Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-07-30
Col, benton, speech at St. Louis.

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Cincinnati Convention and the domestic policy
of the Administration
9a"Oitizens: appear before you in an unex-
pected character of candidate for the COVER
orship of the State of Missouri. 1t is a place
which | had not sought, but which felt bound
to accept in the present condition the coun-
try-its peace greatly endangered both at home
and abroad, and the services of all good citizens
required to aid in preventing the double calam-
ity of civil and foreign war.
81 went to Cincinnati to be near that Conven-
ton, the first one | ever approached. went to
see how things were done and to assist little at
safe nomination found a garrison of office
holders inside of the Convention, and besieg-
ing army of the same gentry on the outside of it..
Packed delegates were there, sent to betray the
people. Straw delegates were there, coming
from the States which could give no Democratic
vote. Members of Congress were there, al
though forbid by their duties from being at such
place "A cohort of oilice-hoders were there,
tpolitical eunuchs in the Federal system, incapa-
BILE of voting for the smaaoss federal office, yet
sent there by the Administration to impose 8
President upon the people.
'.It was scandalous collection, excluded by
the constitution from being even electors OF the
President.and sent here TO vote for the admins
tration-and to vote upon the priucipe OF the OK
that knoweth his masters crib-upon the prin-
ciple of the ass that knoweth the hand that feed
eth him. Bulies were there from the custom
house and the Five Points in New York-all
with the appreciation of the administration for
the office-holders would not be there absent from
their duties and drawing their pay without the
consent of their employers. 1t was scandal
GUS collection. The members of Congress were
in the double breach of their duties. They
were neglecting their legislative duties, and do
ing what they had been nterdicted from dong.
"Thirty years ago the nomination OF Presl-
tial candidates was taken from Congress on ac-
count of the corruption which it engendered,
and given to delegates, intending to be fresh
from the people and to obey their will, and the
nomination removed from Washington to Balti-
more, to get out of the reach of President max
ing members But these members followed to
Baltimore, getting proxies from some delegates
when they could get no appointment from the
people; and to get rid of then-to get entirely
beyond their reach-The Convention itself was
removed from Baltimore to Cincinnati.
"Vain efforts to escape them. They followed
to Cincinnati. They broke up Congress to get
to this forbidden place. Surely the new Presi-
dent will be very hard-hearted if he does not
remember them when lie comes to the distribu-
ton of Office From Washington city came O
new corps, never before put upon such service
the Office holders in the city, clerks in the de-
partments-heads of bureaus-men who have
no vote in any federal election-political hy-
brds, unable to act mans part in any election,
but sent to Cincinnati, as life guard to support
the administration.
= x
"Such was the composition of nearly one-hali
of the whole OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES officers,
postmasters, salaried clerks, packed delegates,
straw delegates, political eunuchs, members Of
Congress, district attorneys, federal marshals.-
The place in which they met, and which had
been provided by packed administration COM
mittee, was worthy OF the meeting. 1t was q
sort of den, approached by long, narrow pas
sage, barricaded by three doors. each door
guarded by armed bueS, with orders to knock
down any person that approached ithout
ticket from the committee, and special order
to be prepared with arms to repulse the Mis-
souri, delegation which came to vote for Buchan-
an-a repulse which they attempted and got
themselves knocked down and trampled under
foot
"This den had no windows by which people
could look in or see, or the light OF the sun en-
ter-only row of glass, like steamboat sky
light thirty-five feet above the floor. 1t was
the nearest representation of the "Back-
hole' in Calcutta, and like that hole, had we'll
nigh become notorious for similar catastrophe
The little panes of glass above were hung on
piyots, and turned fiat to let in air. A rain
came on, drove into the den; and to exclude il
the panes were turned up. "Smotherng
Smothering I" was the cry in the den; and the
glass had to be turned up again. Over this
place was small box for the admission of spec
tators, its approach barrcaded and guarded, and
entrance only obtained upon tickets from the
same packed committee, and to whom they gave
tickets was seen when the first votes were given
for Buchanan, and each State that voted for
him was hissed-even Virginia; and the hiss
ing only stopped by threat to clear the gale
ries Such is the pass to which the nomln
for President is now brought.
mo President seeking second election, has ev-
er been so repudiated before. Several have been
bv their adversaries but no one has been defeated
defeated by his own party. The elder Mr. Adams
was defeated by the Democratic party, then
called republican; the younger Mr.. Adams was
defeated by the same party; Mr.. Van Buren
was defeated by the Wings. But each OF these
gentlemen had the consolation of having pre-
served the respect and confidence OF his own
party Not so with Mr.. Pierce. He is repudia-
ted by those who had exalted him. After four
wears trial he is condemned and thrown away
1.-The victim of his advisers. 1t is the most hu-
initiating termination of q public career that ev-
er was witnessed His whole vote was some
sixty-only five dozen out of near three hun
dred; and if from these are deducted the intiu-
sive votes which ought not to be counted
those of the office holders, the packed del
egates the straw delegates, the members OF
Congress, and the complimentary votes which
votes which were begged for him to lessen the
shame of the miserable defeat--lf all these were
deducted, as they ought to be, he would be lett
without single vote; left to 60 out as ne came
in with the unanimous consent OF his party
What fate for man who came into office upon
twenty seven States, with two-thlrds OF each
House Of Congress- and the united Democracy
of the whole Union After all, the result was
Iue 70 tba Mace where the Convention was held.
Tf;t had been in Baltimore, where the outside
nrassnre rould have been on the other side, the
ppf6ce holders would have carried the day.
.Let it not he forgotten that the place gov
erned this nomnation-the place convenient to
The solid men Of the country; Dut tnat cannot
he relied upon to save future nominations: The
old intriguers-the permanent PROFESSIONAL lres-
ident makers-will not be caughtlh such place
again. % They will go where the farmers cannot
Come. Come and there is no safety except in the a.
mendment mend emit of the Constitution, and giving to
he the people direct vote for President. Already
II ni is preported that they will go next time to
Ghs 20 r,eltnn South Carolina, where no Western
formers ,, sr' can Get at them. Ifyou ask how can
tb;s ti.i me- be known m now2 | answer, very we'll
Eooh ts,o e Convention now appoints committee of
its isC own body, thirty-One in number, to sit from
These The committees do the cheating in the recess
VI SSuch s fall announces the most deplorable
admin. .tration which our country has ever
o0 ;c tha fact At home and O.