The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-08-11
The Chances.


one of the Judges of TIE Supreme Court Of
the United States. but who resigned his place
that he might devote more time to his profess
sion. short time since, made a solid,
able and brilliant speech in Roxbnry, Mass
We have read nothing more seasonable,
statcsmanlike and mastery for long time.
Discussing the chances of the Prudential con.
test he said
Well gentlemen, they tell you that you
will not carry single State and as TO the
vote Of Massachusetts,, they have whitfield that
down to less than 90 600. Now, gentlemen,
1t is not my habit on these occasions to make
predictions. but am in the habit of forming
opinions upon grounds which believe 10 be
reliable, and determining for myself what
appear to be moral ptobnb liies of the case
and let me state that case to you. l take it
for granted that no man Of correct informa.
tion. and who has not an object to subscrve
Ivy making some assertions about it, expects
that Mr. Lincoln will lie elected by the vote
of the people 1t may be So You hear great
confidence expressed on the part Of the Rep
ublcans. Gentlemen, believe me. that con.
tidence is neither strongly felt nor is it well
founded. The view which | am going to
present to you on this subject assumes that
there will be no election of the people.
Under these circumstances, desire you to
consider, and il my voice or words could reach
every man in Massa ohusetts. should desire
every voter in the State to consider what is
his duty in reference to that peculiar contin-
gency which is in the highest degree likely
to happen.
There is. gentlemen, very strong prola.
hiity that the Union party will obtain the
States of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland
Virginia. Kentucky. Tennessee, Missouri.
North Carolina, Florida and Texas. Voice
land Louisiana. think it fair also to
! add Louisiana, and was about to say tina,
| il yon add Louisiana it gives you. without
the vote Of Massachusetts, ninety electoral
votes. Now, nobody can entertain so IRA.
| lional supposi'iom as to imagine that Mr..
Douglas and Mr. johnson, or Mr.. Breclin-
ridge and Mr. Lane will obtain anything like
ninety electoral votes apiece. The conse
qnence will be that The election, if thrown
into the House. will 60 there in this position
that Mr.. Lincoln will be the candidate on the
part of the Republicans, that Mr.. Bell will be-
there on the part of the Unon Party. and
that one OF the other gentlemen will IF course
he there, because the three highest go in
Now, the same vote which places Mr.. Bell in
the House OF Representatives as one of the
constitutional candidates, will, in all human
probability, and upon every reasonable calcu-
lation, place Mr.. Everett in the Senate as ore
Of the two constitutional candidates for the
| Wee Presidency. Well sir, who will be the
other candidate that will 20 into the Senate
far he office OF Vice Pre- S!tlency2 Why, Mr..
llsrihal iiamln, down East there in Maine
Now do you suppose that the Senate of the
! United States is going to hesitate long in the
choice between these two men! Voices
I" No." {" Guess not
! Why, sir, it is NOT within the bounds of
human probability that any Democrat will
vote for Mr. llamlu, and greatly doubt
whether any Republican Senator. when the
personal responsibility for his vote, in the
eyes OF the American people. and of the world,
shall rest u,on him. will cast his vote for
Mr.. llamln against Edward Everett for sir .
the responsibility of that vote will be, under
the circumstances, nothing less than the
responsibility ofa vote cast to determine who
is TO be President of the United States
because if the House fail 10 choose President
before the 4h day March, the office of nrces-
sity under the Constitution. dcvo Ives upon
the Vice President and, say. in all human
probability, or speaking in moderation, there
is very high degree of probability that the
Wee President will be Edward Everett
The Senate are not restricted as to the time
when they shall make their choice. They
may choose the Vice President ont of the two
candidates before them before the 4th OF
March or after the 4lh day Of March
Either way. the States voting in the House
for the House must vote by States, and the
Repuhl leans not having majority there, OF
course cannot elect Mr.. Lincoln: the House
G.
IN relation to them. in this position you
must either make John Bell President of the
Unlted States, or you must take Edward
Everett for the Office. There it is gentlemen
That is the contingency. and say that 1t is
a contingency very likely to happen. | &C
further. and say that it is more likely to hap
pen than any result of this complication o
things that can be foreseen.