Washington Telegraph

An Eloquent American.

One of the Kentucky Breckenridges, who is a member of the Missouri Legislature, and inherits the proverbial eloquence of his family, thus alluded to the American party, in a speech the other day, on a bill referring to the regulation of elections and the purification of the ballot box:

"Time does not now permit me, Mr. Speaker, nor is this the proper occasion to enter upon the defence of the principles of this great party, (the American.) I shall eagerly avail myself of that opportunity at some more appropriate season of the session. The secrecy at which gentlemen seem to be so much pained, has been removed, thank God. I may be permitted to say, as a matter personal to myself, that while good reasons can be given for the adoption of this plan of secrecy, it was never agreeable to me; and further I may say, that though I was not able for sometime to announce the fact of my connection with it, I never availed myself of any evasion to conceal it. That party at no distant day would prevail. The great heart of the people was fully touched and fully aroused. It had proved its faith in the doctrines of that party, by various and wonderful manifestations. He believed that the great mass of his countrymen would be found standing on the platform of conservative principles, which that party had proclaimed. From the teeming cities the people were coming up to attest their fealty to those principles—from the hillsides, and the cabins, and the green pastures, were they coming in myriads to the American banner, and when they had acquired the power to reward and punish—when they had reaped the rich harvest of victory—they would remember those who had deserted and opposed them in the struggle, and bartered away their cause for temporary advantages."