Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-08-14
ADDRESS
ADDRESS
-- OF TIE - s5-' i--A
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
OF THE s.
CONSTITUTIONAL UNION PARTY
TO THE
PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES

Rooms NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,
357 D street, Washington, d. c., dug, l, go.
Fellow CITIZENS We beg leave to presen
to you, few of the reasons which, in our judg
ment, make it the imperative duty of the re-
fecting and patriotic voters of the United States
to cast their sufrages at the Presidential election
for John Bell and Edward Everett, the. cand
dates of the Constitutional Union party. AL
men whatever be their political convictions, 81
in whatever parts of the country they may live
must admit that our political condition at this
time is at once unnatural and alarming. In al
free countries, governed by representative bodies
there are, and ever must be, political PARTIES
The natural division of these parties is con
formity with certain original principles in hu.
manity ITSELF One partyrepresentsp permanency
and one progression; one the propelling and one
the guiding principle. The prosperity and
healthy growth Of free countries depend upon
the adjustment and proportion of the forces re-
presented by these two parties, moving within
the sphere of the Constitution, and alike inspired
by patriotic impulse. The parties which, under
various names, have, until few years past, di-
vided the country, have represented, or profess
ed to represent, these principles, though it has
often happened that the particular issues on
which they were opposed were accidental, and
not essential.
THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
But recently change has come over the spirit
of our politics, and the natural antagonism OF
parties has been disturbed. In fifteen of the
thirty-three States which now compose our Con
federacy, the institution of African slavery ex
lists; and all admit that, within these States, il
is entirely beyond the sphere and jurisdiction o
the National Government At the time OF the
formation of the Constitution it had legal ex
istence, at least, in nearly all the States. From
that time to this it has been subject powerfully
moving the sympathies and passions of portion
of the community, and it cannot be denied tina,
it has considerably enhanced the difficulty o
governing and administering the country. But
the grave questions which grew out of the ex.
istence of slavery were always met with that
wisdom and patriotism which were requisite
for their adjustment and solution. The Oonsti-
tuition itself was the birth of spirit of generous
concession and magnanimous compromise; and
in like spirit the country was long governed
One crisis of more than common magnitude and
peril occurred in 1920, upon the admission OF
Missouri and another in 1850, upon the admis
sion of California; but both were happily passed,
and in both cases, after some moments of anx.
ious suspense, the Goals of strife were quenched,
and harmony was restored.
At the adjournment of Congress, in 1860, the
country was at peace. There was no portion OF
the territory of the United States which had not
its condition fixed by positive, and as was sup
posed, irrepealable law. The anti-slavery agi-
tation had been mainly confined to few over
Jealous persons in certain localities. 1t had ex-
cited disturbing force in the politics of some OF
the States; it had sent some ardent partisans to
the national legislature; butit had no marked
influence upon the politics of the nation. No
better proof can be adduced in support of this
position than the fact, that at the Presidential
election in the Autumn of 1862, Mr.. Hale the
candidate of the Free-soil party, received but
158, 1913 votes, to Mr.. Pierces 1,596,395, and
General Scott's 1,593,OS9.
REPEAL OF THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE.
But this auspicious calm was disturbed, and
all the winds of sectional strife were let loose by
events occurring between the Presidential elec-
ton of 1862, and that of 1856. Prominent a.
mong these were the untoward abrogation ot
the Missouri Compromise, in 1854, the acts OF
violence which occurred in Kansas, and the
persistent efforts of the Federal Administration
to force that Territory in the Union. So great
was the effect produced by these causes, that in.
stead of Mr., Hale's meagre vote of 158, 1913, Col
Fremont, the Republican candidate, had 1,341, :
514, to Mr.. Buchanan's 1885, ,232, and Mr.. Fill
can party has maintained it's imposing character
and now presents as formidable front before
the country as it ever did.
REPEAL OF THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE A DEMO
CRATIC MEASURE.
Great pains have been taken in the Northern
States by Republican speakers to represent the
disturbance of the Missouri Compromise as q
Southern measure, and one of the acts of what
fC fho oIovo hrto ouob
speakers show more party zeal than love ol
truth. The feeling in regard to that comp-o.
mise was substantially the same in both sections
of the country; each conceived that it had
yielded something of constitutional right, but
both acquiesced in the result as a measure OF
healing and peace. Its repeal took the North
and South alike by surprise; not petition to
that effect was presented from any Southern
State, and the hand that set this disastrous ball
in motion was the hand of Northern Senator
Thirty seven Senators voted with him, and thir-
teen against him, and of these fourteen were
from the Northern States; had these fourteen
voted the other way, the compromise would
not have been disturbed. The measure was q
Democratic measure, and the leaders of the Dem
ocratic party are alone responsible for il, and
for its consequences. They having sown the
wind, are now reaping the whirlwind. The re-
lr1OutlOn WHICH mas Ialen upon Cnelr once pow
erful organization can awaken no sympathy, for
it is no more than the righteous penalty exacted
from those who break the law of right. Their
party is now cleft in twain, and the two divided
portions turn toward each other cOuntenance
of ''irrepressibie conflict" and unextinguishable
animosity. There are no quarrels like family
quarrels, and there is no hatred like the hatred
that once was love.
MR.. DOUGLAS AND MR.. BREoENRIDGE.
Mr.. Douglas, representing the principle or
rather the policy (for we deny it the name OF
principle) of popular sovereignty, is strong at
the North. Mr.. Breckenridge, representing the
doctrine of national intervention in behalf of
slavery, and identified with the present Admin
stration, is strong at the South. Mr.. Douglas
will probably command larger popular vote
than Mr.. Breckinrdge, but he certainly cannot
carry single Southern State and unaided hv