Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-02-14
sTAUNToN, VIRGINIA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY IA, 1860.
Letter from Hon. A, HI. HI. Stuart.

The following patriotic and statesman like let
ter was addressed by Hon. A. 81. Stuart to th,
Committee of Invitation for the Baile Peytor
festival in Philadelphia.
RICHMOND, Va, Jan. 12, 1860.
Messrs. Henry @. Carey, and Others Oommite
Of Imitation
GENTLEMEN:-I have had the honor to re-
ceive your favor of the 3rd inst, inviting me tc
complimentary dinner to the Hon. Bailie Pey
ton, TO be given in Philadelphia on the 14th inst
You state that the object OF the festival is two
fold first as recognition of the public services
of Mr. Peyton, in consistently advocating the
great Industrial interests of the people, and next
as means of bringing together men of position
and influence from different sections of our com.
mon country,in order that they may unitein such
an expression of sentiment as will tend to pro-
mote peace and good will throughout the I'm
ion.
Cordially concurring, as do, in both the OBJ
ijects contemplated, it is source of unfeigned
regret that my duties in the Senate of Virginia
are of such character as to render it improper
for me to be absent at this particular juncture
am, therefore most reluctantly obliged to de.
ny myself the pleasure of being with you per-
sonally on the 14th.
| would gladly unite with you in tribute ol
respect to Mr.. Peyton. His name is intimately
associated with the glorious days of 1910 and
1914, when there was throughout the confeder-
acy, 'a union of the Wings for the sake of the
Union" 1t IS true that in the contest of 1874
Pennsylvania, under the banner of ''Polk, Dallas
and the tariff of 1912, was induced to repudiate
the champion of American industry But
trust that, admonished by the past, she will not
permit herselfto be cheated in the future.
1t would give me pleasure to have an oppor-
tunity of discussing before you the interests of
American labor in all its various departments,
showing not only the harmony that exists be-
tween.the systems of Northern and Southern
labor, but also, their mutual dependence on
each other. Each is adapted to its owu local.
ity. Each produces what the other cannot pro-
duce, but what is essential to the other. Each
opens to the other its best market, and thereby
invigorates and sustains the other. Destroy
Southern labor and you withdraw the pebulum
which feeds the factories of the North, freights
its ships, stimulates its commerce, and ministers
to it's prosperity In all the ramications of the So
cial relations. On the other hand if you para
yze the industry of the North you reduce the
South to an ignominious dependence on foreign
countries. Providence designed the two Sec
tions for each other. We are as necessary for
each others prosperity as man and woman
The Union has welded Us together and | am
willing to exclaim, in the language of the ritual
which sancti6es the most endearing relation of
life, Those whom God hath Joined together, let
no man put asunder,'
But we must remember that our Union like
the marriage relation, imports obligations of
reciprocal CHARACTER. Happiness and harmony
can only be secured in either case by scrupuous
fidelity in the fulflment of those obligations,
and by the practice of mutual forbearance and
charity.
The present condition of the country shows
that there has been great fault somewhere In
stead of the harmony and domestic tranquil
ty," which our constitutional union was ordain-
ed to secure, discord, reigns throughout our
borders. Jealousy and distrust pervade the
minds of the people in both portions of the con-
federacy, and a national divorce is subject
now familiarly spoken Of as possible, if not a
probable event.
This is melancholy condition of things. 1t
would be needless to trace the cause now. Suf-
fee it to say, that there has been faults-griev-
Gus faults on both sides. Each portion of the
country has fostered narrow sectional spirit
As a natural result, statesmen of enlarged ma
tional views have been driven from the public
councils, and ''mousng politicians" who are
ready to pander to local preiudices to secure
personal advancement have taken their places
Clay and Webster, and Fillmore and Everett
men who had heads to comprehend and hearts
to embrace the interests of the whole country
has been repudiated, and the dogmas of section
al antagonism and ''irrepressible conflict" have
been substituted for them.
Unhappily, the country is now divided into
two great sectional parties; Democracy ruling
the South and Republicans ruling the North.-
Both look to disunion. Both tend to disunion
Between the two, the conservative sentiment il
smothered, and we are fast drifting into division
convulsion, and possibly civil war; Will moi
the friends of the Union in this, the hour of ex
tremest peril, awake from their apathy? Will
they not snap the pack-threads of party, which
bind them to sectional organizations, end resolve
in the language of Jackson, that "this Unior
must and shall be preserved"
! The question presents itself, how can this be
done2 I answer, only through the agency of a
great ''National Union party"-a party whose
name shall be significant of its nission-a party
national in its character and policy and devoted
to the preservation of the Unon--a party thai
will know no North, no South no East, nc
West, but look to the welfare of the whole
country-a party that will foster American la
Dor in all sections of our widespread confedera
cy, and stimulate industry to exertion by secu
ring to it its legitimate reward
The triumph of either the Democratic or Re
publican party will be fraught with peril, for i
will be the triumph of one section over the 9th
er. A sense of sectional pride and arrogance OF
the one hand, and of humiliation and discomfort
on the other, will precipitate the catastrophe o
dsunion. Let me invoke patriotic men o
all parties to pause and ponder the condition o
the country. Recent events, which are regard
ed as the legitimate fruits of the doctrines of th'
Republican party, have cxasperated the South
ern mind to the last degree. am no alarmist
as my friends, who are familiar with my charac
ter and temperament well know.
But assure you, there is danger ahead. The
Southern people feel that they are insecure In
the presence of such an antagonist as the Repub
lican organization. They regard the Browr
raid as tho first act in bloody tragedy, hereaf
ter to be enacted. They see before them the
knife of the assassin and the torch of the incen-
diary. They are arming for the 'irrepTessible
conflict" Yesterday the popular branch of The
General Assembly of Virginia passed, with on
| ly two dissenting voices, bill appropriatlng
half million dollars to arm the State. To-day
commissioner, appointed by the State OF South
Carolina, is here to make known to our Legisla-
ture the views OF his State. They are signif-
cant facts. Their Interpretation may be found
in bloody future.
Again, I beg leave to point you to the dan
gers of these sectional organizations. Again, l
invoke you to recur to the prophetic warnings
of Washington, against all such organizations
| Again, appeal to all patriotic men, men OF all
parties and all sections TO rally to the standard
of Union party Let them follow your patrl-
ot;c ovar,nja LET them reDudiate all sectional