Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-10-09
YORK, FRIDAY MORNING. OCTOBER 8. 1870

ri,y, not with rancor or malignity, [cheersl, bu
with moderation and spirit OF iorbearance, and ;
feeling OF amty, which should pervade us all a.
brothers of one great and glorious family. I'm
mense cheering, and cries OFFS we WILL we will"
My friends, my fellow citizens, it is an era,-a
proud, pleasant era,is my life, for the first time
TO set any foot upon the soil of noble old Virginia
lcheers and to address such an assembly of its no
bic sons, upon political subjects as | now see e.
fore me. Immense cheerins.l deeply and proudly
feel il 10 be such. [cheers feel the responsible
lity OF the part thrown on me 10 perform 10 be dc-
JA. [Cheersl
Though now, for the first time in my life. address
hope that am not altogether unacquainted with the
glorious history and the noble character of the soHs
Of the Old Dominion. Loud cheers.] And, my
friends, the topics which now agitate the country
from one extremity to the other and which have
caused this vast assembly, and brought me here,
contain nothing in which it can for moment be
supposed that differ from Virginians. [Chcers. !
A series of acts of continued msgovernnent has
reused the country to a sense of its danger; and
watchiulness over the conduct of government, a
jealousy OF the encroachments of power on the part
OF the federal executive, and an undying love Of
liberty. are feelings which belong, and have belong
ed, TO Virginia. since the first existence Of her
commonwealth. lTmense cheering, which lasted
some minutes
Gentlemen, l know something Of the history of
that part OF our common country upon which stand.
know that Virginia has been most ardent-where
all were ardent-lor the preservation Of civil liberty,
and for universal freedom of political dispositions.
are and ever have been, compare with the prou-
dest people on earth in their education, in their
spirit, and in their leisure and ability to discuss pU
tcal subjects in their elements to discuss govern
ment in its tendencies, as well as in its immediate
and existing measures tCheers powerful de-
gree OF suspicion of men in power, spirit of pure
stern repubcanism, vigilant jealousy Of all the
croachments OF power of erecufire po,cer
has for at least three quarters of century charac
terized the people OF the old Dominion. Loud
cheering
And ii / have any true idea of the sentiments Of
the people OF Virginia, of their true objections
the present adminis ration it is that thes
Of the general government from first to last d
recty opposed to that severe republican spirit, that
acute jealousy of executive power, which has dis
tingushed all the great in times gone by of this
great commonwealth. Loud cheering, and cries of
"Truc, truen'l
And, now, allow me to present what consider the
true aspect of the great political contest in which
are engaged. In my opinion decided majority Of
all the people in the United States have been OPP
posed to the Of the general Tor
several years. Cheers And believe that events
are on the wing, and very near us in their flight,
that will long announce the glorious truth to
that three quarters Of the votes othe electoral col
eges, when they come to be counted, will be found
to be decidedly and conciusvely in favor of change
Of men. as well rs a change of measures. cloud
cheering.
And now, gentlemen, taking this to be the true
state of political feeling all the country, wish
to call your attention next to the fact of the extraor
binary excitement and agit tion-l might almost say
ommoien-which distinguishes the pre- sent moment
in the history OF our country. Why are these vast
assemblies congregated in every part OF the Union
Why have travelled 800 miles fro my own state, to
id lress the people Of Virginia upon poll
tical subjects! Why is every county in every state
now the scene OF great political convocation ?
Has ii ever happened before Certainly not, in
time, and only in the time Of our fathers And
some Of you that are now present may remember,
and others have heard from their fathers the excit
ed state Of public feeling in l77i and l775 Just be-
IL W. ed by he nj ntrv In
proceed to measures Of violent resistance, and Of
actual revolutinp. tChsers, and some one in the
crowd cried out 'put ON your hat, Mr. Webster.
am not annoyed by the sun.-(Cheers.1 speak
of the time when Patrick Henry in the open air Of
Virginia, addressed his felisw-citizens upon the
usurpations Of the British crown Ulcers And
when James Otis making the same rousng APP
peal to the people Of Massachusetts,. Immense
cheering From that time to this, nothing has oc-
Cured resembling the extraordinary excitement Of
the present time and the state Of public feeling
pcrvading the land. Cheers.l We see men aban-
don their daily avocation-we see the pursuits OF
agriculture abandoned-we see men in the midst Of
seed time and harvest come from their own fields to
take part in these proceedings. And why Be.
cause they consider these things of infinitely more
rortance than their ordinary avocaticns tCbeers
and cries Of "we do.l And is il not all the
land
Now. another important question. my friends, is
this; and a question for the phlosophc minds of
the statesmen Of Virginia, desire to propose il.
As question Tor the deep dclibcratiOn of every
patriotic mind desire To PROFOUND ~. IL Is this.
That if il be true that majority Of all the people Of
the States are, and have been for years, OPP
posed to the policy Of the general administration,
why in the world is IL necessary to make these ex.
traordinary efforts to turn out that administration,
and to put better men in their placel
Why, don't we live in free country, Don't we
vote for members Of Congress every two years, and
for President every four yearsl Have we not the
freedom of the universal right of sufiragel Has not
our trust always been, that by means Of the ba1'
box alone, we could always keep the government
confcrmablc TO the public WIZ But how, then
happens IT, and what has caused these extraordinary
exertions to be necessary to correct the evils o
which complaint Why, has il not been done
bv the silent operation Of the elective franchise -
Why, have not been enabled TO bring about a
change Of men. and change OF measures, by quiet
resort 10 the ballot boxl
desire from the thinking men Of Virginia an sr-
swer o this important question. And when the re-
suit Of the coming election shall show, MS | know
that will show, that very large majority Of all the
people of the United Stats are, and have been OPP.
posed TO the present administration, desire the
thnk Of Virginia TO lay how the head Of that
administration has been enabled TO hold his place
long, and to carry forward his mischievous mea-
sures with such alarming and destructive success.
TCheers
That in my iud gment IL comes to be true, in the
tual working of our government, that executive
power and executive influence has increased To such
an alarming degree, that Il has aroused the country
at last in such manner, that majority the peo
pie Of intellect and majority Of the whele people,
large and united, have united on a candidate whom
before many did not approve Of in their efforts to
turn cut the present administration. Immense
cheering.l ] believe that executive Influence has
increased is increasing, and ought 10 be diminished.
[Cheers.l And believe that this influence has en-.
abcd the present Incumbent ehsctusly TO resist the
public will, until at last the mpershing unity ofthe
public voice is about 60 dismiss the unfsthful ser
want Immense cheering. and cries Of" II Wilt
And will add another question for the considera-
ton Of the people Of Virginia. II is this: Whether
they think that a government can GO prosperous
ly for long period. if no change which is satsfac
tory to the people take place without these ex-
traordnsry efforts 10 bring them about will put
that 20 the old fashioned republicans II Virginia,
who love liberty dearly they love life, IL the go-
vernment can last fifty years longer, IL an uusatis
factory set of governors cant be changed without
such efforts as we making around us every day
ICheers.
LIZ has increascl and l. dan To the