Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1851-09-04
- pIscusssIox 81 moNnAr.

me NssksbRenSe, On MondaY last, between n
the SsTsfaE candidates for Congress il this
District; RinHIRD T. BrRD, Esq, hfst
teok fAG stand. and il few remarks With II
dreNlfrsm the canvass
Me EAULxNEa next addressed the rsters
M speech Of upwards IF an hour ID length.
He saewed that the scheme Of Secession
/ was 10Y question Of vital practical imper-
taRS9 That South Carolina had her Gen.
ventsoa elected to carry her purpose Of sep
aratshg from the Uniensinto effect That q /
largs majority of that Ceuvensisn we're 4
I ple2ge3 to immediate secession. The end 4
that.sAs proposed to herself was pIsuNiox- H
the Wsans BIZ which she ought to accomplish 4
her pHtpesswas SECESSION He denied that A
! Sou Carolina had right to separate her A
self from her sister States and thus dismem- 4
Der tbe Union. He reviewed the opinions /
u ef JSifefsen, MadisoR, Rsane Jackson, Dali \
las, King, Of Alahama, and others, and !
shemRd most eenelusiFely that the doctrine /
Of ssGass;ea bad been uniformly denounced /
aad aisasuntenanced by all the fathers Of |
the sePablicaa church and By the leaders Of 1
/ the rssadern Democratic party. He Showed 4
/ that S1en Mr. Calhoun in 1883 shrunk fran
i the aFcral Of the principle. He ayowed 4
1 himself Southern man in all of his feelings
4 and b irm advocate Of the rights of the
| States within the limits Of the Constitution.
/ But I'D denounced alt those factions and dis
orgs siaing doctrines and opinions that were
/ rxpi&ls leading to sue eyerthEvw vt tho gvy-
erntaeas. and the dissolution Of the unisa.
Nj. Bedinger followed Hemadean effort
to fss:ve some Of the old party issues, but he
SOON. abandoned them, finding nothing in
faes Apsh which be could make any appeals
to PARTY. aud in subsequent part Of his re-
MARKS, lie declared that be would net again
advert 10 them during the canvass He en- \
deayarsd to convict Mr. Faulkner Of somc
Inconsistency in his present position, BY ad.
yertina to a meeting held in Berkeley Coun-
~ ii November. 1850, at which Mr. Faux
U ner defFhded Col Mason, and also by refer
enes to The votes Of Mr. Faulkner nthe res
olusisns adopted by Virginia in ls49. Mr.
ii Faalkner triumphantly repealed these as .
sauats He Showed that his support to Col 4
Mason sn the Berkeley meeting was confined
exc1as@ely to his agency in accomplishing
the passage of the fugitive slave law, ana
, chat tile course Of Virginia in 1919, or az
any etSer7 period bad never eoustenianeed
, the. doctrine Of secession Mr. Bedihger.
coin Slaaeed reading and commenting upon
Z some seplies published IN the Frae Iress
: and mads By Mr.. Faulkner. a the last 7 7. 81
. fersenS Meeting to certain lnserregateties
! nrnnoSnaed 10 him. Mr. Faulkner asked
) as ID act of justice that his answer should
I he :fFA RAD and the comments made alter
9 waras5 Mr.. BediRger read the replies w Y
Loud burst Of applause At the seuadness
ana nktrietism4 of the sentiments there ext
messed came from the meeting Mr.. Bed
!. inoer chen proceeded to define his ewn posi-
! tioa Ellie said that be was opposed to the
actfoa of South Carelina-thought it UNI
:, wiqs ana impolitic, and did not'see that
:. mpch danger would be eceasiened by 1t and
= therefore saw but little practical utility ln
agftatiag in Virginia the question Of seees+
re Stop. & e
5Ifs KERoHEvAL followed in . speech q
- near saso hours Mr. K saw Inconsistencies
Il ia MskFs Political course-he did not know
ii what 10 call him.
) MAX. went for sustaining the csmpro
Of misc eTfor resisting secession by all means
T. soEda Unnecessary for all the carol
ne nal eflsrli-, Of the Wing party, lie saif
verytr1 be lawful he was not disposed to b
ng its aaYecate-be did not think it profitable
he or advantageous He was in favor Of Colo
'st aizatitn as the best mode Of riding the coun
h try eSlhe curse Mr. X. said be had beet
ve chargsd with going to SeWard-but he dc
Ye nieH and contcnded that Seward had
as corLe 90 him, for he lMf KY had enter
e taisesE these sentiments long before he had
: oveE asard ef Mr. Seward The closing rel
cd natl&5me did net hear
n Atlqr Mr. kercheval closed, running del
bate svas kept up between Messrs. Fauikner
and BTdinger until nearly dark, involving
theis opinions upea the principles Of Secesl
70 sion, sAe rights Of sthe States the character
$ Of It'd National GpFernmeRt the consequent
n cos Ell resistance to the authorities Of the
~ Unippt Mr. Faulkner said las opinions
were published and before eyRdfy voter III
the District They knew precisely what u
: piniea they we're sustaining IN supporting
# hiin%3 Why had not Mr. Bedinger favored
the people with his opinions in writing and
, printing on these great Constitutional ques-
lions heterogeneous had been prepound.
ed q ann through the district papers, but
I, they>Eefe yet unanswered The people had
: a rlghl 70 know the opinions Of candidates
i upon All questions of such momentous issue
as wereslew involved in this election.
Attha close of the discussion Mr. Bedinger
said, then the Issue between Mr. faulkner
: and !uiY5elf is. ''shall South Carolina be
whipped back into the Union. in case she
+ sece64s
III Me- Faulkner denied such to be the issue.
/ i The issue betweentthem was as to the Cen
4 stitntipnal power Of the Goyernmentto pre-
serve isself from destruction. He had never
said what particular course be would pursue
towards South Carolina His great object
was tie preservation Of the Union and the
maiatfipaaee Of the just authority Of the
GovefEiment, aad he would carefully adapt
his policy to accomplish these great ends.
Is Ro1Eaeg Isteit5seacef 81 1faadoyias
A STRANGE POSITION.