOundcrs-and have only retained the name.
because 1t was still spell of power among the
people, and served to aid them in the accomplish
lncnt OF designs full of danger TO the Republic.
For tins purpose shall take their party platforms,
and proceed to try them by the principles there
stld down. That of Icj6 is before me 1t has
,"crni'y been rcatirmed at Charleston and at
baltimore, upon al the points TO which | wish to
direct your attention; and as il is their latest cx-
position, S" suppose it is the one by which they
Iu..,. 'o be- Judged
J H'' 'iaiiOrm begins with n reformation of all
The a., ,ual principles of the Old Democracy
For tLo sake of witty / shall state them in my
own language. They were all based upon the
e'"lai principle of Stiict construction of the
Constitution. and were:
J. Opposition to Bank ofthe United States
= Opposition To Tariff for protection
q" opposition {" Internal improvements by the
General Government
j. Siurt Economy in the public Exprnditures
! hose were th"pUnciplcs of Thomas Jefferson
ana Andrew Jackson, and for twenty years they
"'F' boon embodied in the resolutions of Demo-
cratic t"nv"n.i'us. Each and every one of them
was esteemed i,al, and the man who was nroven
Z" be- r'i>- upon one, was held TO DC false upon
an '.e' as apply tliS test to the buchanan
I'''' .l..'. - muCracy. Let us take up their
P"t..'I principles one by one, and ascertain
o.. H history establishes their LOYALTY. or con-
vet, .n'iH of inhdciity to the pledges deliberately
na!' r1 'hc people.
The Sank question has passed from the arena
Bt politics. II i load apI ,,o ,,,,.
l'Ni'" ~ That resolution therefore is without
meaning and mands no notice But the others
are NNng questions / begin with the Tariff
IN" platform pledges the party not ofv against
the Wh'pl" Of protection, but in favor of PRO
gIrS>iy' free trade throughout the world That
war The promise. What has been the pcrfor-
mmcr With beautiful consistency WORTHY
'hg ainiraiion ofall mankind. thcy placed upon
ms FREE Trade platform man whose whole life
h3d been devoted to the interests of pr0tccfi9g-
who had voted for the Tariff Of lS2- which. hut
for Andrew Jackson, would have plunged ,b
country into all ia" horrors of civil war-who had
voted Tor the Iaritf Of l~i2, which the Democrats
81 maj day delighted 10 denOminate the Black
lulil-and who had never upon any occasion
raised his voice or recorded his vote against the
highest duty the avaricc of the manufacturer i'm
pG.i'd linn To- ak
The selection of such a candidate rives color
90 the suspicion that the Convention intended bv
thrir FI'c Trade resolution to deceive and mislcad
the Aht-Imih states, trusting that ihe Tariff
STATES would estimate its just value by the po-
tcncy q! a paper resolve so Numerically opposed
10 ia" well known opinions and life lone practices
of the candidate selected. Whether thai was the
intention or not, that was the result TuIstinp
10 the platform, Alabama, Mississippi and South
Carolina rolled up overwhelming maioritics for
James buchanan. Trusting 10 the past history
of the candidate. Pennsylvania, New Jersey and
...rs.f ID. ...... IL.
dent that somebody must be deceived and there |
never was arCasonable ground for doubt as TO
who wowd bo the victim A member from Penn !
SyNania Is reported TO have said at the Convcn- |
ton, that he swallowed the platform as hc did |
cPictc-to throw it up again. The very next |
lhmocIatic Convention which assembled in the !
STAT" Of Pennsylvania adopted a strongly protec-
iY" resolution an article of party faith in d- |
rect conflict W4th tn" resolution of the National
Convention, and the Democratic candidate for !
Governor was elected mainly on the ground that |
he was e better Tariff man than his opponent |
Ia thu Senate of the United States, Birl,r of |
Pcnnsy iyaua. Thompson of New Jersey, and |
SliIcll and benjamin of Louisiana are known and |
auwrd TIotcctionists. Mr.. buchanan, in his an /
null message, manifested his devotion 70 his old |
principles by recommending tn" substitution of |
specific 0drai0rcm duties. His Secretary of the
Treasury made a cnuntcr Recommendation. bur
yet they Jog amicaby along together and the ma
ton is edited by hcholling the wonderful power
IF "spollS' 20 smother away the roughnrss of DO
itical disagrermcnis.
The conclusion from the record is irresistible.
hat 50 tn rs relates to the Tariff there has not
boon even n decent prrtrnc" of rcdcrming tn.
Promises Of the platform Beginning with TIN.
President, and un.ing on through Senators.
Governors and Legislators down TO the lowest
'ro-> road, rliiician, there has been an open and
Shameless abandonment of the principle Of Free
lrl!" and not one voice in the ranks of the par
Is, from Maine 20 Louisiana, is raised in-r-bukr.
Dee I'D luir was false in one thing false in all
nd that WAS TIA" rule insisted on by VIM L. Yam
rv in l-lS. In his Address to tho people of
iiabamt, of that year, he said:
Thu Democracy has ever held-that no man
ouId be- uu~uumd upon any one of the great
,u'u;. of The Democratic crrcd-to-wt: LIST, the
Using of revenue; %. the keeping of the rrvc-
&c.,. 81. ,lr distribution of Teyenuc-without
lgllr ~ md on all"
IT,. Buchanan democracy are proven to be I'M
oual u..u 'la subject of the Tariff, and accord
AZ 700 ". .su,ry'S rule they are unsound ON all
rr points of the Democratic creed" He
.- n iTig. The case is fully made out But
.,'u' 80 further. / intend to pile proof upon
r.ot until sAcpticism is impossible. unless it is
... i to idiocy:
10" subject of internal improvements by the
al Government * the urNt which I Sh,l