Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-11-15
MR.. SUMMERS SPEECH.

| OF the day. and especially towards night the an
nouncement that Mr.. SUMMERS would address
the citizens of Richmond, drew very large au-
dience to the African Church, Wednesday eve-
ming; and they were richly repaid by speech
eminent for its statesmanke views, conclusive
arguments and impressive eloquence. The &C
rimony of the assaults made upon the eminen.
orator by the Democratic press of the city, excl
ted general curiosity to hear his vindcation,
and we need scarcely say that it was powerful
and complete. Hereafter, we shall give a
correct report of the substance of Mr.. Sum-
MERs' remarks in reply to the inputation 30 I'M
justly thrown upon him by his opponents, of un-
soundness in regard to slavery; SO that the pub
lie may see how perfectly clear he has made his po-
sition on the subject. twill be seen that, both by
most unequivocal avowas of opinion, and by the
most sat- stactory demonstrations from his course
| in Congress and in the State Convention, Mr..
| Summers has scattered the vain calumny to the
| winds. There could not have been a man who
heard him. who felt in his conscience the small,
est misgiyng as to the loyalty of GEORGE w.
SUMMERS to the best interests of Virginia. On
the contrary every auditor he had, capable of
generous sentiment, must have sympathized with
the gifted speaker in the sconful Indignation
with which he repealed the unfounded allegations
made against him.
Mr.. MCFARLAND, Chairman of the committee
of arrangements, presided over the meeting, and
introduced Mr.. SUMMERS, with brief and appro.
pirate address.
Mr.. SUMMERS then rose and was received
with the most cordial enthusiasm. He unclaimed
the fixed attention of the audience for about an
hour and half and when he sat down, they
gave utterance to what seemed one undivided
sentiment of qualification, though number of
Democrats who were present would doubtless
have been better pleased with less successful
effort We shall not attempt here anything like
full sketch of his remar ks. Their general
scope was to expound his view of the great i'm
portance ofthe present epochin the history of the
State; the necessity of abandoning the old ''stand
stilP' policy ofrestng upon the glorious memo
ries of the past, and of pushing on with new
energy in career of energetic action. In re.
ference to the objection made to his assuming
what was called "no- party position, he ex-
planned his course most satisfactorily; showed,
from his letter of acceptance, that he had by
no means abandoned any of his political opinions;
avowed that he had always been, and was now
Wing; declared that he held United States
Bank to be constitutional whenever it might be-
come necessary to carry into effect the expressly
granted powers of Congress, but did not consid-
er the bank now an issue; reiterated his adher-
to tha f fai sctio to
American manufactures, but expressed his will
ngness to let the tariff of 1916 be fairly tried
by its result; said, in relation to the distribution
OF the proceeds of the sales of public lands, that
he had been and was in favour of the principle,
but at present the necessity of paying the Mexican
war debt, must prevent the question from being
raised for long period; but considered the home
policyof Virginia the true and great issue in this
first election under the new constitution. He elo-
quently argued that it was time for Virginia to
look into her domestic affairs and to commences
system of legislation which would restore to her
her lost power in the Union. One mile of rail road
he thought, was more valuable than a volume of
political disquistion. Though an adherent of the
resolutions Of 49, as interpreted bv their author,
Mr. Madison, he contendad that perpetual discus
sions about them vera far less useful than that
sort of ACTION, which will make the State once
more felt, with her due weight, a member of
the Union. The world, he said, was all astr
around US, and we must begin the go-ahead ad.
vance policy of other States, or continue to sink
downward, downward, downward, in the scale OF
political power.
Mr.. S. declared himself the advo cate of
we'll digested system of popular education, which
would relieve Virginia from the reproach of hav-
ing $4,000 grown white inhabitants, unable to
read or write.
He proclaimed his hearty adherence to the
Union and his disbelief in the doctrine that any
State has the right, at her own will and pleasure
to secede, withouta correlatve right in the other
States to Judge OF the cause of her dissatisfaction,
and to prevent the injurious consequences of her
withdra wal to them. But he avowed emphatcally
that he was no consolidationist. He believed in
the republican doctrine that all powers not ex.
pressly granted to the General Government, o.
necessary to carrying into effectth the granted pow
ers, are reserved to the States. He was for the
Union of the States, and the rights of the States
Amongst the rights, he referred particularly tie
the right guaranteed by the fugitive slave law,
which, he said, must be enforced, or the Union
could not be preserved. He believed it would be
executed, for we had an administration that would
execute it. The allusion to Mr.. Fillmore elicit
ed burst of enthusiastic applause, as every refer.
ence to our patriotic President always does in
Virginia Wing audience
Then Mr. Summers csme to what he Justly
said was the chief objection made against him
the charge, that because of his course inil 1882, he
was not to be trusted on the subject of slavery.
As we have intimated, we design TO give an au-