The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-03-08


Jefferson democracy, from the beginning.
made hatred of England its chief stock IN
trade. Il is notorious that at this period a
large number OF foreigners, with feelings Ia
cerated by exile, all turned into channels of
hostility':o Britain, held influential positions,
either as members Of congress or editors OF
papers, and these infused into the war,
spirit Of intolerance and rancor, that has no
parallel in our history. John Randolph, who
opposed the war from the beginning 70 the
end, IN alluding 10 the spirit Of menace, man.
lfested by the war party sareastically sueees.
tedi more than once, that he felt himself in
danger OF being tarred and feathered, for ex- q.
pressing his honest convictions. He also
said, that almost every leading press in favor
OF the war was conducted by men, who had
put recently escaped from the tyranny or the
justice OF the British government Foster,
the British Minister at Washington, when war
was declared, stated soon after, in the British
house oil Commons, that among the members
of congress who voted for the war there were
no less than six late members of the Society
Of United Irishmen.
Madison himself was eoerced into giving
his sanction to the war.
hlidreth's History Of United States, vol. b.
p' SS4, IN this connection, says:--ssThat do
minaiion over public opinion which the war
party so long manifested, &C., have consnired
TO shield Madison from that obJoouv which
must ever rest upon this part Of his conduct.
that OF having been driven by intimidation
and sedueed by personal interest and amhi.
uon into course of public conduct in his own
Judgment ipsgrovident if not highly danger.
Gus. lhe same convictions were fully shared
ppy Oallatin, and probably also Monroe, the
fresldents two principal cabinet oilicers.p
foungs American Statesman, page 2fo.
saysi- certain 1t Is, that there were many
uGmnprutQ tyb m
time would be premature. Indeed. snch vos
the reluctance of Mr.. Madison to engage IN
war-wlth whom Mr. Gallatin, secretary Of
the treasury concurred-that the congress,
slonai caucus to nominate candidate for
president at the approaching election was for
a time delayed, as the war party was unwil.
ing to support him unless he should deter.
mine to go for war Mr.. Monroe was prefer.
red by the most jealous friends of the war,
In me conduct Of the war the inelRcieney
shown IN the field by those in Command az
our troops strongly indicates tha, commis.
sions were bestowed upon partisan favorites
without regard TO qualifications OF fitness Ia
assume the responsible duties deyolyina upon
them. In less than GO DAYS from the begin
nlng OF hostilities our country was diseraced
by the most shameful surrender in the annals
OF history. Hull at Detroit, without striking
blow, surrendered his whole army. together
with all the forts, garrisons and territory Of
me northwest. The abortive attempts Of
aor.1enerai Dearborn, lsoon granny Dear.
bornl TO reduce Canada, which the war man.
ayers avowed they would overrun in two
months was most humiliating to the army,
Ills inethciency was so manifest that Madison
was compelled 20 relieve him, urging his re.
hef upon the ground that the General wnn
not well, while the General declared that he
never felt better in his life.
Wilkinson, his successor, was in a short
time courtmartialed and superseded for his,
gross blunders. This imhecility Of officers
and the erroneous idea Of carrying on an Of.
ienslve war against Canada, leaving our coast
exposed to the ravages of the enemy calIad
! forth the just contemplation Of the federal;sts
The Constitution of the United States gives
othoers no right to use the militia Of State
TO wage an offensive war But whilst the
army was baffied and dishonored by failures
and renulses the nary was achieving glorious
victories. But who does not know that the
iederalists built up the navy? Even the
Frederick county school boys could tell US
that the policy Of Jefferson and his adhereuts
were opposed to strengthening the navy. Ar
mics and navies were the engines Of ROYALTY
2 to crush opposition TO their tyranncaI man.
: dates. We will have none Of them said
Jefferson and his followers.
. The iederalists argued from the first, if we
must fight Britain, let us meet her on the
ocean,. Then to the foresight and wisdom
OF the tederalists we owe whatever Of reuown
was achieved upon the high seas.
Hear how enrapturously the Advocate
speaks of the navy. "Not only did our navy
pluck the proudest laurels from the brow Of
the mistress Of the seas, &c. madison and
the democrats fought the war to an honorable
peace says the Advocate y Let as hear
I w eftl tl...tg A
itles IN the beginning Of this discussion saws
OF this honorable peace treaty, This his,
torian says, page 4r4:-"There never was a
more absurd treaty than that Of Ghent. IA
only significance was that Great Britain and
the unlledsStates, having been at war, agreed
to be at peace. Not one Of the Distinctive
issues to decide which the war had been un-
dertaken, was settled or even mentioned -
England haying disposed of her formidable
rival tNapoleon,) was now free TO turn her
whole armament against our shores. At this
prospect the war party was so alarmed that
they were ready to sue for peace and willing
TO subscribe to any terms that would arrest
the progress of the war. To all Difference 10
the honor OF my country this is the unvarnish-
ed truth. Is there any wonder that the Hart
ford Convention was so objectionable IN the
eyes OF democracy? II was opposition TO tho
war; and the war was attended with defeat, dis.
aster, disgrace, andto turn retribntion from the
heads of the war makers il was considered
polite to charge every miscarriage to.the war
opposers. In short, It was deemed the best
way for representation, by the tenocraiic
leaders, to sink the tederaljsts In undyine IN.
fanny. Hence they persisted in denouncing
! the Convention an assembly of conspirators.
The Advocate Of last week, after wading
through two columns of recapitulatioD, with a
little addition Of new matter to sustain the
charges OF Adams, sums up in these words
"Me have given extracts from the press, the
pulpit, and from the public ntterances Of the
leading lights Of the Federalists, &C." But
mary extract from history. Why does the
Advocate prefer evidences Of newspaper
assertions and utteranees Of politicians Of
fifty or sixty years ago when the passions Of
parties were intiamed in a high degree, 10 the
calm dispassionate Judgment Of sober thought
fal historiansg
This is passing strange when we remember
that in the beginning Of this controversy Il
was boldly asserted by the 'sAdeocatc,i y that
history-all history sustained Blackburn and
Mcdonald.
"The "Advocates' repetitons and reiter.
ations of Gov. Plummer, Uriah Tracy, Timo-
thy Pickering, Rufus King, the Boston Ga.
zette and Baltimore Federal Republican, re.
mind one Of Mark Twain's Literary Nightmare,
pobAhhtuB uuch urothefs punch or Oi
,, that valiant Captain who marched his soldiers
up the hill, and--then marched down again.
Among the neic matter of evidence against
the Hartford Convention is that from Giliof
This defunct parsonage is resusaitated aud
made to traduce the name and fame Of the
convention-hear his ehoat:-nThe conven-
tion met on the 18th af December, 1914. and
set in an upper room for three weeks (fhe
time i takes chicken eegs 10 hatch, with
locked DOORS Upon the authority OF s. d.
Goodrich brand the Insertion OF meeting IN
an upper ROOM as q falsehood. Goodrich.
who wss living IN Hartford at the time of
holding the convention, says the members
met in the Senate chamber of the State Housa.
IL the centre Of the city. Mr.. Gillct's preiu.
dices against the convention are eannl IA 4
South Carolina cavalier, who visited Hartford
some years after and requested the Secretary
Of State 10 show him the rom IN Nhick th,s
convention met. Tho Secretary took hin. into
the senaie chamber, where hu:e fiiI I-ntt|,
portrait Of Washington BY the artist Stuart
And was this picture here, be asked. when
the convention held ~ sisiinesY Xss. oef.
iaiuly. said The Secretary. Well. replied ,he
| man. observing the high color which Stuars