The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-09-28
POLITICAL.
HON. I'll. WINTER DAVIS SPEECH AT THE
NEW ASSEMBLY ROOMS

The Hon. Henry Winter Davis addressed large
meeting at the Assembly Rooms last night and in
the course of his lengthy speech announced himself
unequvocay for Bell and Everett, though he ad-
mitted that their prospects of success, unhappilv,
slight. He examined the record of Lincoln
and contended that the triumph of the Republicans
should occasion alarm. In his opinion, AL the
issues in regard to slavery were settled. The Re-
publicans proposed nothing more than the exclusion
of slavery from Territories now free and no agrees
sive acts from them were to be apprehended The
audience large, attentive, and when Bells
name mentioned, enthusiastic A synopsis cf
Mr.. Davis remarks will be found below:
In the commencement of Mr.. Davis remarks. he
stated that his principal object was to support the
election OF Mr.. Bell, and he did so on the ground
that Mr.. Bell was by no means disposed to take a
part in the slavery question. He said that the OBJ
eet of Mr.. Bell was to let slavery alone in the ter
ritories-to have nothing to do with ito leave it
as dead letter altogether, and to turn the powers
of the Government to other purposes. TCbeers
He was not for interfering with any of the principles
which had been set forth by the Democratic party
his object simply was, what was to be done to
preserve the Union of the States? TCheers.7 He
despiSed that Democratic howl which was raised at
all times when Presidential election was in pro-
gress. 1t was his desire that such petty and party
meanness should be cast aside, and that the people
alone exercise the right to interfere when such an
all-important subject disturbed the country loud
cheers.
1t was true that Mr.. Dougas--if any man couId
call himself the representative of party which
was long since extinct-was the regular nominee of
the Democratic party, and that Mr. BrecElnTiUge
could have no pretentions whatever to support
from that party; for, in his opinion Mr.. Breckin-
ridge is merely secession candidate. Cheers
There were before the country four candidates for
the Presidency, and he would call their attention
to the character of the men who claimed that high
honor from the people. The Douglas party was,
without doubt, almost extinct, and he thought
that ii Mr.. Douglas was sincere in his desire to
see the country safe-and if Mr.. Breckenridge
wished to see the interests ofthe Union promoted
they would both vote for Mr.. Bell, who was in his
the speakers] estimation, the only man who had
any chance whatever Of being elected TCheers
But suppose Mr.. Lincoln were to be elected
and suppose the nice, fair and easy Democratic
party, which had so long been ruling and DESTROY
ing the fairest prospects of the country were to be
deeated-could any person believe that dissolu-
tion of the Union to ersue? For his part he
did not think it could, for, notwithstanding the
ceilings and the howngs of the New York politi-
clans, he believed the people of the North would
not, under any circumstances, be in favor of a
dissolution of the Union. [Cheers.1 The Abo-
tonists might rave and pirate they thought
fit; the Democratic party might talk as it liked
the Bell and Everett party and the Lincoln
party might speak they chose about the separa-
tion of the Union, but his firm conviction was that
as soon as the matter came to a close test-that is
as soon as the people of all parties began see that
inc CHlOH as OF IN Danger, they would
all rally to preserve it, and they would all forget
that they belonged to any party to any State and
devote themselves and their laborS to the benet of
our common Union. Loud and prolonged ap-
! plause. He would tell them frankly that he was
! there as the enemy of the Democratic party;
| [cheers]; that he opposed to the Demo
cratic party, because he believed that
| that party did not profess principles which were
in accordance with the principles the desires of
! the people of this country. He was opposed to the
! Lincoln party on the same grounds, and he was
convinced that the only party which, according to
its declarations and its principles, would sustain
the rights and interests of the people of this coun-
/ try, was the Great National Party. Loud and
/ long-continued cheering To be sure, they might
sneer at him and stigmatiZe him in any manner
! they thought ft-that was the mere shifting O
aparty- but he was there to speak to them, despite
the threats of those who, finding themselves weigh
ed down by defeat, were driven to desperation and
forced to forget all respect for the rights of their
| fellOw-citizens and threaten him in a manner So
mean that he despised it. Prolonged cheering.
lie would suppose, for instance, that Lincoln were
defeated, and that the election were to go to the
House, and would ask them in that case, could Lin
coin be elected He believed not Loud cheers
! Would Bell? Suppose his election were to 90, foT
ratification, to the House, would he be elected? HI
could only get % members to support him. and how
could he be elected? He would say that the only
party which would have any chance of being sue
cesstul was the Democratic party; but, thanks t.
their division, that left them no chance what
ever. Continued cheers Then what was to bt
done? Bell could not be elected; Lincoln could no
| be eected and how, under such circumstances were
they to act? Cheers. They would at once SEE
the absurdity OF such a monstrous idea as that OF
referring the matter to the House. [Cheers. If
Lincoln could not be elected-if Bell could not bt
elected-if the Democratic party could not affair
the desired and lOng-courted success-that party
which thought it could rule the entire country
but which had found that it had become suddenly
weak-what then was to be done? In his opinion
the only thing to be done, was to let the people
DO nnH he tp tha
people constituted the great governing power
and they should decide. [Great applause.
Mr.. Davis next examined the claims of the differ
ent candidates. Mr. Douglas deserved credit
if for nothing more than having weakened thu
strength of the Democratic party and increased th
chances of Bells success. Referring to Lincoln HI
contended that he was not the dangerous man tha
the treeaters represented him TO be-that, in fact
on the slavery issue, he occupied exactly the sam
position as Henry Clay. He did not believe an,
dissolution of the Union, other evil consequences
would result from the success Of the Republicans
and that, II they obtained power, theV would q,
more than prevent the extension of slavery int
Territories now free. He quoted Mr.. Sherman t.
show that the Republicans contemplated no agita
tion OF the slavery question. In fact he though
there was no issue on that subject now before thu
country. The larger and more conservative por
tion of the Republican party conceded the enforce
ment of the fugitive slave law, of the interstate
slave trade and of the existence of slavery in tn
District of Columbia. The only unsettled ouestio,
Territories, and that would be determined by tn
action of the people. If new Territories wer,
acquired-for instance, from Mexico-it was no
likely that people who had abolished Saver
would restore it. If Cuba was acquired with he
large slave population, slavery would be retaine,
there in spite of any outside pressure. There be
ing then no issue about slavery, and the Republi
not desiring to raise any, he did not think th
talk about dsunon meant much, or that thos
who prated about it were in earnest.
; Mr.. Davis closed by expressing the opinion, en-
forced by classical sime, that the defeat of tn
Democracy could result in no great disaster to tn
country, let who might succeed.
MARYLAND POLITICS.
!, Pursuant to a call, the Breckinridge Democrac
of Baltimore county assembled at TOwsontow
yesterday, to ratify the nominations of the Mary
! land Institute Convention. General Benjamin
i Howard was called to the chair.
E James G. Franklin, Esq, one of the Breckinridg
electors, was introduced and entertained the mee
ing for hour with address, in which he re
viewed the political lives OF all the opposition car
didates for the Presidency, and especially that
s Judge Douglas After MIR. Franklin had concluded
|, the band again.performed, and further proceeding
were dispensed with for an hour, in order to take
e "snaek," which was handed around in baskets
r on plates, &c. After this was gone throug
e with, the President introduced to the audienc
: the Hon. James Alfred Pearce, who spoke
length, defending the interests of the South agan
: the attacks Of. Northern fanatics, reviewing th