Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-03-01
9ailg Yirsiuia''al',,
TO TIM pEorLE on VIRGINIA..


5 TO THIN pEorLE oyvIR0INIA. q
The following address, from the pen Of hobart
r. Scott, Esq. 81 Fanquisr. was reported 70 ~
Opposition State convenvontion by tho oommittS
on business, and adopted BY that body, and or
dered to DO published ..z..s = - !. :
This Convention, by original appointment, WAS
to hive assembled on the 14th day Of Decsmbsr
Inst. but it was deemed advisable, In oonsequsnss
OF subsequent events, to postpone Ito meetine.-
Those events were Of q character 10 unexpected,
and accompanied by developments 50 startling. 4
to make IL, ut once the dictate Of prudence and
Of patriotism to defer action until further time
shoul b. given to discern tire issuo to which they
conducted.
Pursuant to tho nostponement, We met together
at tin Capitol OF the State, tho 22d Of Fehrua-
~, aud as tha day itself IL haowed in tho annals
OF our history, NO would, ourselves. catch from II
an inspiratio Of the moderation, wisdom aud virr
tue Of tho fAtriot 70 whom 1t gave BIRTH WI
AT onr appointment We were commissioned 70
deal With tho party politics q tho day. and On b.
measures looking to concerted action on tho part
Of the Opposition Of all the States in the sp-
preaching election Of President.
The public considerations involved In The ae.s
Tempt vol justified the action, although the oon-
dition Of affairs had been less suspicious Of suo-
cess. The Democratic party, for long succes-
sion Of terms. with slight exception, had oontroll-
cd the Federal Government and ruled tho policy
otthe country. The expenses of tho Government
from about S. uuder the second Adams. and
S. under Mr. Fillmore. had increased to
s. under Mr.. Pierce, md were rapidly swell
ling to more than 100000 900 under Mr.. Buc
hannn. The principle that ito tho victors be-
long tho spoils,' borrowed from degenerate days,
hut at one limo Indignantly repudiated BY all
parties, hnd for long period Of tmo. undor sue
cessivn Democratic administrations. been avowed
ms their rule action, had been unblushinely be-
slowed as rewards on pnrtixans, and tools. aud
minions of executive pleasure. Tho public press
was .pensioncd, and the freedom of elections CON-
strained by executive patronage. In the shape Of
federal contracts, political favorites fraudulenty
obtained tho rewards of party service, andof party
npostacy, aud in every rau'i6cation Of executive
notion. cxtraynganccs, corruptions and frauds
marked the rule Of tho mon in authority, until the
public mind, habituated to thoso .abuses. has be-
como in IL great degree, to experience tho same
decentralization. Under its influence. patriotism
has gwen paco to partyism, considerations Of tho
public veal have been Abandoned BY those that
belong to party success and our Presidential elec,
tions have dcgenerated into mere contests for
place. ..7t
Every recurrence Of these 10 marked BY some
issue, originating in tho interests ola few, and
continued for special effect. Whatsoever IL cal.
culated 10 excite the public mind. TO infiame pas
sion, to produce discord and engendcr sectional
luminosity. is habitually seized upon by aspirants
for place and industriously pressed forward by
politicians ard tho presses in their interests. No
consideration Of tho public peace; no considers
ton of frnternnl ctncord, OF. our Union, of its
blessings; no consideration OF the happiness and
prosperity oftho country no consideration Of
the obligations. which o nation, we owe to 9th.
or nations. interposes restraint. Ia the lust for
Office. and In the greed for spoil all Of these are
trodden down, and the dearest interests Of all are
gambled with for tho gain Of few. In the very
nature of things 1t was not possible for tho ques-
ton OF slavery to remain unappropriatod 10 was
by fax too inviting to the ends IT party.
Existing In part only Of the Static. tho insti.
tuition of slavery is necessarily sectional, and
claiming to extend ;tselfinto the unoccuped ter.
riory Of the public domain, II was Of itself calcu-
lated to excite to sectional Jealousy. This was
first scen when tho thirteen colonies. pressed by
the progress Of tho revolution, settled the articles
OF confederation. When independence was achiev-
ed. it wns more strongly manifested in the con-
vcntion that framed the Constitution. 1t again
exhibited its influence when Missouri applied for
admission into tho sisterhood of States. But
greatly US the public mind was excited on these
occnsuns and muortant rs were the measures in.
yolyod, parties forebore to form upon it, and the
patriotism OF the country rose to equality with
the exigencies of the day.
After 1920, for long scrief ct years, the coun-
try rcposed in the settlements, and progressed
undsturbed BY the banefnl excitement. Certain
societies VI the Friends, oontrivcd to forward to-
ench Congress, memorials against slavery, but
these disturbed no mans composure, and excited
to no complaint. A few fanatics In the Eastern
States, combined into Abolition Societies, sent al
80 ther petitions to Congress- but these were dis
posed of like those Of the Quakers, and the cur
rents Of National and State politics. flowed smooth
~ on, without ripple proceeding from that
cause. T4sttA 'tt
In the progress of events, the abolitionists, in
creasing in numbers, associated themselves into
Thrty organization. and in the States, especially
Of Ohio New York and Massachusetts, put for
ward candidates for political Office But, despised
by both Of the great PARTIES into which the poll
tics of the country had divided the people, they
would assimilate with neither. In Massachusetts,
for many years. Marcus Morton, was thsiKstand-
ing candidate for the Office Of Governor, and for
SUGGESTION of Presidential terms. they voted in 81
the States, for MIR. Binney, their candidate for
the Presidency Engrossed with the idea Of gen.
eral emancipation, they addressed themselves 10
measures, wholly without the Jurisdiction of Fed
eral authority and they could find, therefore, no
enduring political organisation, and unassisted
by extraneous influences, their idiosincracy
was certain. in the end, to exhaust its energy
Bot unfortunately these influences were not with
held.
The old Federal party, under whose auspices
the Government was inaugurnted, and conducted
found itself opposed by the Republican party, by
which it suffered overthrow in the election Of Mr..
Jefferson. Proceeding upon the leading idea Of
opposition to executive influence, the victorious
party successfully addressed itself TO the suscepti-
bility Of the public mind on the subject of the one
man power, and 40 consolidated its strength, that
under the administration Of Mr.. Monroe, it found
itself without rival. Everywhere in the Fede-
raj and State Governments, the policy Of the coun-
A. IA, Ix,ftp in ~