Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-04-17
STAUNTON, VIRGINIA, TUESDAY, APRIL H. 1860.
For the Spectator,



III For the Spectator.
John M. Bolts and his Traducers.
The spirit of detraction, not less than the an
gel Of death, ''loves a shining mark !" A forci
bic and apt illustration of this truth, is to b.
found in the bitter and relentless personal war
fare, unremittingly waged upon every distin
gnished statesman of our country, whose unerr
ing sagacity enables him to toresee the mis-
chievous results Of political empyricism, ant
whose unsel6sh patriotism impels bin to oppos,
the madness that rules the hour" In exac
proportion to the ability and moral courage ex
hibited by the man who exposes the errors and
corruptions of the factions that divide and dis
tract the body polite, is the measure of violen
and reckless denunciation meted out to him BY
the more unscrupulous votaries of corruption
and error. The intelligent and candid are there
fore at no loss to account for the vindictive ha
tired for the Hon. John NJ. Botts which has 81
long been manifested by the extremists of botl
the great sectional parties, whose fierce strug
giles for money, place and power" have opera
ted disastrously upon the best interests of tht
country. fa371 a
1t is natural enough, that his unceasing and
unsparing exposure Of political wickedness ir
high places, should make Mr.. Bolts the object o.
the especial enmity of that class of democratic
leaders who have been SO tersely and truthfullJ
described by one Of the greatest men of theil
party, as sbanded together by the cohesive
power of public plunder." His undannted op
position to the dangerous and unconstitutional
assumption of power by the Federal Govern
ment which characterized the closing year ol
the administration of Gen. Jackson-his denun-
citation of the profigacy, extravaganza and COR
ruption that distinguished the rule of the sNorth
ern man with Southern principle" Ibis gallant
defence of the constitutional rights of q sover-
eign State whose constituted authorities were
spurned, her ''broad seal" derided, and her legal
|iy elected representatives in Congress elected
from their seats by the vote OF an, .unscrnpulous
msjority-his noble stand against tae invasion
of the right of petition, when though deserted by
nearly every member of his own party from the
South, on the floor of the House of Representa-
tives, he eloquently and triumphantly maintained
that this was ian absolute, unqualified and un-
limited right guaranteed by the Constitution, to
impair which would be to infict fatal wound
on popular freedom" These are brilliant passa-
ges of political record that whilst it endears
him to patriot hearts, can never be forgiven BY
the profigate hankerers for place and spoils
whose Vaccinations he has 80 fearlessly exposed,
and whose manifold abuses of power and be
trayal of public trust he has often laid bare to
the public gaze. The undying hatred of the
Southern spoilmen has been intensified by con-
sciousness on their part, that all their mischiev
Gus schemes for strengthening their hold upon
the confidence OF the Southern people by the in
production of sectional issues into every import
ant political canvass are sure to be subjected to
the keen analysis of the mighty thinker of bis
age" and their wickedness and folly 80 clearly
demonstrated, that the intelligent and refecing
cannot fail to see, and the patriotic and unsel6sh
are nerved to oppose them. .laa .ssias-rs.
Nor is it to be wondered at, that the recent
letter of Mr.. Bolts, in which the conduct of the
late Governor of Virginia, growing out of the
Invasion of John Brown and his associates,
should have subjected its author to vehement
vituperaton FROM the especial friends of that as
pirant for Presidential honors, whose official &C
tion founded upon that outrage s'exasperated an6
phrenzied the public mind, and engendered al
antipathy, ill-feeling and hostility between mem
good man and patriot must deprecate." But i
this letter has blasted the Presidential prospect
of Governor Wise, lit has uDquestionably entitled
| Mr.. Bolts to the lasting gratitude OF patriotic
men of all sections and parties, for its effect il
calming the wild excitement which had, up t.
the period of its publication, held undisputet
sway over the minds of q large majority OF tn.
people of all classes in virginia, is wholly unpre
cedented in our political annals.
The heroic abnegation OF selfish consideration
and the distinguished ability manifested by Mr.
Bolts in his opposition to the Nebraska Bill
when, deserted by the great body of his South
ern political friends, he stood proudly erect an.
almost alone in earnest antagonism to the repea
of healing measure Of compromise which hat
been effected by the labors Of the most honore.
Of the patriots Of the South, and had preserved
the peace of the country for more than quartz
of century, is too fresh in the memory of tn
public to require more than q passing allusion
It. nevertheless, affords an additional reason VIII
disunionists and sectional agitators delight tt
traduce the fair fame of him who predicted witt
such unerring foresight the fatal consequence
ofa measure that has resulted in the exclusion
of the Southern STAKEHOLDER from ''every foot O
territory that shall henceforth come into th
Union, shaken the confidence of one section o
the country in the disposition of the other t.
stand to and abide by its most solemn pledges
aad divided the Republic into two great section
al parties whose excesses have SO fearfully dis
turbed the public peace, retarded the Dationa
prosperity and even threatened the integrit,
OF the Union ITSELF" The pages of history atfor.
no more apt illustration of the difference be
tween the true statesman and the mere politician
than is supplied by the position of Mr.. Bott
when contrasted with that assumed by most O
the prominent politicians of the present day OF
that very question. When the most distin
gushed Democrats are at last forced to admi
that the Nebraska act soas a fatal and 0itdI er
ror, is it assuming too much to say that had tn
prominent Wings of the South sustained MI
Bolts in his opposition to that obnoxious meas
ure, the Wing party of the United States woul,
now occupy position that would command am
ensase great and signal triumph to the friends
of the Constitution and the Union?
We have thus briefly alluded to the causes
and, as we think, satisfactorily accounted for
hostility to Mr. Bolts, on the part of his politica
foes which gives little concern to him or to hi
friends Foremost in every conflict in which
the preservation of the Constitution and th
rights, interests and honor of his country are in
volved, his white plume has ever shone, wher
blows fell thickest 'amid the ranks of war;" ant
his lion heart has never qualed or his PROUD
crest been lowered in the presence of foe.-
But is it not reasonably subject of modification
to every patriot who cherishes the great cardi
nal principles to whose advancement Mr.. Bott
has devoted a lifelong service, that whilst liks
his early friend and illustrious compeer, the la
mented Clay, he 'sscorns and defies hisenemies,
the ungracions and ungrateful attempt is now
made to 'aoound him in the house of has friends p
In vain are these political malcontents at the
widespread and dearly earned fame of John M
Bod int RI Ia