Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-08-06

rights upon the ocesn-to vindicate our
character and prove our power as a nation
and we did it. by driving the British
cruiZers that infested cur coasts from the
seas and by causing Great Britain to sue for
peace-thus establishing our status through
out the world, and compelling not only re-
spect but submission to the motto on our
bann@rs-"Free trade and sailors rights"
Applause.
Among other positions taken and main
tanned by the Democratic party was the po~
sition-a fundamental idea with that party
that the public treasures should be with
drawn from the control of private corpora
tions, and that the public should be fur
nished with reliable currency. You re
member the great tank question. In the
memorable struggle growing out of that ex-
citing question, the Democrats succeeded in
establishing their financial theory, which
has, ever since, been the ruling theory of the
Government. We came to other cases of
like character, but entirely in harmony with
the theory we had laid down. We with
drew the business Of the county, with all
its wealth, after a fearful struggle against a
most formidable oppnsi ton, backed up, as
1T was, by powerful private Interests. from
the control of private corporations. Then
we had the enemy fiercely contending against
Z
question similar in character. Then came
the second foreign war we had. Cur enc
mics then fiercely contended with us. We
know what Congress now docs-we know
what it did then. There Is not much differ
ence- There Is power there, now, which
is rendering the Executive impOtcnt and
which is making an effort TO disparage our
noble and courageous soldiers in the field,
though they have sealed their devotion TO
their country in their hearts blood. These
men, in Congress. have no more patriotism
than those had. during the Mexican war.
who voted against furnishing our soldiers
with supplies. That war was rendered ne
ceSsary, in the estimation of the Democratic
party, on account of the invasion of the
rights of our citizens on Mexican soil, and
the Government said then, as trust it ever
will, in similar cases, sav-"We will not
allow the slightest encrOachment upon the
rights Of any one of our citizens, however
humble" and we vindicatcd that position
with our blood and treasure. Tie opposi-
tion then was led by some such men rs now
in Congress, oppose the Guvernment-such
as Sumner. Wade, Wilson and others-men
who proclaimed: I'VE will vote YOU no srIp-
plies aud give You no money, but hope the
Mexicans will welcome You with bloody
hands TO hnspitable graves" The party
that vindicated the country against en-
crnachments on the rights Of its citizens was
the Democratic uarty- Great applause
It may not be Improbable to think of
this You, gentlemen. can all draw your
own parallels. You see how entirely appli-
cable il Is.
Look over the list Of measures established
since 1900, tie wisdom Of which has been
tested by the approval of the people-and
you will see that every measure that has
stood the test of time. and which has been
approved by the peoplc-the wisdom of
which has been attested by practical expe>
reuce and actual observation has been the
work of the Democratic party-NOt sin
gle leading measure which has stood the
test of time aud trial, and the wisdom of
which is acknowledged, is left unrepealed
upon the statute books, or public records,
which did not originate in the Democratic
party aud which was not established by
that party. 1t has lberalized the laws re-
gulatiug the el ctive franchise: il has pIo>
tected every class of our citizens when as
sailed and their constitutional rights threat
ened; it has protected the individual citizen
whenever his rights have been assailed; it
has protected the States, respectively,
against all encroacnments. or threatened en-
crOachments of Che Federal power. and IL
has, with equal firmness and power, upheld
and defended against all foes. whether with
IN or without, that power which was con-
stituted and established by the Union of all
the States. APPLAUSE
Being the party of the people and having
the rights and interests of the people always
at heart, as a necessary result of its princi-
| piles, the great Democratic party has ever
| been the champion of any and every indivi
| dual, or class, or religion, or trade. or inter-
! est, when any of these have been assailed in
/ their constitutional rights. When the me-
| chanics and laborers Of the country were
suffering from oppressively long hours of la
! Dor; the Democratic party. as their friend
/ and champion, contended for the te,, hour
system and succeeded in establishing it, a
/ Democratic National Administration leading
off by adopting this system in the Govern
ment dock yards. machine shops. etc. when
! the foreign Immigrants were assaied, the
! Democratic party projected them; when the
! Catholics were asSailed on accOun, of their re
ligion, it protected them: when the Senevo
! lent society of Free MasOns were asSailed, it
defended them; when the hotel and tavern
keepers were assailed, it defended them in
! their rights, and, in all cases, 1t has been
! successful in its defence of the constitutional
rights of our citizens. whether as classes or
as individuals, whether citizens of State
or of the United States.
During the lest sixty years the opposition
tc the Democratic party has strenuonsly op-
posed all the great and benefcent measures
which have been adopted and approved by
the people as the true policy of the Govern
ment. and under which the country has
grown and prospercd in manner unparal>
le!ed in the history Of nations, and in lieu oi