Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-12-07
Position of Hon. john II. Harris.

We copy from tie Valley Democrat, the
following summary of the remarks of the
Hon John T. Harris, at the last Rocking
ham Court. on the condition Of the country !:
Monday last being Court day, the Hon
john l. Harris addressed large and at
teDtive audience on the condition Of the
country He said, in substance, he regret
ted that he had nothing to say to the people
| IN regard to the country which was pleasing
to hear Or gratifying to the lover of the =
MON, or which woul! warm the he ,rt of The
patriot who cherished civil, religious Or po-
litical liberty, as the richest boon to man.
| All was goom-al was calculated to make
him of stoutest heart and frmest faith, feel
deeply for the present condition of,his hiih-
erto happy and prosperous country. In bis
critical condition Of our existence it was tho
duty Of the people to reflect calmly and COO
lily before they act-then after even their
minds were convinced, th y should pause to
examine themselves ifpossible to detect any
error into which they had fallen. This great
government-the only model Of q free gov
ernment on earth, which cost seven years of
toll and blood to establish, is not to be over
turned IN an hour or day. This governs
ment, the admiration of the civilized world,
the asylum Of the oppressed Of every land,
ought to be cherished by all patriots and
handed down by his generation as our faith
ers gave it to us. No people on earth were
SO happy and prosperous as ours None
felt i'll a less degree the burtheus Of govern
ment, and none enjoyed in greater de-
gree, the rich rewards Of his labor and his
industry. That, Notwithstanding the great
excitement which now pervades orr whole
country, it was q fact which all admitted,
that the general government had committed
no act Of which any Southern man COM
plains.
But we had fallen on evil times. A North.
ern sectional party had triumphed iii the late
Presidential election, and would soon take
possession Of the Executive branch of the
government. That South Carolina and 9th
er cotton States we. g in the act Of seeding
from the Unions and the question was grave
" asked what would Virginia do in this
crisis He had heard Union men ask the
question. men who did not Justify these States
in their coarse, yet WHO believed aud said
if South Carolina and other States went out,
it was the duty Of Virginia TO follow. To
all sach questions he would say, let Virginia
maintain her proud positjon-lct her not fol-
ton, out rather stand by the Union and the
Constitution until the last hope Of obtaining
her rights IN the Union had vanquished, or
until the Republican party had committed
some offensive act on the rights Of the South
as guaranteed by the Constitution. He said
this was a government of checks and balances
and that the wisdom of our forefathers had
SO organized it, that no party could, to any
great degree, trample on the rights of any
section until it had full control of every
branch Of the government. That the gov
eminent was composed Of three divisions.
each havipg its separate function and Office
The Executive branch controlled By the
President. The Legislative. the ITO Houses
Of Congress. The judicial. the Supreme
Court. Though The Republican party would
soon have control Of the Executive branch,
the Legislative branch ard the Judicial
branch were now in the hands Of the con-
servatiye elements of the country. and BY
the recent elections, though the gallant De-
mocraey OF the North had been overrun IN
every State, they had gained members of
Congress enough to have control Of the Low
er House Of Congress for the next two years.
that the Senate was Democratic and would
go remain for the same period of time. Then
no law could be passed, during that period,
at least, which would operate against the
South The only remaining danger to be
unprecedented from Lincoln was his executive
appointments Again, this beautiful sys-
tenn of government is brought to bear upon
and checklnate him in any attempt to fost
on the country men of fanatical aud danger
GUS opinions. He cannot even appoint his
Constitutional advisers, except by the advice
and with the consent Of the Senate He
cannot appoint Foreign Minister to repre-
sent us at a Foreign Court without the con
Grmation Of the Senate Is it to be suppos-
ed that democratic Senate will confirm
such a Constitutional advisers as VIM IT
Seward or Salmon 2. Chase, or seru to fer
eign Court such fanatic as Charles Sum-
ner, or John ?. Hale? He thought not.
Lincoln cannot even appoint Judge of
your Federal Court, or Marshal of our
district, without the consent of the Senate.
Nor can he appoint Postmaster of any i'm
portant town without the like cousent.--
linen what have we so much to fear? But
We are ted ne is commander-i in chief of the
army and navy. True, he is, but he cam
not declare war. That belongs alone to
Congress, and after war is declared, he can
not carry it on without money. That cannot
be had except at the will of Congress. So you
will perceive this admirable system of gov
eminent is so constructed that party. with
evil designs, must have control of all it's de-
partments before it can do any great injury
to the country. But we are told by those
who are now in favor of dissolving the u
MON. that many Of the Northern States have
nulliGed the Fugitive Slave bill, and that
therefore the South ought to seccde. To
all such he would say he would 60 farthest
in compelling those States to repeal their
obnoxious and uncons titutional laws. That
the men who participated in them were trail
tors aud deserved to be hung; but most of
those laws had been passed for years and no
steps had been taken to cause their repeal
that the power was given the President to
execute the fugitive slave bill in defiance of
those laws which were unconstitutional and
void. He thought If we intended to dissolve
the Union on account of the passage of those
II ou0ht To hnvo baop dana of tha fi,,,o