Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-05-22
Speeches Of Hon. A. Dixon and Col.
Z. B, Stevenson.

The following sketch Of the speech
es of Messrs. Dixon and Stevenson,
at the Kentucky Wing Convention,
we extract from the Lexington States
man:
Mr.. Dixon arose, as he said, to
repeal the charge made against him
by the K. N. press, that he was a
TRAITOR, false to his party and prin-
ciples. This he said was untrue
and unjust. He was true to that
party, faithful to those principles and
firm to his friends; but his party had
deserted him, abandoned their prin-
eiples and gone away after strange
gods. His sympathy was with his
old friends, he wanted to so with
them, but his sense of JUS tice to
the CAtholic and foreigner whom they
prescribe, his fidelity to the laws of
| the land, and attachment to the spirit of
our free institutions, all rendered it
impossible to affiliate with a party
which stood antagonistic to all these.
This was the reason he now stood
separate from the mass of his old
political friends and associates. 1t
vas the party which abandoned him
and proved untrue to themselves,
and faithlesS to their old principles.
And if there was treachery Or false
dealing or desertion, it lay not with
him.
He believed Mr.. Fillmore an honor
able man, and endorsed his admins
tration, and recommended it as true
and sound. But if Mr.. Fillmore
accepted the nomination of the Know
Nothing order, he was bound as an
honorable man to stand on their plat
form, and become the exponent of
their sentiments. In that event he
could not nor would not support him.
Bnt there was more serious objee-
ton to Mr.. Fillmore. He stood un-
committed, in the platform of which
he was proposed to be the exponent,
upon the all-important and prominent
slavery question. True, a reference
was continually made to bis admins
tration, and that held up as sufficient
committal on all the issues arising out
of that question. But, when he turn
ed to that administration, there they
found the great statesmen, Clay and
Webster, upon either side of him,
urging and influencing him in the
approval of the fugitive slave law.
That single act was all he ever did,
all in his administration, to recon-
mend him to the confidence of the
South, and that act, prompted as
it may have been by patriotism, he
believed inconsistent with bis whole
antecedent record, contrary to his
own personal opinions and in violence
to his feelings. He was made to
take the step by the influence of the
great statesmen upon whom he leaned
for advice and support.
But, none of the great and promi-
nent issues now before the country,
are involvedin that single act of sign
ing the Fugitive Slave law. Well
could Mr.. Fillmore have signed that
act, and still be in favor Of and advocate
the abolition Of slavery in the Dis
trict of Columbia. There was moth
inc in that act inconsistent with the
restoration of the Missouri Compro-
mise, the abolition of the slave trade
between the States, or the exclusion
of Southern men with their property
| from the common Territories of the
land. Upon all these points, now
living, practical, vital, and all-impor-
tant questions, MIR. Fillmore stood by
his administration wholly uncommit-
| ted, while all his former and earlier
expressed opinions and antecedents,
| prove him inimical to the Southern
position upon them all. In view OF
these facts, be did not believe Mr..
Fillmore stood in any manner by
word or administration committed to
1Southern rights, and at time when
| the dearest and best interests Of the
South are immediately involved and
lin danger, he was unwilling to vote
1 for any man who stood on doubtful
lground. As for Donelson, he was a
renegade, office-seeking politician
with whom he never did agree IL
politics, and from whom be was now
lfutrher than ever separate. He saw
no evidence af NVhigery in the sup
| port Of Donelson. Together, it wa
a monstrous ticket with q maskheat
lof Whigery, scaly tale Of renegad'