Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-05-14
think 1 have heretofore proven it.

tnat he mas been nominated over Mr.. Clay-
who was SO obnoxious to the aboiitionists
that none of them would vote for him. You
cannot have forgotten that the very men, and
the very presses who now tell you this, up to
the very moment of the Harrisburg nomina-
ton, said that Mr.. Clay was an abolitionist.
Now you are told that he not only is not, but
is especially Objectionable to the abolitionists.
Both cannot be true. What is it that has so
suddenly transformed Mr.. Clay from an abo-
litionist into an enemy of abolition | will
tell you. He is no longer candidate for the
Presidency. He is in nobody's way-and
has therefore respite from calumny. He is
now marvellous proper man. But let that
illustrious citZep-illustrious for every great
quality that elevates our nature-be once
more brought before the country, and the same
war of calumny and falsehood will again be
wagcd against him.
and that Virginan Harrison-an abolition
list! Does any one really believe it
No man living, North or South, has done
and suffered as much in the cause of defend
ing this institution of the South as General
Harrison; and no statesman of this country
has given as many votes against that i'll
stitution as Martin Van Buren,; and he never
changed waverud in this course until, with
out such change, he could not have hoped to
be elected President.
Now il is bad enough to challenge our es-
pecial confidence for an old undertaking enc
my who never ceased to oppose us until the
necessities of his political position made it
eXpedient-but tits too bad at the same time
oask usto denounce an old long-tried friend,
who has sacrificed himself to our interests
What friendship can we thereafter expect
what friendship do we deserve, if we thus actl
Allow me to submit the proofs in support of
the broad proposition which have asserted.
Mr.. Van Buren, voted in the New York
convention to confer the highest privilege OF
freeman upon negroes. 1T was carried main
ly by his influence; and it is to him that we
are indebted for the fact, that the powerful
representation offorty members from the State
OF n. York are sent here in part by negroes.
In 1919, MIR. Van Buren, voted to instruct
Rufus King, then Senator in Congress from
New York, to vote against the admission of
Missouri into the Union unless slavery was
abolished. 1t is to me a melancholy illustra-
-tion Of the decadence of public feeling, and
OF want of proper tone and spirit in the
South, that one of the prime movers-per-
maps the very prime mover of that danger
Gus measure-sh ould not only be urged upon
the confidence of the South, but is so pressed
as the only anointed saviour of the Southern
institutions. Mr.. jefferson said that the
news of that movement came upon him like
the cry of fire in the night. No one crisis
IN our public affairs has so excited the
fears OF every patriot; and, most strange and
unaccountab!e, he who lighted the torch is
held up as our best friend, and he who eXtn-
guIshed 1t as our worst enemy. ls>this CRATE
full, fair, or just! No later than 1922, MIR.
Van Buren, voted to restrict the introduction
OF slaves into Florida. IfCongress has the
power,to resuict,has it not power to forbid the
introduction OF slaves into a Territoryl Who
denies this If you have power to restrict ii
10 settlers, why may you not restrict it still
further to settlers over eighty years of age,
or altogether? Look on that picture, and
now look on this In 1902, General Harri-
son presided over Convention in Indiana,
whose object was to obtain a modification of
the ordinance of 1889, so as to admit slavery
In that Territory. In 1919, General Harri-
sen was member CT Congress from dis
trIct In Ohio containing more abolitionists
than any other in the State. The Missouri
question, raised by MIR. Van Buren, and his
associates, was brought before Congress.
1t was one of those trying occasions which
few men have the moral courage to meet.
General FL. had, and acted wOrthily of his
own lame, and the patriot name which he had
inherited from a noble ancestor. He was
told, Hyou vote with the South you viii de-
stroy yourself. "That is probable" he re-
Piled, shut it is better that should DESTROY
myself than to destroy the Constitution Of
my country''-an expression and an act suf-
ilcient OF themselves to stamp him patriot.
lie voted, with two others, and only two.
from the non-slave States, to sustain the char
tered rights of the South. Never did wild
or, fiercer, or more furious storm burst upon
the head of any man. At the next election,
he was, notwithstanding his overwhelming
popularity, beaten for Congress; and never
was more vituperation and opprobrum heap
ed upon any man than he suffered. The
town of Cheviot was in his district, and in
that nelghborhood there were more abolition
lists than any where else in the State and
there the denunciation Of General Harrison
was most violent. In 1888, the people of
Cheviot, remembering his public services,
and willing to forgive, not to FORGET his GREAT
political crime-for abolition had increased.
not diminished-invited him TO a public dim
ner. His friends urged him to make no al!u-
sion to abolition that decent respect TO
those who had invited him-a verv LARGE
portion Of whom were MISUNDERSTANDING
ed that he should make TO alusion to the
past. Heat once determined that he would
not; but, on his way to Cheviot, he found
the dangerous spirit Of abolition more rife
than ever. He determined to rebnke il. and
he did so. wish YOU to remember that this
speech was not made TO Stockholders but
that there was nota man in the assembly who
was not opposed to slavery, and LARGE MN
Der OF them abolitionists. To such an as
sernbly he held the following language:
"Ihere IS, howerei, 4 subject now berio-
ming 70 agitate them, (the Southern StatesA