Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-04-04
Ratification Meeting in Bedford.
REMARKS OF HoS. w. l.. GoGGIN.

held on Monday last. NJ lne topii hous' " 80
fy the nomination Of FILLMORE aud D0NEL-
son, was one of the largest, most respecta-
Bile and enthusiastic gatherings of the sort, we
have ever witnessed. and if we are to take 1t as
an index Of the feeling throughout the COM,
ty, Old Bedford will roll up such majority
for the American Ticket as will forever put an
extneuisher on tho idle vauntings OF those Lo'
cofooos who have elamedfor their party the abil.
ity 10 carry this County, the and enthusiasm and
good feeling which pervaded the meeting, is but
a 7foretaste Of the rejoicing shouts which Will
greet the ears of the Sag NIGHTS party after the
election in November.
The Hon. WIN. l.. Goggin. an old line Wing.
who was never connected with the American
Party under its former organization, and who,
we believe did not support the American State
ticket at the last Election, called on to pre-
side, and made most stirring eloquent speech
which subjoin in nearly his own words
Mr. Goggin on taking the Chair, said in sub.
stance:-fIe felt under obligations to his friends
for the honor Of presiding over so large meet,
ing. assembled for such purpose. lie presumed
every man in the house had already been made
acquainted with the objects for which the meet
ing had convened. Though he belonged to no po-
lical party-save the old Wing party, in whose
eaus he had been, in other times and upon other
occasions, SO often called on to bear part, yet
he must say, outs side as he was of the American
ed to the nominations which had lately been made
by that party.
He thought he saw the strongest indications In
! that large assemblage of Americans, Wings and
Democrats the nominations OF Sliard FIJI.
more for President and of Andrew Jackson Don
elson for Vice President would be most cordially
responded to by the whole meeting. He did not
see indeed how it could be otherwise. Who was
aud who is Fillmore! All said he was honest,
fnit C,,l nd nil hp nd
tho trust reposed in hm--all admitted that he had
in the Administr of the Government, fully
maintained our responsibility as nation at home
and abroad. w herever our flag had Heated on
the Ocean--in all our complicated relations with
other countries-in in all our difficulties at home
the eve of him who stood at the helm was direct
ed to tho Constitution ofhis country as the polar
star by which he guided the shin that noby
wenthered tho storm. Though of course, not in
every place at every time his was the master
spirit that controlled, directed. and administer
ed the National concerns of this great. growing,
and prosp, rons Notwithstanding, not from
| Maine t. Georgn," but from the St. Johns to
the STANDARDIZATION the Atlantic to the Pacliio
from Ocenn to Oceon That man, without
a majority in the two Houses of Congress to sus
tain him-but feeble in point Of political in
nuenco- in II decided minority in the Legislative
branch of the Government, should have SO deport-
ed himself in the chief Executive office as to re-
oepive, ~ he Justly merited, the appreciation of
all, WINS without precedent in the history of the
country.
SO we'll did Mr.. Fillmore discharge his duty
| his who'll, duty, that even his political opponents
were forced to eNclaim with one of old. find
| no fault ia this Inan.-So well did he satisfy the
| Snuh-meu of uiistinction--m of character, &
| high in ofic nj station, cried out, Well done
| eoul aud faithful scryant'-and these are the
men, who now 'denied him. and would political
| " "crucify him as zone who perverteth the peo-
| pie"
Could this he the spirit that actuated the great
masses Of the people! Could this be in the spirit
of genuine Democracy! Fit were, Democracy
wa not now what it when its great Apostle
taught it first in the Temple of Freedom. The
qualification for office with Thomas Jefferson
was. is the cand date or the incumbent honest
is he capable? But the test now. with many,
was. is he OF us1 is he Nth US? or is he Cali
leanl" If SD, away with him.
Now said Mr.. G., I know the Democracy OF
| Bedford. and | mast say that believe the great
| body of that party in that country are actual ed
by honest impulses-they mean to do right
they desire to justice done to even
n political opponent. | have many rea-
sons said he, for - believing; for in all the heat
of the highest party times. the men Ct that party
have placed me under obligations for many acts
of personal courtesy and kindness on their part
| | am, said he, candidate now for office. and
never expect to be. | ask for myselfno political
favors on this occasion. ask for no office at the
hands of the people | have been placed on the
retired list for what cause | need not say--you
know as we'll rs myself; and as a friend, now in
my eye, once said of n young lawyer who had
been beaten when IL candidate for the Legislature
in an adiournng country. having snbdued his
political aspirations, he had resumed the practice
of law" 1t is WE'LL said Mr.. 6 perhaps that this
E,.n Il. .
you--to commune with my fellow citizens upon
a subiee, in regard to the choice of public
servant. of more vital Importance to us all, than
| the subject of Congressional election The
occasion now presented affords us an opportuni-
ty to fraternize--to unite in the choice of mod
el President-one whom we can judge, not by
his professions but by his acts-not by his flu
ture; but his past life. "By their fruits you shall
know them" is the rule of the Holy Book itself
Win you be tried by this /! If so. will you not
test the fitness of your public servants by the
same rule! Now said Mr.. g.. ifyou concede all
that have said to be true and ,certainly, think
you will, shall not have, at the Presidential
election the gratifying spectacle exhibited to US,
of men of all parties going to the polls to show,
by united voice. that the good people of Bed
| ford can. upon proper occasion, rise above all
party considerations in the exercise of one of the
privilege of ireemen. | say this to outside Wings
like myself, and to Democrats, many of whom,
see, do me the honor of lisening with attention
10 my remarks. But, again, siStency, it
seems, said Mr. g.. should cause you to nete out
TO others that which you have twice asked for
yourselves. 1t would be recollected that Mr..
Mason was twice elected to the Senate of the
United States because, forsooth, as he was ur-
| ged by some he was the member who had intro
duced aud successfully carried through the Flu.
| gstive Slave Law. Ifnot twice. certainly once
was he elected, and that very recently upon this
| ground, united with other merits which he doubt
! less had. Well, if this be so, let me ask, will
| No oounlly in IN Mr. Eillu,oro vbn