Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-10-06

adequate to the crisis' Scott alone w;
f considered by Democratic Administratic
e capable of averting the storm. He did
: vert it. Without army, without aid, ,singl
by dint of his own wisdom and eloquenc
he saved the country from a war; whc
had 1t come, would have strained her ev
ry nerve to cracking, and made her evel
pore sweat blood. Which of your boaste
, civilians can point to such triumph?
| ask for that triumph your votes.
Again, on the Nothern frontier in 1884,
the troops of England and of this countr
were actually in the field against each otl
, er. One drop of blood then shed woul
have sluiced seas of blood. Again d.
mocratic Administration had recourse
the civil abilities of Scott; for who the
dared to doubt them? And again he (;
verted the conflict, extorting by his talent
and his triumph, the applause Of all parties
and confirming in both countries his It'll
as the GREAT PAcIFIcAToR. In this char
acter, as the Apostle ofPeace, and for thes
services, do ask your votes for Genera
Scott.
The time ,honored patriot claims you
reverence as the champion of the Union, it
earliest, steadiest and staunchest. No spo
of the nation-no North, nc South, nj
East, no West-can claim it as its own
His patriotic life has been spread, like sun
light, all over the land he has loved ant
served long and well. In his youth, whel
the North plotted treason at Hartford, h'
shamed the malcontent spirit back to it,
den by the glory of his victories on the
line. In after years, when the South re-
newed the dark example at Charleston witt
notification, he was again interposed tc
save the Union. The patriot Jackson was
then at the head of the Government; and
in that dark hour, for 1t was as dark as a.
mother night piled upon midnight where
did he look for one whose lofty civil and
military qualities and devoted patriotism he
could trust to avert fraternal wars Our
land has many great men but his sagaci-
ty directed HIM to Scott. He sent him to
the scene of excitement and danger; and
with his giant hand upon the helm all was
safe. The first intellects of the nation u
nited in applauding his invaluable services;
and the magnanimous Jackson, through the
Secretary of War, Gen. Cass, expressed
his high admiration and acknowledged his
profound gratitude and that of the country.
Will any Democrat deny the merit which
Jackson applauded, or withhold the graft
tude he bestowed? Under the sanction,
then, of the great name of Andrew jack
son, ask your votes for Gen. Scott.
And in the last peril of the Union, where
was Scott? Earliest by the side Of its no.
blest defender the ilustrious Henry Clay
Clay, whose pure and mighty spirit, when
it had achieved its last and lo(tiest triumph,
bore on high to Washington the proud tri-
umph that his country was saved. BY the
side of Clay, Scott labored earnestly and
effectively, day and night, for the Compro-
mise, and, when it had passed he received,
for his early, ardent and constant compan-
lonshp, the grateful thanks of the depart
ing patriot. For that devotion to the Union
which merted and won Clay's admiration
and gratitude, | ask yours.
Such has been the entire career Of Scott
ever the friend of peace, of union, of hu-
manity. Our greatest warrior is our calm,
est sage. Our bravest hero is tn: greatest
most humane Of men; one who would moi
WIN the laurels that hid the bald first Cs'
sar's brow at the price of one unnecessary
tear. That spirit made him the father o
his soldiers, and even the pltying friend OF
conquered foe. Witness the cholera
scenes in the camp at Chicago, when pes
thence smote the army, and those who
braved death at the cannon's mouth fled
appalled, from this new horror. Scott was
their general, not their surgeon of COURSE
he retired to safer quarters, and left the
sick and the dying to the care of those pro
vided for the duty. He was incapable o
the thought. Let us look in upon one o
the scenes then so frightfully common
On the naked floor of one of the army hut:
is stretched dying soldier, deserted by all
save one, for it is the saturnalia of DEATH
death in the fetid air death in the shrieks
ofthe convulsed sufferers; deathin the fixed
distortions of those who have ceased to suf-
fer; yet there, in that scene of ofaccumulat-
ed horrors, tall form bends over the dy-
ing soldier, holds the cup to his ashy lips,
and utters words of kindness in tones ol
cheerful consolation. 1t is too late; the
sufferer gives to his ministerng friend a
last sad message for his distant family.
grasps his hand, looks up with earnest graf
itude, breathes feeble blessing upon his
benefactor, ard sinks back, never again to
be aroused till called up by the sound OF
the last reveille. Now, what holy enthusl-
ast, solictous for martyrdom, is he who
thus labors under the dark shadow OF the
wings of pestilence? Name him, that we
may bless him. 1t is the youth that vowed
himself to his country it is the hero whose
red bosom pressed the sod of Lundy's Lane;
it is the veteran who swept over the battle
fields of Mexico it is the next President OF
the United Winfield Scott.
His entire life is filled with evidence OF
this noble humanity. Witness his inter-
position to save his Irish fellow captives in
Canada, and his heroic declaration, back
ed afterwards by an act of Congress: "Harm
hair of the head of these poor Irishmen'
and our gibbets shall groan with English
prisoners And so he saved them. Wit
ness his kindness to the unhappy, exlled
Cherokees, and to the wretched fugitives
in the cruel Black Hawk war. Witness his
efforts to spare blood at Vera Cruz, and be-
fore Mexico; and his noble declaration,
81 would be unhappy if | won victory and
! fame by the unnecessary sacrifice of SIM
Gle holy human life" Witness his pater-
nal care of the wounded and sick, amid the
iron shower of the battlefield, OF the pes
tilert horrors of the hospital. Such deeds,
loftier than glory, win the applause OF an
gels. For such deeds do ask your votes
your votes for earth's noblest of heroes.
the hero of humanity, Winfield Scott.