The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-10-01
Address

e, burg, on Saturday, September l3, 1856, by J. d.
- Campbell.
~ Ladies and gentlemen:
- We have assembled here today, for the pu
pose of showing the love which we bear ar
y the honor and respect in which we hold Il
~ - name of Millard Fillmore the American non
= NEE for the presidency Of the United States-
lis true, fellow citizens the task has deyolye
= = upon one, but little skilled in the stset pbras
:, of speech, = and has but little power in maxim
1 4 ''the worse appear the better reason B,
: still, let me remind you
4 "Thrice armed is he who has his quarrel iust.,.
and another merit whatever l may say will DOS
j sess, will be that of brevity a virtue but ittl
y practiced in these days ofpolitical demagoguisn
1t is related of the ancient phiosopers an
wise men Of old, that in addressing their pub
llc assemblies, or the senates Of Greece an
, Rome, that their oratons were frequently de
vered in one short sentence, containing force
justice and truth, and awakening patriotism
which the longest harangue would fail in pro
ducing. And, fellow citizens, were l, like the,
Of DID, to utter forth that which would thrill tn,
heart and warm the blood, that sentence, tbos,
words should be Fillmore and Donelson.',
1t gives me JOY to see that flag floating fortl
to the breeze, bearing in its folds name dea1
to every American; and let me tell you, fellow
citizens, from the north, from the south. from
the east and from the west every dav there
floats forth new flags, bearing in their folds the
battle cry Of Americans, Fillmore and Donel
son." while Buchanan and squatter sovereign.
ty shrink before the shouts of the asons oI
| America
And may we after next November's election
say Of this same Buchanan and squatter SOW
ereignty-- x.
They sleep theirlastseep they have
Q contention awakes them to notice again. battle,
But on this occasion even if possessed the
power 1t is not expected that the claims poll
tics and abilities of the respective candidates be
discussed. No! We hear enough of that ev-
cry day to disgust US. In our houses, and on
the streets--ln the post Office and on the post
roads, from the statesman down to the chimney
sweep, there comes forth one confused murmur
Fr6mont11cc=f faf f. Buchanan and Breckenridg ge-
observation-disclosures and NebrasKa-=a I'll rs sss5tteea s5tteea
mpromise-Wilmot provso and dissolution
ofthe Union. And will venture to assert that
at the present moment from Maine to Louisia-
ma there are one thousand of the prophets of
these latter days, pouring forth their hidden
knowledge of the future into the greedy ears of
attentive listeners. Oh, that those whom the
Sunset of party gives mystical lore,'
should moi have honor in their ownland. Those,
fellow citizens, to whom allude, are the wise
acres and big guns ofthe democratic party, who
tell u.s. with the solemn countenance of a seer,
that Fillmore will get only FIVE States that
'he will get only ree''--that she will not get
one'-and offer to bet that such will be the re-
suit. This betting, my friends, is an argument
used where all others fall and generally used
by those who have perhaps more money than
brains. and is at best the argument of fool
and as such you will judge it.
Novembers election will bring confusion to
the prophets" and Fillmore to the presidency.
Then for that result, that glorious result, let US
strive, shoulder to shoulder, in the good cause,
and, cheered on by the approving smiles of the
fair daughters of our loved land, we cannot
but succeed.
cast no reproach upon the nominee of the
democratic party, nor do IrevIe that party, and
call them traitors, villains, assassins, or liken
them to the secret tribunal of the bloody Vehm,
as they have done and still do the American
party. No! /, as an humble citizen of these
United States, cannot abuse and vilify that man,
because they differ from me in political views
and opinions, when | think they are striving for
what they suppose to be the good of this Union,
as think the democratic party are; but pardon
me, my democratic friends, think you 90 about
it in the wrong way. Atleast there has always
appeared to me this striking and marked pc
culiarity about the same democratic party: they
seem to adopt in regard to their nominee the |
maxim Of the English common law, which says,
''the king can do no wrong;' SO with the dem
ocratic party, their nominee never has done nor
never can do wrong. Not so with us; we be-
eve all men fallibe, not even excepting the
pope of Rome himself. But we will put Mil
ard Fillmore's record on that banner side by
side with his name, and let it float proudly forth
o the world as the exponent of his principles
he platform upon which be stands, and from
which he steps into the presidential chair.
Let us, fellow citizens, for a few moments,
eek to the eipresent state of our country: view
Is painful as it is alarming. The dark food of
anaticism and abolitionism at the north is pres
ing its mighty might against the bulwark the
south has raised to resist it. And relentless
ire it's waves if once it cross that sacred boun-
larry. Even now we hear rumor of war
wen now the smoke rises from the plains of
Kansas, disclosing ''the dreadvisaged front of
war;" and such war! Not war of enemies,
lot war of nations-but war of brothers,
ivi, a#fratricidal an unholy war-the north
nd south arrayed against one another-States
pproprating money to carry on a war, which
nay botthem from existence, destroy the noble
abric ofour Union, and crush for ever the spirit
fliberty that was struggling into the old world.
Countries and States of Europe, whose hopes are
entred in US, tremble while we smile.
The north has thrown down the gauntlet
he has pressed the issue upon US, and must
bide the consequences But the awful result
, which this may lead is unnotieed-unheed-
d-bfndly we rush on, it may be, to wreck, to
uin, and dissolution. Let us for few moments
eview the past; for from it alone can we Judge
the future. Where now is the pride, the
over and the glory of Rome, and of Greece,
eautiful Greece, mistress Of the arts and sci
noes, and ruler of the world? Gone!-gone
ke dream!-like vision they have vanish +
d from the things of earth, while from the SEN :
te chamber Of Greece and Rome, where once !;
as heard the profoundest eloquence that ever ,