Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-24
GREAT RATIFICATION MEETING AT ALBANY.

! State street and Broadway and at halfpast eigh
when the meeting was called to order, the street
and sidewalks, as well as the windows and balcc
MES of the neighboring buildings, were filled by
larger concoawse than had ever before coaoeaed q
any public meeting IN the city Of Al6any
The meeting was called to order by H. HARRIS
Esq, upon whose motion the officers were appointed
! Hon. JOHN q, SPENCER, being the President o
the day, spoke as follows:
occupy the post which your favor fellow ha
assigned me, with many thanks for the distinguished no
nor you have conferred.
Retired have been for several years from the active
Of political strife, should not have appeared
this meeting had not Of duty to the distinguished
man whose nomination for the Presidency you have met
to rafy constrained me to accept the opportunity thus
presented of doing justice to his character in particular
that has not been well understood.
0fhis unsurpassed military exploits have nothing
say The world is full OF his renown his only competi
tor in that field the Duke Of Wellington has but antici
pated the judgment of history dor underrate them,
their value to the country but others will speak of
them and wish to devote my share Of your time to
another subject wish to meet the objection that mill
tary not fitted for the highest civil employments
and that there danger to institutions in elevang
to the Chief Magisracy man whose life has been
ployed in giving command enforcing discipline and main
tanning obedience. Although ii might be estoppel
it is termed to those who make this objection remind
them their support Of Gen. Andrew Jacksonville
with which, they maintain he administered the Govern
ment for eight years and to remind them of their late
candidate, Gen. Cass, and Of their present candidate
Gen Pierce both of whom distinctly presented as
having great military reputaton yet, closing the
mouth of adversary is not necessarily conclusive to
others to ourselves propose to examine this point
more at large.
The fitness of military for civil empoyments de-
ponds upon two circumstances first the natural cons-
tuition of his mind and feelings and second whether his
military habits have been mingled with and tempered
by social and civil duties by extended and various inter-
with his fellow citizens, and by public employ
statesman have obterated all the and repug
nant features of the soldier
AS to the first, is there who has Gen.
Scott who has marked the egble handwriting of ben
ecent Creator in his noble person and beam
ing with philanthropy and individual kindness Who
heard from him rude remark of personal offence
in his anger, an epithet unbecoming gentleman? His
way and manners are gentle and kind to be almost
feminine and have heard foreigners express their
ment that Injured to of blood and carnage
should be simple, natural, and affeconate a
child Butcher and Haynau would probably disown him
soldier Of their mould.
And who does not know how this genteness and SYM
pathy with his have been exhibited constantly dali
ly hourly by Gen. Scott when in the field in the camp,
on the march, in the barracks? The SICK the disa-
bed the wounded, the dying, among the troops he has
commanded the peculiar objects Of his most
assiduous care. There is not hamlet in country
but contains living witnesses of this remarkable trait
witnesses who have received and repeat the testimony of
their dead fathers and brothers Pardon for abiding
to personal instance when visiting brother in 1914
who had been shot in the battle of Niagara and who
dying within the British lines, the recollection Of the
sympathy and the assistance of Gen. Scott that
and another occasion still trying swells my
heart with emotions that would break it, if they could not
find utterance when speaking of the constitution of that
mans nature Who has not heard Of his unjustifabe
posure of his life among the troops when the cholera
swept them off there by hundreds in the Black Hawk
war; Ask those who served under him in the pesten-
tial climate of Mexico whether he has heart open
melting charity to the sufferings of his feow-men and
and IN led Nv NV
affection Of q brother.
No, citizens the hardships and habits of military
life instead of induratng his heart have but touched
him with feeling of the inrmities Of and have
taught him the great duty of in initiating the
pie Of his Saviour Such will bring into the adj
minstration of the Government neither reserve, PRIDE
arrogance, stubbornness.
The second circumstance which determines the qualif-
cations Of military for civil employment is whether
he has already acquired the learning, experience and
of statesman. The military life in this country,
which has been blessed with peace for least sixty
of the nearly seventy years that have passed since
independence achieved is not like that Of the Euro
pean officer who has spent his life in long and bloody wars
secluded in garrisons and forts Gen. Scott probably
than any other of great generals has, from the
nature of his employment maintained for the greater
Of his life extended and various intercourse with his
fellowcitizens in every part Of Republics and with
of all trades business and professions he has been
in constant communion The frankness and republican
simplicity of his intercourse with is the result Of this
extended acquaintance with their habits views and feel
ngs. Strip him of his uniform and all other military
rappngs and stranger would scarcely suspect him of
being soldier He is not citizen of the world but he
is emphatcay citizen Of the whole Republic. He has
resided in every quarter of it, has cultivated the inter-
of families and of domestic fe that wherever
he has lived he is much loved o neighbor
than admired as n soldier
No military in this country has been called often
to the discharge Of civil duties of the greatest difficulty
and decacy, and of the utmost Importance and indeed
few civilians have encountered many perplexing and
sometimes repugnant occasions of public service.
Justice TO him, and duty to rejecting community
anxious their worthily demands brief sy
nopsis of some Of these services
In the year 1875 after the termination of which
placed him at the very pinnacle Of glory he went to Eu-
rope, and employed there by President Madison to
ascertain the views Of Great Britain respecting the island
of Cuba in relation to which there suspicious
Indications and also to fathom the designs of the Euro
pean courts respecting the revolutions in South America
subject Of great interest Government and
citizens who npprehensve Of the establishment
monarchies in neghborhood. The ability with which
he performed these delicate duties attested by par
tcuar letter Of thanks written him by the then Secre
tary Of State, Mr. Monroe by the special directions
President Madison. In 1882 he was confdentally
poyed by General Jackson to repair South Carolina
which openly threatened forcibe resistance and nulfca
ton Of the laws and there maintain the authority of the
Government and order and peace and the protec
ton Of the public forts and property Many Of
member the alarming indications Of that period We
on the verge Of civil The great presence Of mind
cooness forbearance and tact Of Gen. Scott ayerted h
dire calamity. Among Infatuated people he mingled
and BY acts of Kindness and words Of peace and patriot
ism he accomplished what the sword could not - -
In 1888 our own frontier was in against neigh
boring Province and there existed phrenzy that threat
ened to bring with England. General Scott wa
dispatched President Van Buren IN the beetre NJ dis