American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-10-11

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hope of triumph. nor even of a colli-
sion. as7s Esttt
In this lies at once their strength and
their weakness.
Unless MIR. Buchanan can carry the
whole South, and trust-not to party
discipline, for that has died away-but
to the chance of the bribe of high Of.
flee To persons in the North to make up
the deficiency of the Southern vote, my
Democratic friends know full well tina I
they have not the most remote prospect
of succeeding in carrying him to the
Presidential chair. And our Republi.
can friends on the other side, with equal
reason, based on equally notorious facts
know. if the State of New York is
strt cken from them, that they are pow
erless minority, out Of doors, and thar
no nominee of theirs can darken the
doors of the White House. 1t is there
fore not because of their strength but
because of their vea&ness that the one
and the other seek to produce the i'm
preston which it is possible, and i'm
charity ought to be conceded, each be-
leves, but which it is difficult for mon
who hold a moderate and middle posi-
ton like myself not to regard in very
different light. 1t is for tho reason that
each party deluded in the idea that it
is enthroned in the exclusive control Of
its own sectional interest and it's own
sectional power, attempts tho vain task
of Persuading the country that man
like Mr.. Fillmore, resplendent with the
glories of a great administration which
appeals TO those pervadiDg and national
considerations which wake responses In
the heats of the people, must be left in
an Insignificant minority Of few ration
al men of the North and South.
Mr.. Chairman, long lists of names
have been paraded of new converts to
Mr. Buchanan. Letters have been
/, spread before the public, urging argu.
ments with all the authority of names
entitled 10 the profound respect of the
House and the country. | knew in
these lists, whether they relate TO Ma.
ryland or elsewhere, of no man who al
the fall election earnestly supported the
American cause. | see among the names
on that list none who were regarded as
the friends of the American cause.
see in most of them neophytes of Dem,
ocracy, then hardened sinners agans,
its benign rule, who were baptized las,
fall whose tender faith has been duly
instructed by the sponsors at their bap-
tism, and whose public and formal de-
claration now is nothing but the cere
mony of confirmation to the world o
their eaIlier conversion. There is no.
thing in that list which need shake the
confidence Of any friend of the Ameri
can party. There is nothing which
makes the scale of Mr.. Fillmore vacil
late for single instant in its inclination
in the State of Maryland, There is no
thing that in the slightest degree increa
ses the difficulty of repeating, with lar
! ger majorities and greater eclat, the tr
umph of the past year.
But, sir, iise now to test the argu
ment thus supported by great names &
widespread authority.
We are not to vote for Fillmore, be
cause majority at the North are op
posed to his patriotic and wise admin
istralioD--so runs the reason: becaus,
the majority of the North are not iavor
able 10 compromise and conciliation-
so runs the eas ot: because the MAORI
ty of the North regard the time as come
when they must get scourge for the
South-becauso the majority of the
North are Of that opinion, therefore, il
this contest which they superciliously
assume is to be between the Northern
candidate and tho Southern candidate
all men must desert tho candidate who
is alone the candidate Of the Constitu.
ton and the Union.
The argument is hollow and insidi
ous. If the mojority Of the North bt
such, then the time far voting as past
it is no longer a question whether we
will vote for Fillmore or Buchanan a;
! President Of the United States, because
the South is in pitiable minority il
the Electoral College, and every vote
cast there leaves her where she is, ant
without the power Of selfprotection. 1
the hour of madness be come; if reason
be dead in her chosen seat; it the con
serva,ive North has ceased to be con
seryative, and is inspired by the hatret
this argument ascribes to her PEOPLE
then we have no election on tho fourth
OF November for President of the Uni
ted States. Mr.. Buchanan will be incl
igiblo as foreigner to rule the South
We have passed by the time of the cleo
ton ofthat man whose name is to close
the fasti Of that illustrious line. The
people in 1862 OWNED we'll that the,
were choosing tho Honorious of the
Republic, and fitted the man to tho sta
ton!
The argument proves too much, if il
is true. Ifit is not true, II is trash.
But the argument is put ip diGeren,
shape, and il is pointed directly at MIR. Fill
more. His merits are made his incopacities
His truth to the Union is made the reason
why Southern gentlemen, for whom he ran
the greatest risk against the opinion Of his
| own region Of country, are to turn against