Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1912-01-18
address j. Judson Harmon.
DEFoRE THE DESocRATTC CLUB OF
East SAINT LOUIS.
January 12tb. 1912.

an extraordi AIRY feat oil ANUS
wiosd out tls disgrace Of Hull $
surrender and the capture OF WasRS
ingtou. And. though the battle
was fougas 10 ignorance that the
treaty OF pssce had been signed, its
results were most Important In max
ing secure our newly acquired west
ern territory.
There has seldom been a campaign
whose success was so largely due
to it's comm .nder. But. while IL is
she anniversary OF that battle which
for nearly . century has brought
citisans together for celebration all
over tbs lAnd, II is mob Jackson, aba
General thai draws them so much
as Jackson. the Democrat, slough
he is she only one OF our presidents,
besides Washington, who has reach
ed place 10 lhe hearts OF his cou n
trymeu by services Of the highest
order 10 tosh war and peace.
The Republic could NOT be lasting
until IL rested,on the affection and
contideuce Of the entire cit'zsn body.
aud this could not be II II we're eth
or planned or conducted on the
theory thai the government must
somehow be made better than the
common patriotism and intelligence
are likely 10 produce.
This idea Of The Hamilio1ilns
was rejected by Ihs constitution.
which established "a bread aud H.
beral democracy" but compatible
with ingrainod respect for pariia-
msntAry methods and constitutional
checks" But the hrsl six presi-
dents ali belonged 30 ihsclass which
thai school thought lhs ony safe
and proper obs 10 exercise authority
Even Jensrsoa. by birth, training,
estate aud social standing, would
have been counted among abe arts
tocracy. II such a class bad been re-
coRn'zsd This made him 8 more
effective champion Of true popular
& Vernmcot, add be Is one Of many
examples Of ho1est and patriotic
men With whom principle has pre-.
vailed over enyiromsnI, natural To-
elinAtion aud even self interest
Bus sbs evolution OF government
bg 'bs people vas not complete Il
would not bs un,il, BY The establish
ei processes, : prssIdent should be
broughI forth from what Lincoln
called ",hs plain people. 70 whom
opening lhe door Of opportunity by
release from arbitrary distinctions
ADD authority msAui mors lhan IL
did oahers .-
10 Jaeksoa lhe se hrsl cams fully
into their own, NOT merely by his
election. because IL he had not nc.
qnitted himself with credit they
would mol soon have recovered from
lhe loss u prestige. Bot they did
nos put forward. as thslr arsi con.
tribuiion 70 lhs Hiss Of Chief Magis
trates. man uotrisd 10 public life
HIS bad served as prosecuting AZ
torney, Al she aRe OF II thsn rs q
membir OF the convention which
framed lhe constitution OF Tonnes
see; then as her 1rst representative
10 Congress. when ontv 2s years
old. Soon Riler he was promoted
W abe Senate, Aad, rssigning that,
Was for 8 years = Judge Of the su-
preme COURT ol his sIate. After lhe
war he acted IS isrritorial govern.
or Of Floridl, aud was again Senator
from Tennessee.
\ II we did NOT know that mo iesty
usually goos with true greatness 1,
would seem strange that 10 spite oil
such long an1 varied evil exper.
fence Ackaoi. wh3n the preside 1cy
was nrst suggested 70 him, declar.
ed that be was not a. for IL. He
waS not yea enlncipa.e1 from the
belief which long proc ,dsnt had
crea'ed. He did not rsalias the true
sigoiicance OF the popular dsmlud
for bis election. Hs di 4 not toreses
that he was 10 break down forever
ths class idel 10 Anericl. open ths
way for other presidents rising
from loTly birth aud adverse condi-
lions. and thls mike tbs nation
strong and enduring by broa d.
ening the 6sld OF Asr supply OF
worthy aud capable leaders. But
none would havs oaen quicker than
he TO de1olnes th 80 wh) would
seek 70 restore clals distinctions
and narrow ths field OF supply again,
by mixing superior advantages OF
birth, education, culture, or expsr.
isncs 10 affIirs dlsqualifcations for
public duty.
II this irst typically popular pra