Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-10-29
From Tie National Intelligencer.,
e,-.-L &C Han II II Smart.

A Speech OIL Hon. a. He hs Stuafts
Ats recent meeting of the friends OF Mr. Fill
more in the city of New York the Hon. A. II
II. Stuart, of Virginia, was among the speakers,
and in afew pertinent remarks, which the read
er will find to be eminently conciatory and pat
riotc, bore testimony to the civil capacity and
administrative abilities of the distinguished
statesman of whose Cabinet he formerly was an
honored member Finding report OF Mr. Stuart:
brief remarks in the New York Commercial AID
vertiser, we take pleasure in transferring them
to our columns, and in doing so must express
our entire concurrence in the Introductory re-
marks of our esteemed contemporary "Oul
space is exhausted, (says the Commsreial) OF
we would have said something also OF the bad
and impolitic habit of pouring ridicule and con-
tempt upon political opponents, instead OF prov
ing the error of their tenets. But we must for
BEAR we wish to put on record the following re-
marks at last nights meeting, of the Hon. Alex.
II. II. Stuart of Virginia, Minister of the Inter-
or under Mr.. Fillmore's Administration. The
report is from the Times, and shows style OF
public speaking in pleasing contrast with the
many public addresses that have been delivered
during the present campaign, and we hope will
serve as model to speakers hereafter"
FELLow-C CITIZENS II thank you from the bot
tom of my heart for this cordial greeting which
YOU have extended to Inc. | think must have
fallen among the good Samalitans; certainly you
have taken q stranger in" most wofully upon
the present occasion Half an hour ago had
no thought of addressing this large and intelli-
gent audience, but was literally brought here
under duress, and now rise, not for the purpose
of making to you labored speech, but OF saying
a few words in favor of my friend and old asso-
ciate in the Congress and in the Executive Coun-
ellis of the United States, Millard Fillmore.
have had the pleasure Of serving with that
distinguished gentleman in the House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States, and as member
of his Cabinet while he held the office OF Presj-
dent of the United States and felt that it was
due from me, from the opportunities which
have had Of forming an estimate OF his character
and capacity,to bear my humble testimony upon
this OCCASION have often heard it said in this
controversy that Daniel Webster was the master
spirit of the Fillmore Administration. The friends
OF other gentlemen have thought to claim for
them credit for the measures which he (Mr Fill
more) adopted during the time which he presld-
ed over the destinies of the nation. But let me
now tell you, under all the solemnities Of the
position now occupy,as an honorable gentleman
addressing Il portion of the freemeu OF the Unit
ed States, that the master-spirit Of the Fillmore
Administration was Willard Fillmore himself
Applause.
No man brought to the Cabinet councils the
same extent, the same accuracy, and the same
variety of information which Fillmore brought.
In all our deliberations he was found perfectly
conyersant with every subject which came up
for deliberation. lie was always self possessed,
he was always wel-informed, he was always pat
rotic in his purposes and energetic in his action.
With regard to the other candidates who are
now before you have now not one word to say.
With one of them | have the pleasure of per-
sonal acquaintance, and now cherish for him
individual sentiments of respect. With the 9TH
er have no acquaintance, and l do not feel au-
thorized to speak in reference to his merits
But the individual merits of the different candi-
dates who are before you sink into comparative
insigniicance when compared with the great
principles of public policy which they represent
in this contest. Fellow citizens,I come to speak
before You frankly and freely,aS freeman ought
W Spedh W IeelutI,
] come to speak to you, not in detail, not in
elaborate argument of the great questions which
now divide the country, because that would be
out of place. The time for argument has very
much passed away; the time for action is near
at hand but, in order to enable you to under
stand the relations Of parties and the issues
which you are called upon to decide in the COM
ing contest, pardon me if submit to you one or
two views Of the subject from Southern stand
point. Applause.] Fellow-citizens, l am a
Southern man, but am not one ofthe fire-eating
class. am not one of the secessionists or dis
unionists. am o conservative, Union-loving
Southern man. [Cries of "Good," mingled with
applause. And you will find that there are
throughout the South thousands upon thousands
and tens of thousands of such men. The grass
hopper makes more noise in the field than the
OK and so the little politicians of the day, who
profess to represent the sentiment of the South,
make more noise than the true men ofthe South, |
viz: those men who value the integrity of this
Union; those men who value the Constitution
which has been bequeathed to us by our fathers,
and all the blessings which We inherit from
them.
Fellow-citzens, when Mr.. Fillmore left the
Presidential chair, appeal to every one of you
to say whether the country was not prosperous,
peaceful and happy. Under his wise Admins
tration sectionasm had ceased to exist. The
tendency to disunion, the tendency to insurrec-
ton, the tendency to secession had all been
crushed out, and ceased to have place in this |
nation.
But what is the condition of things now9-
We find the whole country distracted by civil
strife, and we have seen but month ago civil
war raging in this once peaceful and happy land. |
hnu nft fipla IN no ntn i'm ~
the causes which have led to that result but it |
is enough for me to say that it was the action of
the present Administration. 1t was the action |
of the Democratic party, which has been domi
nant throughout our country, which has brought |
all these measures upon the land Now, fellow
citizens, out of the measures adopted by the |
Democratic party new issues have been sprung
and new contentious have been formed and |
wish to call your attention for moment or two
to mistake which has been made in reference
to these contentious When the Missouri COM
promise was repealed, most improperly, most
unwsely, most alphabetically, as | believe,
there was great spirit of resistance throughout
the North | can well understand how that
spirit of resistance should be excited, but the |
feeling which arose upon that occasion took
wrong direction.
You, the people of the North. held the whole |
South responsible for the repeal of the Missouri
compromise. Therein you committed blum
der. l say it was not Southern measure.
say it was Democratic measure. 1t was the
Democratic party which brought that measure
upon the country, and who are justly response
bic for its consequences. And l say it was I'M
philosophical, l say it was q mistake in the
Northern people to hold the South responsible
for that which they did not seek, but which was
offered TO them by Northern men for the adj
vancement of their own political views. l adj
nit that the South made mistake in accepting
it. believe now, as have always believed