the writings-2-第20章

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But　I　suppose　I　cannot　reasonably　hope　to　convince　you　that　we

have　any　principles。　　The　most　I　can　expect　is　to　assure　you　that

we　think　we　have　and　are　quite　contented　with　them。　　The　other

day　one　of　the　gentlemen　from　Georgia　＇Mr。　Iverson＇；　an　eloquent

man；　and　a　man　of　learning；　so　far　as　I　can　judge；　not　being

learned　myself；　came　down　upon　us　astonishingly。　　He　spoke　in

what　the　'Baltimore　American'　calls　the　〃scathing　and　withering

style。〃　At　the　end　of　his　second　severe　flash　I　was　struck　blind；

and　found　myself　feeling　with　my　fingers　for　an　assurance　of　my

continued　existence。　　A　little　of　the　bone　was　left；　and　I

gradually　revived。　　He　eulogized　Mr。　Clay　in　high　and　beautiful

terms；　and　then　declared　that　we　had　deserted　all　our　principles；

and　had　turned　Henry　Clay　out；　like　an　old　horse；　to　root。　　This

is　terribly　severe。　　It　cannot　be　answered　by　argumentat　least

I　cannot　so　answer　it。　　I　merely　wish　to　ask　the　gentleman　if　the

Whigs　are　the　only　party　he　can　think　of　who　sometimes　turn　old

horses　out　to　root。　　Is　not　a　certain　Martin　Van　Buren　an　old

horse　which　your　own　party　have　turned　out　to　root？　　and　is　he

not　rooting　a　little　to　your　discomfort　about　now？　　But　in　not

nominating　Mr。　Clay　we　deserted　our　principles；　you　say。　　Ah！　In

what？　　Tell　us；　ye　men　of　principle；　what　principle　we　violated。

We　say　you　did　violate　principle　in　discarding　Van　Buren；　and　we

can　tell　you　how。　　You　violated　the　primary；　the　cardinal；　the

one　great　living　principle　of　all　democratic　representative

governmentthe　principle　that　the　representative　is　bound　to

carry　out　the　known　will　of　his　constituents。　　A　large　majority

of　the　Baltimore　convention　of　1844　were；　by　their　constituents；

instructed　to　procure　Van　Buren　's　nomination　if　they　could。　　In

violationin　utter　glaring　contempt　of　this；　you　rejected　him；

rejected　him；　as　the　gentleman　from　New　York　＇Mr。　Birdsall＇　the

other　day　expressly　admitted；　for　availabilitythat　same

〃general　availability〃　which　you　charge　upon　us；　and　daily　chew

over　here；　as　something　exceedingly　odious　and　unprincipled。　　But

the　gentleman　from　Georgia　＇Mr。　Iverson＇　gave　us　a　second　speech

yesterday；　all　well　considered　and　put　down　in　writing；　in　which

Van　Buren　was　scathed　and　withered　a　〃few〃　for　his　present

position　and　movements。　　I　cannot　remember　the　gentleman's

precise　language；　but　I　do　remember　he　put　Van　Buren　down；　down；

till　he　got　him　where　he　was　finally　to　〃stink〃　and　〃rot。〃



Mr。　Speaker；　it　is　no　business　or　inclination　of　mine　to　defend

Martin　Van　Buren　in　the　war　of　extermination　now　waging　between

him　and　his　old　admirers。　　I　say；　〃Devil　take　the　hindmost〃and

the　foremost。　　But　there　is　no　mistaking　the　origin　of　the

breach；　and　if　the　curse　of　〃stinking〃　and　〃rotting〃　is　to　fall

on　the　first　and　greatest　violators　of　principle　in　the　matter；　I

disinterestedly　suggest　that　the　gentleman　from　Georgia　and　his

present　co…workers　are　bound　to　take　it　upon　themselves。　　But　the

gentleman　from　Georgia　further　says　we　have　deserted　all　our

principles；　and　taken　shelter　under　General　Taylor's　military

coat…tail；　and　he　seems　to　think　this　is　exceedingly　degrading。

Well；　as　his　faith　is；　so　be　it　unto　him。　　But　can　he　remember　no

other　military　coat…tail　under　which　a　certain　other　party　have

been　sheltering　for　near　a　quarter　of　a　century？　　Has　he　no

acquaintance　with　the　ample　military　coat　tail　of　General

Jackson？　　Does　he　not　know　that　his　own　party　have　run　the　five

last　Presidential　races　under　that　coat…tail；　and　that　they　are

now　running　the　sixth　under　the　same　cover？　　Yes；　sir；　that　coat…

tail　was　used　not　only　for　General　Jackson　himself；　but　has　been

clung　to；　with　the　grip　of　death；　by　every　Democratic　candidate

since。　　You　have　never　ventured；　and　dare　not　now　venture；　from

under　it。　　Your　campaign　papers　have　constantly　been　〃Old

Hickories；〃　with　rude　likenesses　of　the　old　general　upon　them；

