Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-03-30
Daily a'ir9inian.
From the New York Express.
Enthusiastic Whig Rally III N York City.
SPEECH OF HON. WASu'N HUNT.

| ON Thursday evening. II large audience assembled
ut Hope Chapel to hear rN-to,ernor Washington
Hunt address the Wing General Committee. Tho
admittanee was by tickets. which had been distr-
buted ty the Committee. Ats o'clock precisely
MIR. Hunt entered. amid great applause accompa-
med by Hiram ketchum, Esq, Chairman Of the
Whig General Committee, followed by the Commit
tee Of Reception, and ushered in by its chairman;
Mr.. Webb. On the platform we're General Super
intendrnt rallmadgc. Messrs. Webb, Levy, Jcn-
ninrs Hustled. Erlstus Brooks. &c.
Mr. David Webb nominated Hiram Kctchum,
Esq. rs chairman Of the meeting. which nomina.
ton WAS unanimnnsl y confirmed
Mr. kctchum then cnmc forward and made
short but eloquent address. NJ the conclusion of
which, he introduced cXGuv Hunt 10 the audi
cncc.
mr>r'S ArnRrSs.
Mr.. Hunt Was received With the most cnthns-
astic applause, and addressed the audience rs fol
lows:
After returning his grateful acknowlc lecmants
to the committee for their ir.cudy and cordial
greetings, lr proceeded to- say that ii wa. some
>cat. since hc Lad n idrcssel any luhlir assembly
on political subjects lie was passing his day IN
peaceful retirement free iium rrrlurhatIuus ui ro.
tical hic calm but not an indifferent observer
OF the course III events. Oar county suNAcs the
week of parties, and willie We live, il il entitled
t" our loyalty our best affection, and cur patriotic
efforts lie could say wtth all stu,crity that ho
beyond thr honest desire whirh every citizen
ought to feel, TINT our government may Lc c"uluc
ted on principles consistent with public liberty
and bcneiicenl tioual rrnTrc-s. When lac sur
v'ycd the strange medley pt rnltirs and factions
into which the country il divided he tel, inclincl
to cultivate Il cheerful! philosophy. and withdraw
from all active participation III political sccncs and
discussions.
But it was impossible Mr.. President, to resist
the invitation generously rxendedt to ne ly tho
Nhis General Commttcc 81 the city "f New York
rejoice to know that We havcn Wing Gcncral
Committee amongst us; ard it nfli rd- peculiar
pleasure to meet this intcll gcnt sscnlln 20 of v-
ing. enthusiastic old scho" whgs, who haze uc
iher rcnouuccd their name or surrendered their
principles.
1t has been proclaimed and often reiterated.
the VIII i, party is dead and we are obliged to con-
tess that its organization broken and its
strength dispersed, ut crisis when many Of rs
believed that its conservative Influences were spc-
clay needed to check abuses aud resist the head
long career ol the party in power. But it is
thing to dishan ! a party organization, and quito
another thing H. dispose Of the individual mem
i't, who compose it, Whether Va have whg
party or not whgs, Ike YOU and me. To he
found all over the land, aud if we are not able to
d. all tie co"d we desire. We ha,c NJ least some
power to avert mischief and calamity from the
country. The men who elected Harrison and
Tsylor, and who SO ealanly upheld the standard
Of Henry Clay AMI Winfield S'ntt, are still here
and constitute II" inconsllrrnlic part Of the great
family 1t American ircemcn. Many Of them,
Yielding to an apparent necessity, have joined new
organizatans whilo others have preferred to
stand aloof from all eniangng alliances
M matter what designation they havenssumcd,
or what relations they may have formed, II
large majority of the people who composed the
old whg party are wings to-day in scntinlent and
opinion. They have not changed their sentiments,
or their views of public policy. In every state,
from Maine To- Florida, there remains patriotic
band who cherish the rccollcctions Of lsiJ ani
ISL, clay and Webster. and many d our
noblret leaders, have gone to their rest, hut they
left the light of their glorious example to guide
and cxal, the spirit of the nation Their patriot.
ic teachings viii remain as n precious legacy to
the Latest pl>teri:y. The principles of con>t.tn-
lonal liberty and henchrcnt government which
tLcy pcrsoniGcd arc indcstrurtubio and immor-
tai.
For my own part ne,er attached undue i'm
portance to rarty names. Il is only as an cFac-
tive agency Tor promoting the public welfare that
political organization has any value in my estinla
Ii N. The great AMI may the Yam of the
whig party, in its or gn and career, was 10 Sc
cure the blessings of good government. lis lur-
poses were exalted and ratrptir, it was based
upon principles emncntlv national and ronscr,a-
tive. ana bearing intimate relation to the prac-
teal working of our republican system, Mt all
tines ail uH!cr all circumstances, and never more
applicable to the actual condition of uti,ira than
at the prescn: uncturc. ID, YOU ask what those
principles were? First of all We conrcnled that
the constitutional powers OF government should
he exercised in liberal spirit, To foster the in
dustry. de.elore the strength; and protect the di-
,ersliiod interests Of the country aud above all to
preserve tie integrity Of our continental union.
We asserted the righiful authority and inlcrcn-
dcncc of the legislative Department. and exercised
a yigllant wnchiulness of the executive, resisting
always It's abuses, encroachments and usurpatiuns,
with jealous and indomaLie spirit.
We inculeated wise moderation aud an avoid
ance Of all schemes and experiments which ten
ded 10 bring the two great sections Of the country
into hostile collision The Consttutian, fairly bat
literally interpreted, our chart and platform,
and in its practical administration we aimed to
confer upon the country all the benefits which
were contemplated by its illustri6us authors. We
advocated ii vigorous execution Of the laws of the
land strict fidelity in The discharge of all pub
lie trusts and proposed to limit the President to
Il single term as the most ciiectual check upon the
too frequent prostitution of official power to the
furtherancc Of partzan or personal objects. In
the conduct OF our foreign relations we contended
for scrupulous observance Of treaties, and
lghcned regard to the established principles Of
international law.
Asserting rights with firm dignity,
we respected the rights of cthers. and exhibited
spirit of justice and magnanimous forbearance in
our intercourse with the family of nations. Such
were the aims and purposes OF the Wing party,
and impartial history will attest that its conduct
was in harmony with its professions. When udg-
ed by the same standard, what verdict must be
pronounced upon tho present Administration and
that Immediately preceding it Both have leen
weighed in the balance and found wanting. They
have involved the country in q dangerous and de-
testae strife Of sections. First by the repeal Of
the Missouri Compromise, and secondly, by aes-