Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-02-08
TuE y1Bws OF a srArEsxAx-Party Politics


taught bv words printed and verbal, by friends
by the ffre-side, and speakers on the hastings to
regard VIM. II. Seward as sectional, "higher
law politician. We, the other day, published
eulogy delivered by him over the death of Seua-
tor Rusk, of Texas that spoken volume of
refutation to this charge. And to-day we sub
Join an extract from his speech in reply to Sen
ator Hale's (Republican) criticism upon Mr..
Stewards position on the proposition to increase
our army He said:
have not one word of complaint or reproof
for the honorable Senator. must, however,
say for myself that am not influenced by the
appeal which the honorable Senator makes to
me in regard to the success of the party of
which he speaks. Sir, l have been some twenty
years more or less, in the public service, here
! and in my own State. Since have been here
| think every word that have uttered IN this
Chamber has been recorded in books, and will
20 down to history; and so of a large portion of
| what uttered in other places. | think l may
claim that, when ten years shall have passed
over the debates of to-day, when ten years OF
rest shall have been allowed to me after my ser
Evice here shall have been completed, there will
be no man living who, with the records all open
| before him. will be able to tell whether belong
ed to one party or another. No, sir; know
nothing care nothing never did, never
shall, for party. should be unfit to be here if
l had not learned to postpone my own advantage
| to that of the respective and honOred friends
with whom cooperate in public life; and if
had not learned to postpone their advantage ana
their benefit to the greater good of my whole
country. If there is reprOach that is more
proverbial against me throughout this land than
any other, it is, that dare postpone the good of
the whole country under false aud demoraliz-
| ing Administration, to the rights and interests
of mankind under the laws of eternal truth and
Justice. Sir, | am not to be deferred from CIV
| ing honest vote by any fear of the party
with which I act going down. have differ
ent idea about parties going down. have
different idea about men going down. They
are not thrown down by false analogics.
Now, may say for myself in regard to this
point, that having had sense more profound,
perhaps, than others have conceived, for twenty
years OF my life, that it belonged to somebody
to restore the equilibrium of freedom, which
was depressed in tho Scnrs held by this Gov
eminent SO as to give slavery preponderaIing
balance, /, with as much power and ability us
have, have devoted myself to cooperate with
the honorable Senator, and all others who might
engage in that great and beneficent enterprise.
l knew, sir, that there would be times when
would have to stand alone. saw him stand
alone; and think the first ally who came to his
side here was myself, which meeting could not
he accomplished until one great State OF the
Union had been revolutionized, so as to produce
n combination in favor ofhiS purposes and mine,
] Ills principles anu IuIllS. KNEW ILuI SiiOulu
have to stand alone; / have stood often alone;
| but have never complained of it, and do not
now | knew that in standing alone in this
cause exposed myself to danger which east
| " beSets the Teformcr; and that danger is, that
the sense of injustice, the sense of isolation,
will make him sometimes unjust, unwise, par
| tiSan, and factious. The danger of every
forming party is the danger of seeking to build
itself up by drawing in false, spurious, and col
| lateral issues, having nothing whatever to do
with the main question. L am sorry to say, but
1 must say it, that my experience has only
shown that there was, in the position which
then occupied, an exposure to this great danger
of beng heset to cut down this measure of the
| Administration here; cut off the head of this
apointee of the Administration there; defeat the
Administration on this appropriation for rail
| road; defeat the Administration upon this meas.
ure of organization; cut off the supplies of the
| clerks i'll some of the Departments; refuse to
| give to those who will not vote for your meas
ures and your policy and your support for
measures to which they may be attached.
determined, knowing that was exposed to
this danger, that with the grace of God never
would be found wanting in my place to assert
and maintain my principles, and the measures
and policy which were to carry them out; and
on the other hand, that when | should retire
from the Senate. there should be no man living
who should charge that had ever given vote
influenced by passion or prejudice against the
interests and fame and honor of my whole coun-
try. If have not been successful, have done
this. That is just what doing now, and
the result will be just the same when we reach
the end of this matter.
I remember that an excellent friend, half n
dozen years ago. solicited me to lend my aid
and my name to the organization of the Aneri-
can party, because it was necessary to give sue
cess to the principles of freedom wi irh other
wise would be lost without it eve" said,
Suppose 1 should, what would b. sained?"
'Well, then, your cause would prevail, and you
yourself would be elected to a place" much
higher than l dare speak Of 'But said /,
that movement is ephemeral; it will last only
tomorrow, and how is the party to be relieved
from the consequences of the falseness of its po-
sition then?" "0h," said he, i've viii look for
you to do that" l was to lead them in and /
was to lead them out.
have but one word to say, and shall
not detain the Senate. am very sorry that
the faith of the honorable Senator from New
Hampshire is less than my own. He apprehend
continual disaster. He wants this battle con-
tinued and fought by slirlnishes, and to deprive
the enemy ofevcry kind of supplies. Sir, re-
gard this battle as already fought; it is over
All the mistake IS that the honorable Senator
and others do not know it. We are fighting
Ir-