Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-02-12
conuuspospExcr OF THE SPECTATOR.
RICHMOND, FEBRUARY 3. 1851.
s.TJc ended, frowning, and his look denounced"
.D,sucrate revenge, and battle dangerous"
sspro l.ss han Gods %


e'To less than Gods.'
Nearly The whole time ofthe Convention, 10 days was
occupied by lhedscusson now going on In Committee Of
tho Whole IN reference 10 the structure OF the Executive
Department MIR. John Minor Bolts had the flor in de
fence of his proposition to make The Incumbent e-eisl
bic for an unlimited number OF terms. MS speech was
marked throughout with those striking ieauesol badness
mpeluOsy and power IN debate w!ch are ~ chalacieI-
sc of the man. and tell eflecuay upon The mobhty Of
an ordinary audience TWAS ind ed mastery effort, lar
as was necessary for the vndlcaon o his pre-
vousy advanced anda triumphant answer my opnion,
to several radical gentlemen who had venluea 10 cross his
path o., ,..,,
Mr. Bolts forte is evidently found in his incompatible
tart ON the floor and the neXhausbe ingenuity and fer
ty of resources which he conrves 10 display in the
conflict of aounen His great object to dlsarm his
,auonst and then shake over hun the lanng brand OF
his own nyec,ive II the victory possible he cares but
little how il is achieved
II is very plain 10 the most superficial observer that Mr..
Bolts has taken Of those desperate leaps IN The game OF
ambition which make or ruin men, politicians. forever.
Sir Robert Peel was boder when he abandoned his pol
lev and his party and sought his fortune under another nag
Coming in as he does radical ticket Mr. Bolts does
not hesitate charge OF his colleagues WIN an ex-
cessive conservatism or TO declare himself thorough 90
nu progressive Democrat This may sound strangely
ears of some of his quondam admirers, but 1t will be found
true nevertheless loplne, IN the forthcoming repOrs OF
his speeches. lie says his great ann 10 put power INTO
the hands Of the people, and to make the officials oil the
government directly responsible to them; that In this res
pect, he is an extreme RADICAL and more tfuY democrat
Than ninety in hundred of the proiessed members OF
that party The people, the majority OF The people are In
his eyes, understand him, the most safe aud lncoupt-
ibe Repositories of power and that is the best government
which places the tewes restrictions upon their WILL lie
has thus taken the tide the oood and mounted the very
crest of the popular 1t remains to be seen how his
pson on the Basis will accord with his avuwed devotion
10 the majority. He will have to use his very dexter
ousy pass safely through those dangerous rapids But
it is Mr. Bolts delight engage hazardous enterprises
and he has doab calculated pretty closely all the conil
| gences of the
1t is really amusing to hear him and others who have
been all the lives trading in politics, denouncng poltt
cans as mschevOus class who have been at the bottom
Of all our popular errors CandO, the most transparent
candour is one of Mr. BIS virtues, and more than that one
of his most successful instruments for the accomplishment
Of his purposes He takes pleasure, in this Conven
ton in defending the Old Federal Party. and holding II
up in contrast with the Loco oco Party of the present day
This is show his courage and independence, and 1t VIII
have the desired effect.
Mr. Wise will probably exhibit himself in all his origin
alty real or fictitious in few days, the same side
There has seen number of set speeches on The opposite
side from various gentlemen, of whose efforts have not
time to speak Suffice it TO say that in every instances
these different speakers, without reception, have seemed
to aspire rather the standard Of shrewd polllcans than
10 the ofer standard of profound and cautious Statesmen
Ii is preci sey here that the difference most apparent be-
tween public OF the present day and those OF rev.
dictionary times When franklin or Madison delivered
an opinion upon question involving governmental pnnc
ples the utmost df1idence and caution was observed IN
the views they advanced and in the language they employ
ed. They seemed to admit the difficulties and dangers
that surrounded and pepexed their minds and gave most
respectful consideration to the conflicting suggestions OIL
others The modern theOrs however, manliess no i'm
idy no hesitation doub, to the faiibily OF his own
perceptions. Y1u may provoke him to a speech oy the
| nDininn no
dictate constitutional reforms with all the cool confidence
of chaatan if his mind, having passed through Inc
sare Of reflection and inquiry, was now bent upon nothing
but action That distinguishing attribute OF man "hch
touches him 10 scan with nedilatye and consdeale eye
the whole surrounding horizon, and TO realize and provide
for all the contingencies Of his onward journey is ie ex
ercised ~ these philosophers whose chief ann would seem
10 be to employ their weapon of debate and 10
shine ralher as "lts than ciunseIQrs OF
their country and beneactors Of their kind Would mat
more elevated and arseeng ambition inspired The present
generation of public men, whohod the fortunes OF virginia
in their hands!