hickory　poles　and　hickory　brooms　your　never…ending　emblems；　Mr。

Polk　himself　was　〃Young　Hickory；〃　or　something　so；　and　even　now

your　campaign　paper　here　is　proclaiming　that　Cass　and　Butler　are

of　the　true　〃Hickory　stripe。〃　Now；　sir；　you　dare　not　give　it　up。

Like　a　horde　of　hungry　ticks　you　have　stuck　to　the　tail　of　the

Hermitage　Lion　to　the　end　of　his　life；　and　you　are　still　sticking

to　it；　and　drawing　a　loathsome　sustenance　from　it；　after　he　is

dead。　　A　fellow　once　advertised　that　he　had　made　a　discovery　by

which　he　could　make　a　new　man　out　of　an　old　one；　and　have　enough

of　the　stuff　left　to　make　a　little　yellow　dog。　　Just　such　a

discovery　has　General　Jackson's　popularity　been　to　you。　　You　not

only　twice　made　President　of　him　out　of　it；　but　you　have　had

enough　of　the　stuff　left　to　make　Presidents　of　several

comparatively　small　men　since；　and　it　is　your　chief　reliance　now

to　make　still　another。



Mr。　Speaker；　old　horses　and　military　coat…tails；　or　tails　of　any

sort；　are　not　figures　of　speech　such　as　I　would　be　the　first　to

introduce　into　discussions　here；　but　as　the　gentleman　from

Georgia　has　thought　fit　to　introduce　them；　he　and　you　are　welcome

to　all　you　have　made；　or　can　make　by　them。　　If　you　have　any　more

old　horses；　trot　them　out；　any　more　tails；　just　cock　them　and

come　at　us。　　I　repeat；　I　would　not　introduce　this　mode　of

discussion　here；　but　I　wish　gentlemen　on　the　other　side　to

understand　that　the　use　of　degrading　figures　is　a　game　at　which

they　may　not　find　themselves　able　to　take　all　the　winnings。



＇〃We　give　it　up！〃＇



Aye；　you　give　it　up；　and　well　you　may；　but　for　a　very　different

reason　from　that　which　you　would　have　us　understand。　　The　point

the　power　to　hurtof　all　figures　consists　in　the　truthfulness　of

their　application；　and；　understanding　this；　you　may　well　give　it

up。　　They　are　weapons　which　hit　you；　but　miss　us。



But　in　my　hurry　I　was　very　near　closing　this　subject　of　military

tails　before　I　was　done　with　it。　　There　is　one　entire　article　of

the　sort　I　have　not　discussed　yet；I　mean　the　military　tail　you

Democrats　are　now　engaged　in　dovetailing　into　the　great

Michigander　＇Cass＇。　　Yes；　sir；　all　his　biographies　（and　they　are

legion）　have　him　in　hand；　tying　him　to　a　military　tail；　like　so

many　mischievous　boys　tying　a　dog　to　a　bladder　of　beans。　　True；

the　material　they　have　is　very　limited；　but　they　drive　at　it

might　and　main。　　He　invaded　Canada　without　resistance；　and　he

outvaded　it　without　pursuit。　　As　he　did　both　under　orders；　I

suppose　there　was　to　him　neither　credit　nor　discredit　in　them；

but　they　constitute　a　large　part　of　the　tail。　　He　was　not　at

Hull's　surrender；　but　he　was　close　by；　he　was　volunteer　aid　to

General　Harrison　on　the　day　of　the　battle　of　the　Thames；　and　as

you　said　in　1840　Harrison　was　picking　huckleberries　two　miles　off

while　the　battle　was　fought；　I　suppose　it　is　a　just　conclusion

with　you　to　say　Cass　was　aiding　Harrison　to　pick　huckleberries。

This　is　about　all；　except　the　mooted　question　of　the　broken

sword。　　Some　authors　say　he　broke　it；　some　say　he　threw　it　away；

and　some　others；　who　ought　to　know；　say　nothing　about　it。

Perhaps　it　would　be　a　fair　historical　compromise　to　say；　if　he

did　not　break　it；　he　did　not　do　anything　else　with　it。



By　the　way；　Mr。　Speaker；　did　you　know　I　am　a　military　hero？　　Yes；

sir；　in　the　days　of　the　Black　Hawk　war　I　fought；　bled；　and　came

away。　　Speaking　of　General　Cass's　career　reminds　me　of　my　own。　　I

was　not　at　Stiliman's　defeat；　but　I　was　about　as　near　it　as　Cass

was　to　Hull's　surrender；　and；　like　him；　I　saw　the　place　very　soon

afterward。　　It　is　quite　certain　I　did　not　break　my　sword；　for　I

had　none　to　break；　but　I　bent　a　musket　pretty　badly　on　one

occasion。　　If　Cass　broke　his　sword；　the　idea　is　he　broke　it　in

desperation；　I　bent　the　musket　by　accident。　　If　General　Cass　went

in　advance　of　me　in　picking　huckleberries；　I　guess　I　surpassed

him　in　charges　upon　the　wild　onions。　　If　he　saw　any　live；

fighting　Indians；　it　was　more　than　I　di