Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-11-20

The editor of the Fredericksburg News, whose
orthodoxy on all questions affecting Southern
rights the greatest extremists will not question
gives the following account of Mr.. Summers
speech at that place:
THE GREAT SPEECH OF THE DAY was
delivered at the Citizens Hail. in this Mace on Sat
the people OF this town. in the powerful the most
eloquent, the most convincing, the most orthodox the
most Judicious the wisest speech it our for
tune, under the circumstances. to hear. We have
heard Jack Randolph, we heard Preston, 10 his pal
mest day. Webster, Clay and Calhoun, and Tom
Marshall and Writ, and nearly all the great of the
present century, we have heard-but we have yet 10
hear the who excels Summers in all the -sentials
of popular oratory. The torrent of his eoquence
swept every thing before it, and like the little eahet
we were tossed high up in the mountain crevce.-
We have slept two nights upon the excitement and
yet as Hnsubdued in feeling at the conclusion
of his speech.
IL is not our urpose to give even a sketch of this
effort We should do ourselves and the orator too
much injustice The most we say is that he is
every thing Southern Wing should be-. We approv-
ed every word he uttered, and he left unsald not one
syllable wished him say. Upon Southern rights
and Southern institutions he is all that the cap
tious advocate of State Rights can wish him. He
denies the right OF either the Federal State Govern
ment TO interfere with slavery He woud not only
oppose any improper interference this subject but
he Is willing TO FIGHT tsalnst 1t. He believes in the
institution isef-its sneficia influences both to the
coored and the white 1t ia an institution of
heaven designed for wise and salutary purposes, and
such it is folly in man to resist It, His ebulltons
of '31-32 he repudlaes as unsound and ndefensibe
They the offspring of boyish fancy conceived
IN error, and called forth by the excitement of the
times. He has long since rejected them-as proved
by his votes in Congress and his in the Vir-
glua Convention. la Congress he has voted against
the repeal OF the 2lst rule opposition to Bolts
Stewart and other members from Virginia, because he
unwilling retreat from any position the South
had taken upon this subject In the Convention he
| voted for clause in the Constitution denying
the right in the Legislature to emancipate slaves He
not only voted for but smoke in its favor and weeks
before its adoption invited Eastern members to bring
forward In thag spec oh he declared that whilst he
preferred 1t should be incorporated in the ConstitI-
tion, he denied all power the Legislature even with
cut the Constitutional Inhibition, TO legslate away
| the right of the Shareholder. He voted moreover
for exemptlo from taxation of all slaves under twelve
years OF age-a he defended not only before
the Convention but in the canvass in his district
But the lovees portion OF thsspeerh [if there was
any difference in the different parts,l was in the graph
ic deneation and forcibe discrimination of the pow
ers of the federal government and the rights OF the
| States 1t did inssst soul good to hear the
| eminently conservative views OF the eminent man
He was for the Union and for the States The Union
had its rights and the States Tiers. lie would de-
fend both. But in all doubtful powers the federal 60
eminent should refrain from the exercise of the power
claimed. 10 the event oil a conflict he stood by his
State. She was first. last and all to him Virginia
was the goddess OF his dolatry and against her his
hand could never be raised.
But the Restrictions OF the press force US to curail
this very imperfect report. The impressions of this
mastery speech given in our own language
without an attempt to quote the authorize do it in
haste aud be witEnjustlce to the great man who
made it. 1t the great speech OF the day-one
which has been surpassed since the days of Hen
~. 1t was great not alone tor is eloquence or its
power but still more for its truth. 1t places its author
amongst the first OF living men.