The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-08-10
a b = EI N COLIN
What He Amounts to and what he has Done,

SPEECH OF VIM. A. RICHARDSON, OF ILLINOIS.
Hon. VIM. A. RICHARDSON, of ILL.,, who
served in Congress with Lincoln, recently
made speech in New Jersey, in which he
reviewed what little political record Lincoln
has made. We quote from the report in
the Philadelphia Press
Between the position of Mr.. Breckenridge
and that of Mr.. Lincoln, the great body of
conservative men in this country can have
no choice. Either position keeps the ques-
ton before the Congress of the United States
for discussion, making it subject of un.
profitable discussion for years. The Demo-
cratic parry proposes to transfer the question
from the Congress of the United States to
the territories. Let the people decide it
one way or the other, as they please; let
them change that decision whenever they
please. 1t is their right; it ought to be
their privilege. 1t is the best means of set
ting the question, and, in my judgment, the
only mode by which you can ever admins
ter this Government in harmony and tran
guilty.
l have spoken of the principles that d.
vide the parties. l propose now to speak,
for short time, in reference to the candi>
dates.
In regard to the claims of Mr.. Breckin-
ridge, do not believe there are enough
Breckenridge men in this part of the country
to require from me much argument addressed
to them. The great and powerful party
here are the Republicans. 1t is with them
the Democracy have to contend. Whom
have they presented as their candidate for
the Presidency? Have they put forward
tried statesman? Have they presented
man who has won renown by brilliant
achievements on the battlefield? What
great act has Mr.. Lincoln performed?
What great measure has he brought for
ward? What legislation to advance the in
terests of the country has been consummated
through his exertions? Let his admirers
answer, if they can.
Six years OF my life l had the pleasure or
the misfortune Il do not know which it was)
laughter to serve with Mr.. Lincoln in the
Illinois Legislature. During that period,
what measure did he ever advocate that
looked to the interests of the state? Why,
fellow-ctizens, be once got law passed
providing for building toll-bridge across
Salt river laughter; and 1 hope he will
find it necessary to get steamboat with
which to run up Salt river laughter. But
1 ask, as l have asked in Illinois, what act
of his, what measure Of his, is there that
may challenge our appreciation or vindicate
his fitness for the proud position to which be
aspires? What prominent place has he
occupied? He was two years a member of
Congress He and took seats in Congress
together in 1847. What was his position
there? What great measure did he bring
forward or advocate? Let us review his
history:
On the Sd of January, l848-after our
army in Mexico had fought series of vic
torious battles, unparalleled in history, ter
minating in their taking possession of the
capital-Mr. Hudson. Of Massachusetts,, Of
fered resolution proposing to withdraw
the army this side of the Rio Grande, and
proposing further that the President should
make peace with Mexico, surrendering all
claim to indemnity for the past and securi-
ty for the future" For that proposition
Mr.. Lincoln voted, although in the State of
Illinois, many of our families were clad 10
mourning, for sons and brothers that had
been lost in those bloody battles! Suppose
his policy had prevailed, where would we
have been to-day? Struggling as we were
in 1910, with distress and disasters; for re-
member that since the acquisition of Cali.
fornia, the gold that has been thrown into
circulation from that source has amounted
to over $80O,OO0,O0O.
Mr.. Lincoln proposed to throw away that
conquest or that purchase, whatever it may
be called, and to leave the land in the hands
of Mexico, with those treasures to lie buried
forever! Again, on a proposition offered
by Mr.. Ashmun, the President of the late
Republican Convention, Mr.. Lincoln voted
to declare that that war had been unconsti.
tutionaly and unnecessarily begun by the
President of the United States. That is
his record in reference to the war.
True, his friends declared that be voted
for supplies of men and money to carry on
that war. have not examined the record;
| shall not do 80, for the reason that if he
believed the war unconstitutional and un-