Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-11-20


livered by Mr.. Summers in that city, the
Thursday previous. The Republicans in
PRODUCES its sketch by glowing tribute to
his oratory. Those who have heard him
will admit its justice as readily as its beau
ty. In spite of the bad weather. the bull
ding in which he spoke was crowded to
its utmost capacity, says the Republican,
"by an eager and excited crowd. which
had been assembled to hear the Wing can
didate for tho Executive Chair of Virginia
under the new Constitution, and the great
orator, whose wonderful powers remind
one of the days when Henry's eloquence
electrified the hearts of the multitude, and
rolled in majestic thunders through the
Senate house. Mr.. Summers is one of
the most extraordinary men of the present
day, and, after hearing his late speech. no
one can deny that the members Of the late
Democratic State Convention had good
reasons forcalling him giant. Heposscs-
SEES solidity, powerand closcness of argu-
ment, which would win for him that title,
even were he not one of the first orators,
whom Virginia has ever produced. But
his cloquence has the beautiful foliage as
well as the massive strength of the oak
His language is the chastest and purest
English. He has great advantages ofvoice
and person, as well as Of intellect. There
is about his whole bearing a singular mod
esty, united with conscious power, which
wins the esteem and the respect of the
hearer. We should judge, from the speech
es of Mr.. Summers which we have heard
from time to time, that he is impetnous
without rashness, that his mind only be-
comes clearer and cooler as his heart burns
with his subject, and that, in the most i'm
FASHIONED debates, it is impossible for him
to lose his self-possessien. His occasional
splendid bursts of cloquence are all the
more powerful because they are uns,udied
and unsought. In speaking OF the elo-
quence Of Mr. Summers, we know of no
illustration more just and appropriate than
the language of one of the first living ora
tors of England. 1t is "the clang ofocean,
as he booms his pillows on the rock, and
the echoing caves give chorus, yet it is
more soul-6lling and sublime than all the
music of the orchestra; for it is the music
of that main so mighty that there is gran
deur in all it does. in its sleep a melody,
and in its march stately psalm"
The Republican then gives us the SUBJ
jects of his address, relating almost exclu-
sively to questions of State policy, and
the substance Of his arguments upon them.
We can make room only for its sketch Of
his defence against the asPersions ofhis po-
litical opponents:
Mr.. Summers next referred to the charg-
es which had been brought against him
self in connection with the subject ofslave-
ry. He said that it was difficult to speak
with prudence of such charges, against one
who was perfectly conscious of their utter
want Of foundation. He called upon the
people to mark the attempt which is now
making to try the opinions of 1892 by the
opinions of 1851. He referred to the great
excitement which then existed in Virginia,
and to the feeling manifested in all sections
of the State in favor Of emancipation at a
future period. 1t was Virginia matter,
treated ofby Virginians in their own legis-
lative body, and having no connection with
political abolition in other States, for such
a thing as political abolition did not then
exist. The subject was brought up by
Mr.. Jefferson Randolph, of Albemarle, in
a scheme similar to that once recommended
by Mr.. Jefferson, having in view, not the
immediate abolition of slavery, but the
emancipation, upon certain terms, of those
born after certain period. And this wa.
not to be done by the Legislature, but to
be submitted to the people as proposition
for them to decide. 1t is true that he did
on that occasion express opinions like those
which were then entertained throughout
all sections of Virginia, and by the leading
men of the Democratic party-by Roanc,
Randolph, Mcdowell, and others But
those opinions were the opinions of that
day, and he does not entertain them now.
He had shown by his whole course in Con
gress and elsewhere that he stood among
the frmest and foremost of the friends Of
Southern Institutions. Whilst member
of Congress, he voled against the resou-
ton to rescind the 2lst rule, prohibiting
the reception Of abolition petitions. There
were Southern men who voted for it-gen-
tlemen from Virginia, North Carolina. and
Kentucky, who voted for it and no doubt
from pure motives; who believed that the
subject would be Put to rest by receiving
these petitions. He however thought dI-
ferently. and was not willing to receive
even petition on the subject of slavery
He referred to his own position, as slave
holder. living in the largest slaveholding
county of the West, county in which
slaves were more rapidly increasing than
in any other in Virginia, and which had
ever manifested its entire and perfect con-
fdence in him by electing him by over
whelming majorities to every office with
which his name had ever been connected.
He then alluded to his course in the late
reform Convention, stating that he had re-
peatedly offered to accept any guarantee
which could be suggested for the protec-
ton Of slave property, and that he had not
only voted for provision of the Constitu-
ton prohibiting the Legislature from eman-
cipating slaves. but he had declared that,
in his opinion, even without the provision,
they had not the power to emancipate.-
He defied his opponents to examine the
records of the Convention, which had been
sitting here for eight months, and find one
act or one word inconsistent with the most
perfect loyalty to the institutions and inter
ests of Niroinia Yet he xas To La can-