There never was a day in which the forces of war were marshaled against
the most flagrant abuses toward these United States; there never was a
war in which these United States have been engaged, never even in the
death-struggle of the Revolution, never in our war for maritime
independence, never in our war with France and Mexico, never was there a
time when any party in these United States expressed, avowed,
proclaimed, ostentatiously proclaimed more intense hostility to the
British, French, Mexican enemy, than I have heard uttered or proclaimed
concerning our fellow-citizens--brothers in the fifteen States of this
Union. It is the glory of the Democratic party that we can assume the
burden of our nationality for the Union; that we can make all due
sacrifices in order to show our reprobation of sectionalism, that we of
the North can sacrifice to the South, from dear attachment to our
fellow-citizens of the South, and they in the South in like manner meet
with us upon that ground, in order to show their love for the Federal
Union, and at the risk of encountering local prejudices. In the
Democratic party alone, as parties are now organized, is this catholic,
generous, universal spirit to be found. I say, then, the Democratic
party has such a character of constitutionality and of nationality.
And now, gentlemen, I have allowed myself unthinkingly to be carried
beyond my original purpose.
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