Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-07-26
MIR. RObinsOn's address AT the open
Ing Of the WING Convention.

Gentlemen Of The Contention Feiiotc. Uhigs
Of Pirginia: 81 accept with pride,but with diff
dcnce the post TO which you have called me-
Long withdrawn from public lifelong disused
to public speaking-I owe, know. the kindness
OF your selection, not to any peculiar fitness pos
sessed by me for the station. bat to the fidelity
with which, through life now not short. through
good report aud through evil report. in defeat
in victory, have elung, ever and alike, to the
fortunes-because have elaug always 10 the
principles and general policy of the great Wing
party of the country Were you now, as often
of yore. assembled in the flush of triumph md
pride of strength ! would not, in all probability,
have been with you would apart. and in that
privacy prefer. have sympathizcd in your sue
cesses, and rcjoicrd in your fortunes, as of good
omen for the country; but would have left to be
occupied by others, better fitted by their tastes
aud qualifications TO adorn them,the posts of hon
or and of influence il would then have b. en- in
your power TO bestow. Bui,few in numbers and
because relatively few in numbers and DIES
ttute Of political rower-assembed with no view
or hope of attaining to power us party, but ut
moment of great public exgenoy, to consult to-
gether about our duty 10 our country, thought
it time when good citizen, who could join
you, should be absent from tho post of duty--and
therefore am | among you.
Surely, no body of men ever assembled under
more honorable circumstances. Succeed who may,
power. | will not deny the patriotism of other
assemblies, but Of Wing assemblies, at this time,
| it may be proudly said, there can be motives
| but such unselfish,no ends but such as are
patriotic. Your reward can Be but in the sense OF
duty displayed in her hour of danger to the land
ofyour affections. and your coming proves that,
! that reward is sufficient.
And is not this indeed an hour of great peril
crisis but too real, fraught with much danger
to the country
For the first time in history people,
we are confronted by large and powerful sec
tonal party, banded together by the great cohe
sive principle of thSpublic plumber, fatally bent
to wrest from us if they can, and appropriate to
their exclusive use, the whole of our territorial
domain; and appealing. in defiance of the Con
sttuiion, as in equal disregard of e> cry principle
of justice and good faith. to the mere brute force
of superior numbers to maintain them i'll their
pretensions. If there be one principle NOR,
strongly consecrated by the constitution, through
out it, and in every part. than another it is tn,
exact and absolute equality of rights under it, o
the States. whether slaveholding not slave
holding, and of the citizens of the States. wheth
er holders Of slaves not holders of slaves
Wherever goes the constitution, there goes, anC
is protected. this equality. In providing for III,
ADM ssion OF new states the constitution, mad,
alike by Shareholders and non Shareholders in
vindication of this equality, declares, that sucl
states shall be admitted on the sole condition o.
! the Repub'icanism of their forms of Government
and as plainly as if written in words SHALL b.
admitted, whether its constitution authorize. o.
do not authorize. the holding of slaves-yet tn,
, party to which refer. in utter disregard of th
| plain and necessary inhibition. have the bolnes
> not only to add new condition 20 that single ont
OF the tuition, but new condition in direc
conflict with the plain inhibition which the PRO
vision referred to necessarily imparts. and in de
. feat OF the very right it has manifesty designe,
to secure. 1t. declares in terms that no new
slaveholding State shall be admitted into tn
Union-a pretension not only inconsistent will
' the provisions and whole spirit of the Constitu
ton, but alike repealed by the planest principle
Of right and justice. For If there be PROPOSE
ton that may be referred for it, sanction 10 IN
a judgment of the world Il had almost said barba
It rous a. well as cvzed,) it is, that what is gain