Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1859-05-10
speech 81
HON. JOSIAH RANDALI.

Mr. landau, on taking the chair, said
ln accepting The inyitation 70 pfesid
This evening. and address YOU, i sha
state briefly, the reasons why | cordial
support the Administration Of MI. Buc6
anan ard its public measures, both 4
home and abroad. I1E Hill
At the present lime the people Of III
United States. are divided into threeIpar
Lies. I reject other minor subdivision
ass either ephemerieal in4heir existence
Or too weak ID their numerical strength /,
merit attention. #s
/ The Democratic party, the Repnblical
party, and the American or Know Moth
ipg party, embrace the great mass of th,
people. 8s'1t 81 s.lt
The American party is much mora i'm
portant than is generally supposed -
With lNaryIaad alone, they hold The bal
ance, Of power in almost every State Il
the Union, where the Republican part,
have now the aseendancy. "
The original principles upon whiol
this party was based, though not formal,
renopnced, have been tacitly abandoned
and I'VE no longer know. any organization
which profess openly to reject Roman
Catholic as 4 candidate for Office on iii,
ground Of his religious creed.
II The issues now before tho public. and
which divide the people, are but few ans
simple. They afe- vi
E5 ist. The Wilmot Proviso--the grea
political shipboleth between the Demo
Ictaiic and Republican parties-incidenta
v, and somewhat connected with TIL
Wilmol Proyiso, is the question eff
"a. The Fugitive Slave Law--to which
may be added: .3
3d. The annexation of Cuba.
4 II is one ofthe most remarkable exhi
billions ever Witnessed ID political history
that the American party. which haY,
been from time to time, pledged to ane
sill profess ID agree with the Democrat,
party on ell these issues still at III
polls, oppose 10 tlke Democratic party an.
a'llite# viM ard support dc ReRn5lica,
party.
The Wilmot Proyiso declares that n,
new State shall be Admitted without ID,
prohibition Of slavery.
There Is not an intelligent manIin th,
United States who. does not know tina
the adoption Of this principle ID: practic,
would produce adissolution Of the Union
Under this belief, the OldaWhig party
with Clay and Webster as their standard
hearers. and Fillmore as their Presiden
nh 1880. indignantly rejected il, AMI
adopted the Compromise Measure Oh 1850
as 4 Substitute, fepudiating, on the othe
hand, the Abolitionists Of the North il
their effort losustain the Wilmot Proviso
and on the other hand. of the South il
their earnest. consistent and praiseWorthy
effort TO adhere 70 and retain the Mis-
souri, Compromise. .3s
Mr.. Fillmore, asA President signed al
these laws, including the Fugitive Slave
Act. IN his annual message 70 Congress,
in December. 1850. he congratulated
them upon the passage Of these laws u
wiseand salntary, and the last Wing Ma
tional Convention held at Baltimore, on
|the 10th day Of june. 1859, which nom,
mated Gen, Scott, re.affirmed all these
measures as the landmarks of the party
Every American Or Know Nothing
National Convention which has been held
since 1850, has, in the most explicil
terms. declared its iLfexible adherence
TO these principles.
2l. Recent advents. especially in this
city, have rendered the Fugitive Slave
Law the subject OF vital, practical impor-
lance, identified With the existence fthe
Uuion, and demanding the most III
tense anxiety On the part Of those whe
desire its preservation. There is nc
branch Of International law upon which
SO much ignorance and misapprehension
prevail as the rendition of fugitive slayes.
Slayes have a two fold capacity. while
their person and lives are protected Of in
diyiduals, they are still pers ,nal property,
The]laws Of Nations, the Civil Law, the
Common Law Of England, aud the Com
mon Law Of the United State recognise
this rule in its most unlimited extent.
I'd the case of Y Winchendon VS.. Hat
field" 4th Mass. Rep. p. l27. Chiei
Justice Parsons, il delivering tie Opin-
ion of, HE Supreme Court Of Massachu-
sets. in J 8o$, said The slave was the
properly Of his master. subject 10 his or
ders, and to reasonable correction for
misbehayior, and transferable like chat
tel. BY gift Or sale, and was assets in che
~ A Ii a IL