The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-08-18
The Political Issues of the Day
Speech of Hon. Richard w. ThOmp-
aOn of Terre HnuIe.


The Honorable Richard W. Thompson of
Terre Haute addressed the people of Vigo
county, Indiana, on Saturday evening last,
at the Court House in the city of Terre
Haute. There was very large number of
persons present, and the most profound at
tention was paid to the eloquent gentle
mans remarks, which occupied four hours
in delivery. Our photographer furnished
us with verbatim report of the speech, but
want of room in our columns compelled us
to condense it into the brief space allotted
to it to-day Gin. Gdz.
Cd Mr.. Thompson introduced his subject
with the remark, that in the present excited
condition of the country, it is the duty of
every one to deliberate carefully upon the
course he pursues in the Presidential con-
test. He believed that the great body of the
people desire to do what they consider right
10 advance toe honor and the welfare of the
country; but it is possible that under mis-
taken apprehension of their duty, they may
plunge the country into an embarrassment
still deeper. He said he was satisfied that
there are now at work in this country some
of the most dangerous elements of political
destruction, and that if the people do not
furnish some relief against them, they will
entail upon US more mischief than many of
US imagine. He had not the slightest fear
that the issue of the Presidential contest,
whatever it may be, will terminate the I'm
ion, or that the election of any candidate
now in the field will cause such PROPOSE
ton to be seriously entertained by any large
number of people. a-t
s-- THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY RESPONSIBLE.
One of the chief elements of mischief
which are now at work in the country, said
Mr.. Thompson, is disregard of law "a dis
position to set at defiance the constituted
authorities of the country-to make every
thing yield to the behests Of party. Whence
sprang all this He denied that it origin
ated in the Wing party, which he consider
ed the purest party that ever existed. The
Democratic party, by its resistance to Wing
measures, brought into existence the mis-
chievous instrumentalities which it has since
used so iniuriousiy to the country and so
fatally to itself. Referring to this, he said {:
l wish you to notice what / say just here,
for speak with deliberation when | say
that to the Democratic party are we indebt-
ed for all the mischief now in the country.
fApplause They first set the example of
disregard oil the Constitution and the laws
and they have never failed to trample both
under their feet whenever they stood in
their path. Beginning with the Dorr re-
bellion in Rhode Island, and coming down,
they have warred again and again upon
every department of Government, both Ma
tional and State; and there is scarcely q
Constitution to be found upon which they
have not laid their hands. Look at our
own State. Our first Constitution was one
of the best in the country. 1t was consid-
cred a model. But these political empires
were not satisfied with it, because it con-
tained within It the conservatism of old
fashioned Whiggery and they tore it into
tatters, and put in its place another, which
is mere bundle of blunders, and a disgrace
to the State. 1t looks as if its sections had
been written by a number of men, and
stuck together by accident TApplause7
THE SUPREME COURT.
The speaker next referred to the position
OF the Democratic party upon the bred
Scott decision. He said that party wa:
just sixty-two years old, and it had spent
just sixty Of these years in warning against
the Supreme Court, and using their every
- effort to bring it into contempt. Applause.
The Virgins resolutions of '9s are curiou:
productions They were made for politi
cal purpose. They were made for class o.
politicians who sought to set up in thi:
country code of political principles in d.
rect antagonism to those of Washington
administration, which proceeded upon The
idea that the Government of the United
States according to the Constitution possess
ed the power specifically granted to do Ger.
tain things and beyond that the right to dc
whatever was necessary incidentally to car.
~ out these general purposes. The Democ
racy charged the Inauguration of this sys