Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-08-10

SPEECH or RosxRr T. scorr, ESQ or vIR-
GINA, AT TIE Bell AND EvEREfT MEETING, On
"WEDNESDAY NIeHr -Mr. Scott said Although
the privilege of participating in our political cleo
tons is denied to you, there 10 no part of the
people of this wide country more concerned in
their result. This city Is. emphaicslly, the Gre
alton of the Federal Government. Its grand edi-
fees, it public works. Its arts, It's sciences its
industry, It's prosperity and happiness ell depend
Tor continuance and advancement upon the sue
cess with which the Government Is conducted.
Spfinging from the Union, It's life will be cock.
tensive with the Unions duration, for the city
must die with the Unions dissolution IL 50
natural therefore, that you should feel interested
10 our public affairs, and that you should give
that testimony of your interest which this large
assemblage affords =. se IS. = f..-.s q :.
We are just entering upon a canvass that Is to
inaugurate new Administration, for beyond It's
shortest constitutional limits il is decreed that the
present shall not endure. However much the
public sentiment was divided upon the question
of conding power to It. there seems to be no disa-
greement upon the question of reclaiming IT; and
perhaps II viii be regarded the most successful
achievement of Mr.. Buchanan's political life that
he has accomplished what none Of his predeces-
sors ever accomplished, viz: In the midst Of party
antagonisms and heated sectional strifes that
everywhere pervades the country he has demon
strated the practicability of producing entire con-
currence Of will and unity Of action in the public
American mind After three years. experience Of
his administration Of affairs, in Convention of
his own party he was ignored. Unable to agree
upon a successor, the Convention adjourned to
future times and to other places; but in not one of
the fragmentary parts into which IL was divided
was his name ever mentioned; there was no ex-
preston Of confidence, no word Of kindness
nothing but cold, calm, expressive silence The
same Indifference seems to have marked the pri
mary assembages Of the party, save in a few ex-
cepted cases where some ofice-holder or office
seeker, or some friend of such, had influence In
1856 the Democratic party agreed upon its plat
form; they placed Mr.. Buchanan upon II. and
10 m theyx
agree upon succession. WHY was his name
never proposed for re-election? why did his
party rather encounter dsunion and defeat
These are pregnant questions, and are only to find
solution in the measures and character Of his AID.
mi nistration. 100 p
speak TO those far better qualified than myself
to Sit In judgment on these measures The Pres
ident is your neighbor, his Cabinet officers live
among you, and you have daily Intercourse with
the entire corps of inferior officers that the bust
ness Of the country collects at this center You
have, therefore, means Of information better than
mine, even If studied, which have not, the
developments Of the newspapers and the ex posures
OF Congressional committees. In the municipal
AFFAIRS of the city you encounter the Presid emit
and his subordinates You know and can appre-
ciate them. You see the cold tyranny with which
the missions of Executive will, in your charter
elections, constran the opinions and coerce the
votes of those who depend upon Government
patronage.
But these are prominent facts, that strike the
attention OF the most casual observer Ii NAV be
truly said that no President ever came into power
under circumstances more suspicious for sue
cessful administration; certainly no President
ever had wider field for the display OF quail ties
that mark the statesman and patriot. Party divi.
sions are perhaps inseparable from our political
constitution, and the evils springing from them
must always more or less be felt in our political
elections. But when the election is over what
ever party prevail, the Chief Magistrate should
regard himself as the President of the nation and
not the mere head of party. Unenthralled by
he Arie 10 Il
OF his high office, and administer the Govern.
ment with view to the common interests of all.
II was to secure the common interest that the
States associated in the Union and IL was 10
cement this Union that the people OF the states
adopted the Constitution, which In its spirit and
It's letter enjoins this high duty upon every public
functlonary. For myself, | know of no greater
departure from the line of official duty of no greater
violation of the Constitution, whether in execu-
tive or Legislative action, than the initiation of
measures from party considerations and pressing
them forward in party interests and In the earlier
days Of the Republic such was the universal senti
ment But since the days Of our fathers the coun-
Try has experienced great change In those
days fraternity and concord marked the relations
OF the people, economy, justice, and intey rity
marked the conduct of Executive duties; enlight-
ened craftsmanship governed the course Of Fed
eral legislation and proper regard for the rights
OF others, and what became ourselves as a nation
controlled our Intercourse with foreign Powers
But those days have passed, and with them seem
to have passed away the wisdom and integrity
cOHlmefnorated In their history.
III were to assign the cause for this great
change should point to the departure from that
spirit Of the Union and that Injunction Of the
Constitution Of which have spoken. The Fed
eral Legislature consumes its time in discussing
party topics; laws originate in party interests
and are enacted for party advantage Grave Sem
ators and Representa- debate for party success
The Federal Executive has aim no higher;
removals and appointments are made for party
ends, contracts are let to party favorites, and in
all things the Government is administered as a
party job. That from such a system of extraya-
ganee, frauds, and cOrfuptions OF all sorts must
system and inhere In IL.
That Mr.. Buchanan could at once have cor
rected these great evils and by force Of any power
confided to him restored the Government in ali
OF Its departments to its ancient purity no one
Pretends. But In the reformation Of abuses that
had entered into the details of the Executive de-
Partments throughout ali Of their ramifcations
there was field Of labor and of usefulness spread
out before him into which he mig ht lawfully
enter. The reformation Of Executive abuses
could not fail to exert purifying effect upon
rise to the dignity of his office, and conduct bis
administration as the President OF the nation; IL
In all appointments he would require fitness and
faithfuness for official trusts If with the wisdom
OF enlightened craftsmanship, he would address
himself to measures that concern the public good
great change would at once occur In our Fed
eral affairs In the place Of extravaganza we
wou,1 o n1Se economy In tue place Of Corruption
partyism would give place to the virtues Of
patriotism; liberal, enlightened, and national
considerations would enter into our measures of
legislaton confidence would be restored 10 the
public mind; sectionalism would disappear and
with II the kindred evils of abolitionism and
fIeesoilism; influences that now threaten destruc-
ton to the Union would give place to those that
would cement it,
The field was indeed wide one and the har
vest abundant, but the reaper was unequal to the
task Instead OF reformation we have an aggra-
walton OF abuse; extravagance is pushed to abso-
lutte waste; corruption has deepened its hue and
grown more intense; partyism everywhere rules
triumphant, and drags along in its course Its in
separable concomtants, sectionaiism, abolition
ism, and freesoilsm. In the Legislative depart
ment laws originate in party divisions, and the
Executive department is administered as one
great party job In this spirit you have have
seen Mr.. Buchanan, with ali the para phernalia of
ofice about him, descend into the political arena
and prostitute his office to the mean purpose of
melting party divisions
But why pursue the enumeration further, Why
detail what every one sees? what every one, no
matter party he belongs, knows and admits, In
times past we were called the model Republic
The economy, simplicity, integrity, and Justice
Of the public administration Of affairs attracted