Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-09-05

bsrs OF Congress, as were at we Sse' - '''''
ment when the session closed. The address sns
rests the most momentous considerations That
eould appeal to the good citizen IN behalf Of tho
conn,rv and in behalf of those principles and
,base candidates whose success Is believed 10 be
the surest if not the only means of warding 81
the disasters that menace us as n people. "
are fully convinced Of the correctness OF the con
elusion at which these gentlemen have arrived.
that If all who are willing TO So" Miiiafd fillmore
President will vote for himhs election Is beYohz
5aub,. To question this would be 10 question
the common sense of the people. For, IN spite ei
all that party agitators may do or say, the PEE
nj, feel in their heart. tina, Willard Fillmore i. n
safe man. Whatever they might be disposed l.
think of Mr. Buchanan they would, at best,hafe
IN take him on trust. while with regard TO NJ
Fillmore they have the best security that can an
Jsr any eireum stances be given or asked-that ii
trial. The Democratic leaders tell Us that 'hefe
is but one issue before the country Of SLAVE.
~ lis in respect 10 this identical issue thu
Mr.. Fillmore has given the most satisfactory a
surance that he may be fully trusted. Whffe-
fore then should prudent, practical mon b" IN
willing TO support himl Why should they en-
sent 10 exchange a certainty for an uncoriHinifs
and that when consequences Of incalculoh1e
importance are at stake' Even if Mr.. buchanan
should himself be disposed to deal fairly aud
Justly with the South--when We consider by
what Influences he would lie surrounded, who can
answer that he would not be swerved from h
duty He has never shown himself mnde 81
such stubborn stuff us to be nsenslble TO every
other motive or influence than the dictate Of rfa
son and the prompting of duty. On tho c"nifa
ry we do him no injustice when We say that fzg
public men Of note in this country have over e3
hibited So yaccilating aud facile spirit as NJ
buchanan From his first entrance upon til
stage Of public life, hi career has been sefes
Of somerse- from one side to the other Of nearly
every leading measure Of government E&pedi
enoy. popularity aud safe position in the ccntra
Of the current have been the objects that seem l.
have controlled his action. He has never led 81
any great movement. He has never breasted
any popular storm He has never made my
great sacrifice, nor incurred any large risk
.Jaok son never feared tempest. Clay was esef
T foremost in the fr II, rink. fighting like ono Il
the ancient gods. Webster confronted with h.
broad breast the rushing tide of New England Il
naticisnr. Fillmore drew down on his bend tie
inappeasable fury Of the North, in the noble d.
charge Of his duty. Dickinson, with tho sPff
of the martyr and the hero combined, sacrificed
his political ambition on the altar of his country,
Douglas waeod desperate fight with legion Of
foes. But what has James Buchanan over done
heroic or self sacrificing Where nre his tire
phies Where his scars On whit field of bold F.,
and manly encounter has he won renownl For
II
knghthood, while the land was full Of adventure,
bot never yet has he made himself the hero OF a
fight. Non tall Guriiio, ntc isis dtItHSofibas
tempus egif With the best motives and til f
oorreotest principles some people aro still too II
resolute of purpose. too flexible of will, to he II
lied on. With Martin Van Buren, at one elbow
and Thomas Benton at the other, who could an
swer for the conduct of James Buchanan, Iooh
further Mt hi- public life and see how timid pal
tering, Apologize. inconsistent and self seeking
il has been Beginning federalist, no sooner
had the fortunes OF that once great and patriotic
party begun to ebb than he quietly transferred
himself to the opposition. Making speech in
1915 in which be solemnly warned his country
against the dangers of foreign mdl
ence, when foreign influence weak and foreign
yots few, in 1850, when that element has almost
become the dominant power Of the country, we find
him opposing all efforts TO check its increase
Pointed out by Gen. Jackson his authority for
damning accusation against Mr.. Clay, he CONES
forward in equiyoeating, depreeatory, bifur-
Gated Mt, that did justice IL neither party
and to this day he holds honorable gentleman
under a pledge Of secrecy, not 10 reveal faots
known TO him. with reference 10 his completely
with the transaction. II be presents petition fof
the admission of Arkan sas into the Union he does
with speech showing that there are extena-
ating circumstances with reference TO the e1is
tence Of slavery there. If he votes for The an
nexation of Texas. il is with the expectation that
it win make all the bread growing slave States
free. If he votes for high protective tariff, be
hides himself behind instructions. Believing the /
Missouri Compromise to be almost as sacred
as the constitution" declaring that lit had /
saved the country once and could do again.
protesting that he chung TO it--all this does not
prevent him from acqniescing with alacriiy ia It's
repeal, soon as he saw that such acquiescence
was necessary to his nomination TO the Presiden
cy. And we might go but we have re
ferred to passages and incidents enough III his |
political career TO show an infrmity of will and |
a Ae1ibility Of principle, which il would be the
contamination Of faulty for the American PEG.
pie, and especially the people of the South, 10
rely on in such crisis as the present Let il be
borne in mind that Mr.. Buchanan was the choice
of the North that in the earlier ballotings in the
convention that nominated him. he was sustained
by but fragment of the Southern delegates: