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　did；　but　I　had　a　good　many
  bloody　struggles　with　the　mosquitoes；　and　although　I　never
  fainted　from　the　loss　of　blood；　I　can　truly　say　I　was　often　very
  hungry。　　Mr。　Speaker；　if　I　should　ever　conclude　to　doff　whatever
  our　Democratic　friends　may　suppose　there　is　of　black…cockade
  federalism　about　me；　and　therefore　they　shall　take　me　up　as　their
  candidate　for　the　Presidency；　I　protest　they　shall　not　make　fun
  of　me；　as　they　have　of　General　Cass；　by　attempting　to　write　me
  into　a　military　hero。
  While　I　have　General　Cass　in　hand；　I　wish　to　say　a　word　about　his
  political　principles。　　As　a　specimen；　I　take　the　record　of　his
  progress　in　the　Wilmot　Proviso。　　In　the　Washington　Union　of　March
  2；　1847；　there　is　a　report　of　a　speech　of　General　Cass；　made　the
  day　before　in　the　Senate；　on　the　Wilmot　Proviso；　during　the
  delivery　of　which　Mr。　Miller　of　New　Jersey　is　reported　to　have
  interrupted　him　as　follows；　to　wit：
  〃Mr。　Miller　expressed　his　great　surprise　at　the　change　in　the
  sentiments　of　the　Senator　from　Michigan；　who　had　been　regarded　as
  the　great　champion　of　freedom　in　the　Northwest；　of　which　he　was　a
  distinguished　　ornament。　　Last　year　the　Senator　from　Michigan　was
  understood　to　be　decidedly　in　favor　of　the　Wilmot　Proviso；　and　as
  no　reason　had　been　stated　for　the　change；　he　＇Mr。　Miller＇　could
  not　refrain　from　the　expression　of　his　extreme　surprise。〃
  To　this　General　Cass　is　reported　to　have　replied　as　follows；　to
  wit：
  〃Mr。　Cass　said　that　the　course　of　the　Senator　from　New　Jersey　was
  most　extraordinary。　　Last　year　he　＇Mr。　Cass＇　should　have　voted
  for　the　proposition；　had　it　come　up。　　But　circumstances　had
  altogether　changed。　　The　honorable　Senator　then　read　several
  passages　from　the　remarks；　as　given　above；　which　he　had　committed
  to　writing；　in　order　to　refute　such　a　charge　as　that　of　the
  Senator　from　New　Jersey。〃
  In　the　〃remarks　above　reduced　to　writing〃　is　one　numbered　four；
  as　follows；　to　wit：