Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-09-29
nailg Siroinian.
Speech of Hon Henry Winter Davis

| Mr.. Davis after expressing his high appreca
tlon of the homer conferred by the preference of
the people Of the district, and his grateful &c
knowledSment for the unwavcring support they
! had always given him. in the midst of tho irving
scenes Of his public service. and in the face of cv-
cry camor aad every Justification Of his conduct
and motives, proceeded to say
The present circumstances of the country are
analogous to those Of 1855
| Now, rs then, mn administration having ut it's
origin elements oi vast power, and in its first Con-
gress II great majority in both huuses, has been
broken down and destroyed before the end of the
! first session OF its first Congress.
Then. ns now, the failure occasioned by the
d lbrrnte violation OF pledge OF peace and honesty
touching the slavery question accompanied with
| fa.runt disregard uf the laws aud Constitution
aud punished Icy the withdrawal Of confidence "f
! the country and the sending of great opposition
| mai iory 10 Congress.
! That great rehukc failed Of success bv unhappy
divisions. This administration is the front of
this bad conduct ol the opposition in 1853 and
! 1906; and similar conduct now will lie followed
| ty similar retribution in 1860
We of MARYLAND can be responsible only for the
| vote of Mar, land, and for wise aud moderate
! conduct and counsel to those with whom we would
act, it they will meet rs On ground on which We
| can stand.
Tie yute of Maryland j. contested hy the Dem
orrats in the counties They are not likely To-
ton Of the former met in Frelcrck and expoundcd
| in many resolutions, with II foreign accent. their
| claims t" the popular vote. which, III substance"
consist in its confidence in the integrity of the
! present Naioual Administrator and its grdni
concurrence in the public measures "f that Admin
istration; and "that the D,mocJU~Y "f Maryland
retained undi>'urhcd confidence in the integrity
and ability of James Buchanan, and in the ratr
| otism of his nlmiui> >iratinn.'
| Tie first act 81 this Administration was tie
! shooting down "i thirv-iuur peaceful citizens and
subjects ii tho nited States, III the streets u the
| National Capital, hv United States marines. He
! gally without warning. rroyocaton cAcuse--a
massacre to this day unpnn-hel. and for which
no one has ever been called account.
1t was this act which inspired Gov LiGon's in
ya>jon uf Baltimore. Ofcour>c Maryland p,m"-
crat> could not fail to apprnvcit, however humll-
a,iug the inirrorty Of the invitation.
The present and last administrations have in
vcutc1 new law unknown To our foretathcrS-
whereby the militia is converted into n phsse com
ltntns, the sword of merrcnarie9 substituted for
the array ot our ncighbor~ and friends under the
| Sheriff ur Marshal; and under this usnrratIon.
Washington has been dcGIrl with blood, aud
! Kansas rid len down lay ia" United States tr""ps;
yet all this meets the arpsovai oi Mary land Dcm-
ocrafS.
| Still clutrhng at the power i the sword, 'h"
President ASKS Congress To delegate 10 him tAc
/ power To MAKE war at hlS VIII and pleasure. He
transit routes WHENEVER. IN hs "r,nipn "r that Of
| his successors, they nre nhstructrd. or American
! citizens deprived ol their rights. Ofconr.t Mary
land Democrats can refuse nothing Ia the pafsf"f-
ism Of this Administration-n NOT even he must st;
cred provisions Of the Constituinu:
| They approve his ridiculous crusade against
Morm"ndom. lrcmaturely hurried into ending in
| no conclusion, buying peace by pardon f;om men
| in persistent rebeii"n and humbiine The United
! States by allowing their 2 g'vrrnmcntto be reduced
tu n vain shallow outside tie oncanpmcut Of their
| troops.
They approve the Parnguayan expedition. be-
ginning in an unconstitutional delegation Of the
| power t" declare war to the President, Illegally
begun Lefore negotiation had failed; extravaganza
| ~ and illegally conducted hy III" hiring Of rotten
steamers, ut ruinous rates, and then buyins them
| at more extrayagant rates.
They approve ot the Presidents proposal to in
wade Mexico in time of profound peace" and to
take military possession of Sonora and chihuahua
without provocation excuse. under falls" pre-
texts, and in pursuance Of the aggressive tihhuS-
tering domnecring policy which is desh active
! IF our true interests.
They are in favor Of Mr. Mason's bill-to give
J to the President. without n declaration If war by
Congress, to whom exclusively the power is con
! 6ded by the Constitution, the power at his will
and pleasure To wage war on Mexico, the Central
| American republic, and all the republics o South
| America. They nre content To make us more
| hateful to our Republican brethren this hemis-
| rhcre thnn we are now--to persist in The policy
of bullying the weak which Pierce innurnrated
| at Gtevtown and Buchanan initiated in Pa a4uay
to take the last step ON the rerograde lnih from
, from Cnv'S policy of coucutun to Polk's policy
Of cnn,uest-and this at the mere will of the Pres
! idcnt
They are willing to insult Spain bv proposing
t. purchase Cuba. which she will no more sell
than we will Washingtun to bully her into selling
ii. r, Il, 4;