David Wilmot, the author of the Wilmot proviso, a Democrat? Is not Grow of Pennsylvania, a Democrat? Who first sent John P. Hale to the Senate? Was it not the Democrats? Was not New Hampshire a Democratic State? Who elected Sumner to the Senate? The Democrats! Who sent Robert Rantoul to the same august body? The Democracy, of which he was a shining light! Who are Chase, and Wade, and Tappan, but Democrats from the Democratic State of Ohio? Whence come the Freesoilers, Stuart, Harlan, Durkee, and Trumbull? From the Democratic States of Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois! Who appointed the Free-Soiler Reeder, Governor of Kansas? The Democratic President Pierce! Who proscribed Dickinson, Bronson, and all the national men of New York? The same Democratic President and his Democratic Secretary Guthrie! Who pronounced the Kansas bill "a measure in favor of freedom?" Franklin Pierce.

Who, in the recent elections in New Hampshire, sustained the action of the Democratic party on the Kansas Question on the ground that it would have the effect of preventing the introduction of any more Slave States? Woodbury and Harry Hibbard, the apostles of Democracy in that State! Who secured the election of Seward to the Senate by combining with the Free-Soilers against the American party? The Democrats of New York!

Who were the President and leading members and advocates of the recent Republican Convention at Pittsburg? Francis P. Blair, the friend of Jackson and Van Buren, the former editor of the organ of the Democratic party, was its president, and B. F. Butler, Abijah Mann, C. C. Cambreleng, Preston King, the Van Burens and others of the same stripe were its defenders and supporters!

Who are now the Democratic delegates from New York to the Cincinnati Convention? I am not familiar with the antecedents of all, but I will name a few as a specimenExpede Herculem! Wm. C. Rhodes is one, the former editor of the Elmira Gazette, a rabid Free-Soil paper. Messrs. Todd and Bishop, two others are of the same

stripe; and another, whose name I have forgotten, is said by the New York papers to have been one of the rescuers of the fugitive slave, "Jerry," from the hands of the officers of the law.

Look too at the following resolutions passed by large Democratic conventions in Ohio and New York: Here is the resolution of the Democratic party of Ohio assembled in Convention on the 8th of January, 1855:

"Resolved, That the people of Ohio, now, as they have always done, look upon slavery as an evil, and unfavorable to the development of the spirit and practical benefits of free institutions; and that, entertaining these sentiments, they will, at all times, feel it to be their duty to use all power clearly given by the terms of the national compact to prevent its increase, to mitigate, and finally to eradicate the evil."

And here is one adopted by the Soft-Shell, Free-Soil administration Democrats of New York assembled in Convention at Syracuse in that State:

"Resolved, That while the Democracy of this State will faithfully adhere to all the compromises of the Constitution and maintain all the reserved rights of the States, they deem this an appropriate occasion to declare their fixed hostility to extension of slavery into free territory."

Neither should we overlook the following resolution, adopted in 1846 by the Democratic Convention of New Hampshire, especially as President Pierce was present at and addressed that body. The Democratic State Convention of New Hampshire in 1846 was held October 15th, and was addressed by Franklin Pierce, and after listening to his views, that body unanimously passed the following resolution:

"Resolved, That we approve of the vote of our Representative in Congress, in favor of Mr. Wilmot's amendment to prohibit slavery in any territory that may be acquired of Mexico."

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See also what a convention of the Democracy of the Eighth Senatorial District of New Hampshire resolved, on the 2nd of January, 1850, and do not lose sight of the fact that the resolutions were proposed by H. D. Pierce, a brother of President Pierce. The following series of resolves were adopted at a Democratic Convention of the eighth senatorial district, the strongest Democratic district, by the way, in the State of New Hampshire, on the 2nd of January, 1850, and were introduced to the convention by H. D. Pierce, Esq., of Hillsborough, brother of Franklin Pierce, now President of the United States:

"Resolved, That we are opposed to the admission of any new States into the American Union with the proviso that slavery shall be tolerated.

"Resolved, That it is the duty of the members of our State Legislature, whenever the subject of slavery shall be brought before them, to give their influence in favor of freedom.

"Resolved, That those Democrats whose opinions do not accord with the sentiments of the preceding resolutions are unworthy of our support.

"Resolved, That we hope the time is not far distant when the threats of Southern members of our National Legislature may be put to the test in relation to the dissolution of the Union by the passage of the Wilmot Proviso."

Pretty strong resolutions these, and certainly expressing strong maternal and fraternal feeling!

These resolutions, I presume, may be regarded as the response of New Hampshire to the resolutions of the Virginia House of Delegates in 1848-'9. The Granite State wanted to try the pluck of the Old Dominion, and to ascertain what she meant by "resisting at all hazards and to the last extremity"!

But it is useless to press the subject farther. The facts are of too recent occurrence, and too well known to the people to need a review. If declarations and actions like

those above set forth entitle the Democracy to be regarded as the "white man's party," then I disclaim all desire on the part of the Americans to contend with them for the honor. The Americans seek no such distinction. They are neither the white man's party nor the black man's. They are neither the party of the North nor of the South. They recognize no sectional divisions. They aspire to be the party of the Constitution, of the Union, and of the Country, and having vindicated their claims to this patriotic designation, my work is now completed.

MADISON.

CHAPTER XXII

ADDRESS BEFORE CENTRAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF VIRGINIA-MEMBER OF SENATE

NE month after Mr. Stuart returned home from Washington in 1853 he was nominated by the Whigs of Augusta County for the State Senate, but declined the nomination. He resumed the practice of his profession, but took an active part in bringing about the nomination of Mr. Fillmore by the American party for the Presidency in 1856. In 1857, without his knowledge, he was again nominated for the Senate from Augusta County by the convention which met in Staunton. When informed of his nomination he went before the convention and declined to accept, but, after he retired, the convention sent a committee to his office to urge him to accept the nomination, with directions to take no refusal. Under these circumstances he became a candidate, was elected, and remained a member of the Senate until 1861. In August, 1859, Mr. Stuart was invited to address the Central Agricultural Society of Virginia at its annual meeting in Richmond in the following October. The address was delivered on October 28, 1859, and his subject was the relation of agriculture to the other great industrial interests.

While admitting that agriculture was the most important interest of society; that it was the principal source of production and the basis of all other interests; that it supplied the raw material for a large proportion of our manufactures; gave occupation to a larger portion of our population than any other pursuit, and employed a larger amount of capital, yet he said, it was not an isolated interest. "It cannot prosper alone," he said. "It is intimately connected with other interests, and its success or failure is, in a great degree,