Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-04-09
the Richmond Wigs report of which we


Mr.. GOggin on taking the Chair. said in substsn-
ce-He felt under obligations TO his friends for the
honor of presiding over so large meeting, assem-
bled for such purpose He presumed every man
in the house had already been made acquainted
with the objects for which the meeting had conven
ed. Though he belonged 70 no political party
save the old Wing party, in whose cause he had
been, in other times and upon other occasions, so
often called TO bear part yet he must say, out
side as he of the American party SO termed,
that he most cordially responded 10 the nominations
which he had lately been made by that party.
He thought he saw the strongest indications in
that large assemblsge Of Americaus-Whigs and
Observation-Disclosures nominations OF Milard Eli.
more for President and of Andrew jackson Donel-
son for Vice President would be most cordially res
ponded to by the whole meeting. He did not see,
indeed, how it could be otherwise. Who was, and
who is Willard Fillmore? All said he was honest,
faithful aud capable-all said he had been true to
the trust resposed in him-all admitted that he
had in the Administration of the government, fully
maintained our respectabilty as Nation, at home
aud abroad-Wherever our flag had fioated on the
Ocean-in all our complicated relations with other
couutries-in all our difficulties at home, the eye
of him who stood at the helm was directed to the
Consultation Of his country the polar star by
which he guided the ship that SO nobly weathered
the storm. Though, of course, not in every place
at every time his was the master. spirit that con-
trolled, directed, and administered the National
concerns OF this great, growing, and prosperous
Republic-extending, not from Maine to Georgia,
but from the st. Johns to the Standardization
the Atlantic to the Pac6c-irom Ocean to Ocean!
That man, without majority in the two Houses
Of Congress to sustain hm-but feeble in point Of
political nhuence-in decided minority in the
Legislative brach of the Government, should have
SO deported himself in the chei~ExecutiVe office,
as to receive, he justly merted, the appreciation
OF all without precedent in the history OF the
country.
Sowell did Mr. Fillmore discharged his duty
his whole duty, that even his political opponents
were forced to excaim with of old, we find no
fault in this man."-So well did he satisfy the South
that men of the SOuth-men OF dstincton-men
of character and high in official station, cried out,
well DONE good and faithful seryant"-and these
were the men who now "denied him. =" and would
politically "crucify him" as Zone who perverteth
the people
Could this be the spirit that actuated the great
masses of the people? Could this be the spirit OF
genuine Democracy? If it were, Democracy was
not now what it when its great Apostle taught
| il first in the Temple of Freedom. The quaiica-
! ton for Office with Thomas Jefferson was, is the
candidate or the incumbent honest-is he capable?
| But the test now with many, was, is he of u-? is
he with us? or is he "Galilean?" If So away with
| him.
Now said Mr. G., know the Democracy of Bed
! ford and must say, that believe the great body
of that party in this country actuated by honest
! impuses-they mean to do right-they desire to
see justice done to even political opponent. l
! have many reasons, said he for believing; for in
all the heat OF the highest part times, the men of
| that party have placed me under obligations for
| many acts of personal courtesy and kindness
their part am said he no candidate now for
! Office, and never expect to be. l ask for myself
| no political favor on this occasion, | ask tor no
! office at the hands of the people. | have been
placed on the retired list-how that was effected
need not say-you know well myself, and as
friend, in my eye. once said of young law
| yer who had been badly beaten when candidate
! for the Legislature in an adjoining cOunty,-"hav
ing subdued his political aspirations he had resum-
! ed the practice of the law" 1t is WELL said Mr.
! g. perhaps this is my case-for am here, to dav ,
to reason with vOu-to commune with my f How
citizens upon a suhject-in regard to the chOic of
public servant, OF more vital Importance to all
than the subject OF Congressional election. The
occasion presented, affords ms an opportunity
to frafernizs-to unite in the choice of model
! President-one who can Judge, not by his pro
LESSONS, but by his actsnot by his future, but his
past life. "By their fruits We shall know then, il
the rule Of the Holy Book itself Will you be tried
! by this? If so, will you not test the fitness Of
your public servants bS the same rule? Now, said
Mr.. G.. if you concede all that l have said to be
true, and, certainly, think you will, shall we not
have at the Presidential election, the ing
spectacle exhibited to u.s. of men OF all parties 60
ing TO the polls to show, by united voice, that
the good people Of Bedford can, upon proper oc-
cason rise above all party considerations in the
ercse OF one OF the privileges OF freemen. | say
this to outside Wings, like myself and to Demo
Gratis, many of whom, | see, do me the honor OF
listening with attention TO my remarks. But,
again-consisteRcy, il seems, said Mr.. Co. should
URka I. l.
have twice asked for yourselves, 1t would be re-
coll, cted that Mr. Mason was twice elected to the
Senate of the United States because, iorsOoth, as
was urged by some, he the member who had
introduced and successfully carried through the
Fugitive Slave Law. If not twice, certainly once
was he elected, and that very recently, upon thi:
ground, united with other merits which he doubt
less had Well it this be So let me ask, will you
not be equally just to Mr.. Fillmore who approved
the law? He could have vetoed the bill-he could
have arrested the measure by stroke of his pen
Did he do III Did he stop to inquire whether il
would affe' { his political prospects thereaiteTg Die
he forget that President in the discharge of hi:
duty should know no North-no South? Did ht
look at that dark cloud which, in the future, would
be likely to discharge its tempestuous, turbid anC
whitening force upon his head? No. Looking t
the Constitution as he would and does to his Bible
he there saw his duty, his whole duty to his fell
low and to his country. If Mr.. Mason, living
in slave Stlte-the owner of slaves himself, -h
entitled TO the ID crit Of having been Instrumental
in passing a law to protect his own property-hoN
much more, let me ask, is man entitled 70 credi
for giving force an / efficacy to such act, who
lives in a free State where slavery cannot exist
whose education, whose associations, and whose
geographical position would naturally lead him tC
conclusions the very opposite of those of Mr.. Ma
| son, or any other Southern man. But thi
all?-Did Mr.. Fillmore nothing more? Did he per
nit that law 10 remain dead letter upon the sta
tute book? No-amd the rawlings of fanatical Ado
itonis s-amongst the mighty hosts of Black Re
pubIicans-he sent his Marshals to execute the law
and they did execute it; in Pennsy lvania, in Mas
sachusetts, and wheresOcver the owner could inC
his property.
But still, was this all that could he said Of Mi,
lizard Fillmore? No; he loved the Union of thes,
States as he showed by his approval of the Com,
promise Measures, which saved US, perhaps, iron
all the horrors Of civil var.
Was there nothing more TO his credit? See hi
admirable management of sll our foreign relations
But will not dwell, said hr. c. longer on hi
merits. The verdict of every honest man has beeI
recorded in his favor-Such tcas tie man, but wha
ia he now? He is, am sure, what he has been
Has he done anything to forfeit our respect, on
confdencey II so, let the act be pointed out
Old Line WhiGgery-Mr. Caruthers o.
Missouri.