The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-08-18


tenn upon Alexander Hamilton. To deny
this broad construction, this Democratic
party, then called the Republican party, was
formed, and the Virginia resolutions of 1898
were adopted as the foundation stone upon
which it could be built.
These resolutions had but one single o.
ject, to-wit: to deny the Supreme Court
the right to decide any political question
Applause. He (Mr. Thompson) would
like to know what was meant by saying
that the Virginia resolutions were engrafted
in the two Democratic platforms, and yet
that the Democracy requires obedience to
the edicts of the Supreme Court The
speaker referred to the passage of the alien
aud sedition laws, and said that the Repub-
licans of Mr.. Adams day were unwilling to
submit to the decision of the Supreme Court
which said these laws were constitutional.
To use the language of Mr.. Jefferson, they
pronounced the Judges of the Supreme
Court the sappers and miners Of the Consti-
tuition, having the dangerous power to de-
eide all questions according to their own
particular views. The Virginia resolutions
were drafted to declare that the States them
selves had right to decide these political
questions for themselves. Dir. Madison's re-
pOEb ing tA4C ACoOldblOAo 10 olSO a
part of the Democratic platform. That re-
port says there is no tribunal above the
authority of the States, and that the judici-
airy is the last resort only in relation to
other Departments of the Government.
Judge Marshall in 1897, when a Representa-
tive from Virginia, expressly denied that
the Constitution had conferred on the judici-
airy any political powers whatever, or any
power except where there was case and
the parties were brought into court by pro-
cess. Mr.. Calhoun in 1881 declared that
the Supreme Court would not be a safe trib-
unal to exercise any such powers. Every
body recollects that General Jackson and
his friends abused the Supreme Court for de-
Gliding that the United States Bank was con-
.stitutional. The concluding remarks of
Mr.. Thompson upon this point were For
my part should despair of ever holding
the Democratic party to this or any other
decision that did not suit it. Its whole
course has shown how easily it could sweep
from our statute books every great measure
that time has consecrated. Its track is
marked with ruin. Applause. 1t has a
most remark table faculty for pulling down,
but none for building up again. Look to
it's platform. 1t gives US abundant instance
what Congress cannot do, but none of what
it can do. Ithas planted itself upon mega
tive policy, to which it was in point of fact
driven by its hatred of Henry Clay.
DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION TO Mr.. CLAY.
Mr.. Thompson referred to the strong OPP
position with which Mr.. Clay's measures
were met by the Democracy. He (Mr. Clay)
was regarded as the great personal rival of
General Jackson, and Democratic leaders
saw that the support of any measure with
which his name was identified would be a
concession on their part, that might result
in his election. Therefore, without further
inquiry and entirely reckless of consequence
es, looking only to mere temporary party
triumph, they opposed whatever he advo-
Gated. The series of great measures con-
nected with commerce, currency, domestic
trade, protection TO manufactures, internal
improvements, etc, which he from time to
time urged upon Congress, were nothing
more nor less than the measures which had
been begun by the fathers of this Govern
ment when they set it in operation, and by
means of which the country had grown to
an almost unrivaled greatness. But all this
made no difference to the political traders of
that day, who for the purpose of securing
the spoils of Office warred upon the Wing
system, which Mr.. Clay supported, and were
enabled IN the end to find enough of their
public men ready to sink the statesman into
the mere politician, to destroy every meas
ure with which his name was identified.
Mr.. LINCOLN on THE WAR QUESTION.
Having dwelt at length upon the Wing
and Democratic policies Mr.. Thompson en-
tered into discussion Of the proprety of
the war with Mexico. While on that topic
he said, see it objected to Dir. Lincoln, that
when in Congress in 1858, he voted that the
war was unnecessarily and demonstrations
ally begun, and this is assigned as reason
why he should not be trusted. To my mind
whatever l may think of some of his
other opinions-that vote should COM
mend Itself to the respect of all of U.s.
He gave it as a Wing, and every Wing in
Congress voted the same way, including
several distinguished gentlemen who are
now leaders in both wings of the Demo
cratic army. Applause l SO voted. with
as conscious a conviction of right as ever
felt, and subsequent events have only con-
firmed me in the belief | then entertained.
If | had to vote again tonight upon
the proposition, should vote the same way.
The war resulted as designed by its authors
in the acquisition of extensive territory
from Mexico. A few of US made an effort
to arrest this before il was consumnated,
but we did not succeed.
CONTINUED TOMORROW