Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-11-26
The Opinion OF a Hoary Head

RoBrRrseN, of Kentucky, late Chief Justice OF
the State. and many years ago one of her most
distinguished representatives in the National
Councils. The letter was called forth by. and is in
response to, another, which appeared in the same
columns. not long since. from the pen of tho
Hon. RoBERr WINTHROP. 1t presents in a very
forcible manner the reasons Of the writer for con
Meeting himself with the American party. A
few extracts, for which only we have space, will
show the conservative tone Of the writer's opin-
iosx, and the earnestne-s Of his conviction. He
says:
On the Fundamental, doctrines of popular gov
eminent men have ever been divided into Two
classes-one whose principles tend "a unchecked
democracy and Reorganization, the other 10 or
ganic security and conservatism. These are the
natural parties in every Republic; and. in all
time, these contrsdistiuctiv q qualities have char
scterixed and classified the entagonist politics
under different phases and titles. shifting with &C.
cident and times. In our day and country these
same elements have ever classified our people IN
10 two principal parties. called Of late years
Democrats and Wings. more nuciently known by
other titles. In the origin of the Constitution
the s,ese distinctive principles divided the peo-
pie into two opposing parties, one against and
the other in favor Of its adoption. WASHING.
TON, our Pdfer Pdiri6, was at the head ct the
latter; and in his administration and more em-
pbatically in his Farewell Address, the Father
Of his Country" as | think. illustrated the true
principles of American policy and union.
The writer goes On 10 say that for forty years
his political opinions have been essentially
.'Wa hiaeion;an't while his ne $500 etions, nf latter
years. have been with the Wing party but, con
sidering that party ''dennthonnh-ed by the SEC
tional strifes Gifts leaders" he could not, eonsis-
tenily with his principles, "remain spell bound
by a trnditionary mime" and he therefore felt no
hesitation in uniting himself with a party more
national in spirit and more comprehensive in its
aims He joined the American party, and says:
In taking this step | have neither been recre.
ant, nor fnithless, nor inconsistent. To preserve
my principles. and help to purify and restore our
institutions, ! have only preferred duty to spoils
substance 10 the shadow oi n name. renovation
TO decay, patriotism 10 elanism, nationnlism to
sectionalism. constitutionisn To efeteism, Amer
capism to foreignism, u broader to Il narrower
foundation, and a home bred name for an import.
ed title. ! have abandoned no priaeaple, | have
changed not my faith. Ny object is not to inno-
vate but 70 reno,ate; not 10 bury or TO desecrrie
the memories Of rs and 'es. but to revive and to
consecrate them. not to desert. but Ia restore the
spirit which animated the american patriotism of
our American fathers; not Ia distract or divide.
but TO unite, regenerate, and exnl, our country
men on platform Of American principles and
policy important, if not Indispensable to Ameri-
can Union.
Judge r. szrounds his views &c the true policy
ofour government and tho. Just interpretation Of
the Constitution and asks:
Are these principles and doctrines unsound 7
Are they not c~ongcuial with oar institutions, aud
would they not be conductive "a our happy des-
tiny ! Ought they nv, to be the practical doc
trines If every patriotic Wing and of every Union
Democrat-of every tsae american citizen1 |
consider them. each aud VII, eminen,ly American.
and they are therefore mine. Believing that they
are essentially those of the American party,I am
Of II and with il. Eontstanding Wings or Dem
oorats concur with us a. TO ell or even the more
vital Of them, and have no paramount, repugnance
to any OF them, why should they no, CO. operate
with Us in our organized efforts to rescue our
country from the local factions which disturb is
tranquility and threaten its ACKNOWLEDGMENT !
What Is there in a name And is not "Amtri-
con" more suitable to the times and moro signi.
fcsnt of our nationality than 'Hhig'' or Dem.
oenat ?" But If Wings and Democrats who
have opposed US cannot unite with us, surely we,
who have left them. cannot 60 hack to them; the
motives which separated US from their organiza-
fions will continue to keep ia where we are. For
myself | can truly say TINT ! cannot now see any
good reason why / should leave the American
party for any other political organization ,because
i consider II more fraternal and self sacrificing
in its spirit, and more national. comprehensive,
and conservative in its principles aud its pnr-
poses, than any other party that exists or has ex-
listed in America, and | feel that the time has
come when the best interests Of the Union re.
quire all it's true friends to rally under IA banner
inscribed with just principles.
After dilating in eloquent language on the
xna1nasa nC axt,.. II u "
ly duty of defending the Union from the insane
and atrocious assaults Of those who would sever
the lgatures which bind US together, be pro.
ceeds:
! feel that the FIRE which glcwed on our coun.
try's altar at the baptism of the Union is not vet
quenched, and | trust that. whenever invoked
by the true hearts that should minister ut the
altar, 1t will blaze forth and rekindle the great
American heart of a free and united American
people. To feed that sacred fire until our com
mon country. from its centre to its circumfer-
ence, shall glow with its genial radiance, is. if |
mistake not, the mission of tho American party;
and. III am not deceived, this new fraternity
viii ,Persevere in their work aud grow stronger
ana sta longer Unit! they can see that the Union
is safe and impregnable against all coalitions of
foreign foes and domestic traitors, Whate,e or
may betide its organization its principles and
policy must triumph, or he Union piH cease to
lice and to bless.
He concludes:
Such. my ancient friends, are the sentiments
OF an American citizen, born in the wiIds of Ken
lucky, under the flag of the National Constitu-
tion' who, too old to tie ambitious, has lived long
enough to know the paramount value and count.
aess blessings of the Anglo American Union.
constructed by the wisdom and eemented with
the patriotism of the modest band of political pa.
triarchs who ever lived for posterity and died
for mankind.