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Stanton, Frederick Perry : Speech of Hon. F. P. Stanton, of Tennessee, on Appropriations for Scientific Purposes. Delivered in the House of Representatives, Friday, June 16th, 1848

Printed at the Congressional Globe Office, Washington, D.C., 1848

Original publisher's beige paper wrappers. Text printed in black ink. 5 3/4" x 9." Eight pages, complete. Pages are clean and intact except for light age toning throughout, small occasional spots of foxing or discoloration, a few small dampstains limited to margins along spine, a chip in upper-right corner on front measuring 1 1/4" x 1," a crease on back near spine, and moderate chipping and splitting along spine. A Very Good copy. A speech that was originally delivered before the United States House of Representatives on June 16, 1848 by Frederick Perry Stanton (1814-1894), an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative from Tennessee from 1847-1849. He began his career as a Democratic but later became a Republican after 1861. In this speech, Stanton addresses an appropriations bill that would allocate $2,000 to the U.S. Army and Navy for scientific research purposes such as meteorological and astronomical studies. Most of his speech is a response to criticism leveled at him by Congressman Atkinson of Virginia. Atkinson had called Stanton a "Federalist" for supporting plans to establish a national observatory and various projects of federal scientific research. Stanton decries Atkinson's use of name-calling and makes a series of arguments in favor of the national observatory. He states, "Thus it is perfectly clear, from these considerations, that an observatory is necessary and proper for carrying out the constitutional power to 'provide and maintain a navy.'" He says of Atkinson, "If the gentleman makes any pretension to the character of a Virginia statesman, if he be entitled to the character of a man of candor, and honesty, and intelligence, he will cease to make use of the argument of ignorance, calling 'nicknames,' and casting vulgar slurs on those who differ from him, and will resort to more respectable and legitimate arguments." Stanton elaborates further on his counterargument against Atkinson. Atkinson had apparently criticized Stanton's support for federal meteorological studies. In response, Stanton refers to Thomas Jefferson's support for such studies and past federal measures that sanctioned them. Stanton also uses hypothetical examples of federal scientific research, such as the use of a barometer and the Nautical Almanac, to back his claims. Stanton charges that Atkinson is equating scientific research with "Federalism." On several occasions, Stanton likens himself to Jefferson and the Democratic presidential nominee for the 1848 election, Lewis Cass. Stanton also contends that the Lewis and Clarke expedition was scientific in nature (and not a strictly military one) to show that his proposals are not new and that scientific research had been federally backed before. Stanton also defends his character when Atkinson insinuated that he was not faithfully representing his constituents. He counters that he voted for the rivers and harbors bill which is what his constituents wanted. Stanton also denounces Atkinson's opposition to his critique of President James K. Polk's vetoing of that bill. He clarifies that he was respectful toward Polk and only questioned Polk's use of the veto power and his reasoning behind it. Toward the end of his speech, Stanton argues that Atkinson and some of his other colleagues are mistaking their opinions as the standard-bearer of democracy and states, "The Democracy which I have learned--the Democracy of Jefferson, of Jackson, of Polk, and of Cass--is made up of something higher and nobler than this. It encourages, rather than destroys, individuality and independence of thought. It tolerates a difference of opinion upon many points, so long as the great cardinal features which distinguish the Democracy are retained.". Book. Book Condition: Very Good. Binding: Soft cover

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