Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1852-06-05

l. i
| name is as we'll known to you, wings, q
that Of your wives and clildren.---tor II
one OF your household words, even. WI
has not heard of--who does not know
Meredith P. Gentry!
Mr.. Gentry proceeded as follows:
Fellow citizens If you have the p,
tience to hear me, I will proceed, as wa
doirg when we adjourned from the Hal
to give 3on some reasons why I shoul
60 for Mr. Fillmore. As a Southern mar
addressing Northern audience, uidel
stand the delicacy Of the position I occr
py. But, fellow citizens. if there's ma
In the South that may farely claim to-
Grant hearing from the North, think
may claim to be that man. | have bee
in political life considerable time; an
in the year 639, the first attempt eve
made in Congress, was in favor Of admit
ting petitions for the abolition of SLAYER
In the District Of Columbia. Cheers. +
This was called by some fanatcal, and
was fanatic; fanatic in my devotion Il
the Union. Cheers. For I saw tha
this was question which involved tn
safety Of the Union. / saw that thons
ands at the North who had no taint of ab
olitionism, were yet deeply interested o,
this question, aud its agitation seemed t,
me to present false issue between tn,
North and South. / had confidence II
you then as have now, and / said
would risk it. [Cheers.] / hope you vii
not think me too egotistical, my friends
but / must vindicate my course towards
the North, for the sake of the Union.---
On the coming on Of the Texas struggle
the chief in viii h was gallant Tennes
sean, my sympathies, like those Of III,
southern fellow citizens, were with Texas
/ loved them +; wanted them TO succeed
/ desired to see them In the Union; bu
when it appeared to me that the Nortt
was so warmly hostile and predjudicet
against annexation, took ground against
it, aud went before the people on thai
ground, and for the Uuion. for the disso
luton Of which. in my opinion, annexa
ton would be no compensation aud we
carried the State Of Tennessee, on the is
sue thus made, for the gallant old chief
tain, who now lies on his death. bed
Henry Clay Of Kentucky. Prolonged
cheeringl Brave old warrior! Thou
hast encountered many senatorial strug.
gle, but never vert conquered yet. Will
II not, say my friends be fitting tribute
to pay him in his last hours, to accept his
opinions as to the qualifications of him
whom he has recommended as our candi.
date for the next Presidency! IEnthusi.
astic cheering.l He sees the gathering
clouds in our horizon, and his never fail.
ing prescience indicates the only course to
be adopted for our safety. But I am di.
crossing. The Mexican war came on,
aud / was the first man to call the atten-
ton Of Congress to the fact that the ques.
ton at the North would be raised that the
object was to acquire new territory for the
extension Of slavery, and that the agita-
ton Of that question would endanger the
Union. And so it was. The Wilmot
proviso was the consequence with all its
train of evils and threatening dangers
Such, my friends. permit me to repeat,
were my antecedents, in connection with
these important questions, and the speak
er here proceeded to justify his course on
the Compromise measures, in which he
had differed with some of his Southern
brethren, aud he went on to say. will you,
permit me to speek freely and
frankly to you. as am in the habit Of
lalkingto my constituents? Why should
Millard Fillmore not be nominated and
elected to-the Presidency? Independent
of his previous career, his private charac-
Ter aud position, he succeeded to the Chief
at the death Of Gen. Taylor.
it period Of peculiar exigency. / will
lot recapitulate the difficulties he had to
encounter. We know how he conquered
lis own antecedents, his own predjudices,
ind how firmly he met the acquisitions Of
luty. and discharged them with q pru-
lence that has never been exceeded. ]
will not dwell on the danger this
Union was in; But full well do you
now that. if Mr.. Fillmore. had not at
hat time used his influence and power for
Es safety, it would have been convnlsed
o the center. if not broken up. All men
now this, even they who, for their own
now pursue him with the NAL.
gnity Of fiends. II is because he did not and
will not become sectional politician, and
or that we will take him aud support him.
Here. feeble Juvenile cheer on the out
kirts of the crowd" Hnrray for Scott r
/ which some laughter.l Did he act
therwise than in the path Of duty And
|, it true that the North will desert him !?
) not his character pure and unimpeaclla-
le? Who dare assail it.? Has he not.
! all his administration, connseled the
afety Of the Union, and the Republic
here is then. contend. high principle
,yolved in his denomination and re.elec-
on. gs
We trust fondly that this government il
, live for ages yet to come and we
now that it may meet with many party
lrugglss, that may test it's stability; and
,e look upon it as principle Of high po-
cy that we should mark with our appro-
al the course Of him who. in the moment
vhen be was called on to stand for the |
Inion- loyal TO the Duties Of his station
ave security to that Union. endangered
J il was By the perils that impended over
And as it is. can it be true. that the
lorth will not bear its part in rendering
1cha tribute Of approval Here il an
nswer 10 my question ? A friend has