Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-05-09

lection, believing that 1t operated TO benefit inc
North and against the South. South Carolina ar
rayeL herself against the General Government
proclaimed notification, and the danger Of civ
war was imminent, when Clay came forward
with the olive branch, and adjusted the conlrover
sy by the compromise of 1888. As soon as pro
| lection to Northern labor was withdrawn a spiri
OF hostility was manifested TO slavery, and antag
onism was created between free labor and sla0'
| la5or-between NORTH and South. In 1850 The
question reached crisis that threatened the eXis
tence Of the Union, and the sioutest hearts quail
ed at the gloomy prospect; but after eight months
of angry struggle the difficulties were settled by
the joint counsels Of Clay and Webster and Gas:
and Dickinson.
at was at this juncture" said Mr.. Stuart, "tha
was called into the Cabinet The fugitive
slave law passed the day reached Washington.
and was in the hands of the President | had
| opportunity to know the efforts made to induce
him to veto it. lie could have made himself the
idol of the North and secured his reelection by
triumphant sectional majority But he knew
no North-no Souih-no East-no West-noth-
ing but the whole country-no guide but its con-
sttution."
Then was the time" continued Mr.. S. "lor
patriotism TO have done its oflice-then was the
time for the South To have rallied as one man to
the support of the man who had shown himself a
Bile and willing to do his duty" (Here Mr.. Stu
art paid most beautiful and feeling tribute to the
unselfish patriotism of AIilard Fillmore, declar-
ing that he had never known him TO utter sent
iment that would have been unworthy Of George
Washington
Two years of tranquility passed away. coniin-
ued Mr.. $. 'the Conventions to nominate Presi
DENTAL candidates assembled. and what was the
action Of the two great parties? Were they gov
erned by enlarged National sentiments, or did
they basely pander and truckle to the anl-slavery
feeling of the North? Let unquestonable facts
answer The question. Oh the Wing party there
were Fillmore, Webster and Crilienden of the
Democratic party, Cass, Buchanan, Douglas aud
Dickinson-all men Of pre- -eminent qualifications,
national reputation and national sentiments
Why were all these great men passed by, and
made to give place 10 men less able. less expert
enced Mr. Stuart believed both Scott and Pierce
to be national men, but their sentiments were not
widely known, and Difference TO the anti slavery
election took place and Pierce was elected. The
anti-slavery men were encouraged by the defer
ence that had been shown to them. The sm0ul-
derng fires were rekinded by the passage of the
Nebraska Bill, and swept over The North like
sheets ofliving flame over the parched heritage
of the Western prairie. Old lines were forgotten
aud Wings and Democrats came together, their
bond Of unon being opposition TO Slavery. Ev
cry Northern and Middle State has pronounced lis
Judgment against the President, and his admin
islraton stands paralyzed, defeated, arnhilated |!
Both the great parties in the North became de-
natiunalized and aboliionzed. Everything por-
tended sectional organizations and the election Of
Seward to the Presidency. In this emergency
where were we to look for security and rellef?-
Not to the Wings, for they were powerless; nor
to the Democrats, for they were disheartened and
defeated.
About this time new party appeared upon
the political horizon, bearing new and fantastic
name. 1t was invisible and intangible, but it
soon showed that it had the capacity of making
itself felt. It's first triumphs were achieved in
municipal elections, but by degrees it entered on
wider sphere of action. watched its progress
with curiosity, that gradually deepened into in
terest saw it take up as Governor of Massa-
chusetts, Gardner, a man who had volunteered as
a private in the ranks to sustain the fugitive
slave law. saw it indicate its purpose 10 de-
feat Seward; | saw it prepared to support Clark
who had been regarded as a conservative, and
nominated as such by Wings; but when Clark
accepted the nomination of the Aboltionis;s, 1t
deserted him and took up Ullman, the intimate
friend of Fillmore, and who know to be Ma
tonal man. saw it denounced by Giddings,
Sumner, &c., and all the sectional presses
These things made me think well of it, and de-
termned to investigate its purposes, and learn, if
could, its elements. correspondent with the
leading and most reliable men in the Northern
and middle States, and learned that the object
was to form national party out Of the conserya-
tive elements of both the old organizations, hich
would leave the question of slavery where the
Constitution placed it, outside of the political
arena-to ignore it as a question Of National ju-
rsdiction. Mr.. Stuart here quoted from Cleve
land Abolition paper, which states that the Sd
degree of the order compels the man who takes ii
to be proslavery. This is not so, bnt as Mr.. s.
understood. it does rebuke all agitations tending
to the disruption of this glorious Union
Intimately connected with this grand feature,
were two other great reforms, which this organ
cation determined TO effect, viz: to check foreign
influence, and rebuke the inermeddlng in our
political affairs by the subjects of foreign power.
who acknowledge higher allegiance 10 the Pope
of Rome than they owe to the Commonwealth
or the Union. With these principles upon their
banner the new party has gone on, conquering and
TO conquer. and trust Is destined to crush sec
tionaIiSm, TO restore a national sentiment to the
Country and to save the Union.
Mr.. Stuart here entered upon the discussion of
the policy Of the American party in regard to for
eigners In the early settlement of the country
i, was natural that the policy of the government
should be to acquire population. But even at that
early day, sagacious men like Thomas Jefferson
foresaw the dangers that might flow from il (See
Quotation from Jefferson's Notes in another Gu
lumn.) At first immigration not sufficient to
give any impress public sentiment. MIR. Stuart
here read statistics, showing the immense increase