Jacksonian Banquet

The first anuual Jackson Day banque for Washtenaw oounty was held in thi city at the American house last Friday eveniug. Qaite a goodly nuniber were present froin Ypsilanti, Chelsea, Alan obester, Dexter aDd Northfield as wel as Aan Arbor and rnany have since ex pressed their regret that they didn' onderstand that it wasnot an invitatiou affair but that everyone was welcorue to pnrchase a tioket. Nearly every one who had the good fortune to be present has expressed the hope to attend the banqnet uext year. The speakers were in good trim and only lack of spaoe prevents onr giving a more extended aooount of the speeches. Martin .1. Cavanangb, ohairman ol ;he democratie connty committee, presided as toastruaser and was thorooghly at home in that position. Prosecuting Attorney Kirk spoke npon "Jackson the Man." Ha spoke of Jackson as a man in the trnest, noblest meaning of the word, the possessor of an honest heart, pure pnrposes and the utmost fidelity to a friend and a cause. ?ew rise to heights where the world will see or be inspired by them. Jaokson in bis platform promised a new oondition of affaire and he carried out ]is promises. He is the only president who went ont of office far more popular ban when he entered it. Capt. O. H. Manly spoke of "Jackson the Soldier." The trne soldier, he said innst have a knowledge of men, know when to issne orders and have the backLone to enforoe tbsm. Jackson had heso qnalities. He eloqnently sketohed Jaokson's military oareer and said, "no soldier of America can compare with this man bom in obscurity. Had sach a man as Andrew Jaokson been in the presidential chair in 1860 thete would have been no rebellion." Bod. James S. Gorman spoke eloqnently of "Jackson the Patriot." It is tbe dnty of every democrat to be a patriot. He discnssed Jaokson's patriotism and termed him the father of democracy and the democraoy is the plain people. Jackson liever songht political preferenoe. He was a man who helieved in whatwas right and was leady to defend his position with his life. He gave as Jackson's reasonafor resigning his position in the United States Senate that he was a man of the plain people and conld not enjoy the aristocrauy. He was the first man who gave to the common people the right to give expression to tbeir will in politioal matters. As president he wiped away snobocracy around the white honse. Dp to that time it had been a matter of difflculty to approaoh the president. He spoke of Jacksou's flght against the Bank uf the United States in the interest of the people and the establishment of the spoils system and wonnd np with a tribute to Jackson for his threat to "hang John U. Calhoun higher than Haman," if Sooth Carolina attempted to leave the union. Willis L. Watkics, ex-sapervisor of Manchester, received close attention and exhibited mnch dry wit. He spoke of "Jackson the President" and said that ander him we had a vigorons American policy. It was impossible, onder Jackson for any American to be nsnlted, bnt what that insult wonld be avenged. As an all-arotind American, ie has never been excelled. Ex-Mayor William G. Doty spoke of "Jackson the Statesman," prefacing bis leníarks with a lítele story indicating that the breath of the democracy carne back after defeat "stronger nor ever." The battle of New Orleans rnarked an epoch in American bistory. It discovered a man for deathless fame. It is strange bow the rngged personaiity of Gen. Jackson ontlined bis moral breadth. This rngged, dominate personaiity is the secret of bis fame. Washington aud Jefferson live in onr remembrance, bnt their names snggest the shadow not the snbstance, intellectual abstractions, bnt how different with Jackson ; of the eartb, eartby, perbaps, but with that tonch of uatnre which makes bim kin with all mankind. He was virile, not echolastic. He lives in deeds not words. He was always conscions of the rectitude of nis convictions. Charles A. Ward then spoke on "Jackson and the United States Bank" and Jaokson's claim for gratefnl remembrance for the heroic charge wbich eradicated that banefnl institution. Tbe conflict was between the rights of men and tbe rights of property. He tiaced the history of the bank controversy and drew a parallel between tbat and tbe present political problems. Judge J. Willard flabbitt made a happy response to "Jackson tbe Democrat, " in which he took occasion to show that the republicans drank more whiskey aDd possessed more illiteraoy than did the demoorats, He bad in bis possession a lock of Gen. Jaokson's. bair, whicb was passed around for inspection with a letter fiom his niece to the Hiokory Club, of Kochester, N. Y., dated Ang. 14, 1844. S. W. Beakes responded to tht "Democratio Press'' in the conrse of whicb he called attention to the fact that in the split froru tbe democratie party of Jacksoirs time the federalismo, the aristocratio, tbe mouopolistio, the banking aotiou whioh split off at that time coutiDued for some tirue to olaim the demooratio name aud preflxed to it tbe word "uational," uDtil suoh of them as ootinned in their wayward oourses were swallowed up in the whig party. The lines of battle today are fortned along the same Hoes as in Jaokson's day, still the classes are seeking protection from the masses. Still does democraoy stand for the interests of tbe oominon people He oalled attention to the faot that Michigan was admitted into the Union wbile Jaoksou was president by the votes of the demoorafR and that the Argns was started while Jaokson was president as a snpporter of Jaoksonian democaroy and aluded to the support by the demooratio press of this state of the eleotion of United States senators by the people. Hon. Tiro. E. Tarsney, of Detroit, was then introduced to make the speech of the evening on "Michigan Dernoora3.v. " The people of this oommonwealh owe muoh to the democratie party of Michigan. In territorial days it was governed by democratio thought aud inspiration as in its early stateliood. The common school system, the oonstitntion of the state, the great university were products of democratie minds. The storm center of Americau politics bas moved westward and Ohio, Indiana, Illiiiois and Michigan are tbe pivotal points of the future. The perpetnity of this nation mast depend upon the democratie party. It is witbiu its ranks that the true American spirit is best exeruplified. In the past 30 years we have traveled faster aud farther towards snre and oertain destruction than did the great Roman Empire in L00 years. In Boine's last days 2 per cent of her people had absorbed 98 per cent of her wealth. In 18Ü0, 9 per cent of our people h-ave absorbed 71 per oent of onr wealth. The perpetuity of oar institntioDS áepends npoa tbe patriotisin of the people, and that dependa upon their interest io the soil. Onehalf of onr people are representad as baving no property at all. The tenant farmer who not long sinoe was unknown, is now 34 per cent of his class. Sixty-three per oent of the iopnlatiou of oities live in lented homes. He showed the rapid decline in the valué of farm prodncts, stock and farm lands and etated that we did not want to base onr hopea of proBperity opon the misfortnnes of other human beings. He was one of those who beleved that permanent prosperity, contentment and happiness conld not come to our people until silver was restored to its consitutional place in the markets. He showed how the gold standard was respousible foi the concentration of wealtb in few hands, and wanted the banks to confine themselves to their iegitimate functious and go out of the monev issuing business. He showed the immense drain ! upon the resources of fchis country were :he British investments and argued for an American policy, without reference ;o tbe wishes of Great Britain. At the conclusión of tbe banquet it was resolved to form a permanent Jackson Club and a committee consistng of M. J. Cavanaagb, Chas. A.Ward I and Ö. W. Beakes was appointed to I name tbe officers of the club.