Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-02-28

Echo, enough, thy counsel to my ear
Is sweeter than to flowers the dew drop tear,
Thy wise instructive lessons please me well,
Till next we meet again, Farewell Farewell
Echo.-Farewell, Farewell.
M IS Ill A NY.
~O-7~o~0-~-O00-o000~0--0-
The Constitutional Union PaIty.--.Address
of the National Central Executive Com.
mittee.
To the people Of the United States =
The political aspect of the country fills the
public mind with painful apprehension. The
people are everywhere disturbed with the fear
of some disastrous crisis. Many are alarmed for
the safety of the Union. All are conscious that
the sentiment of fraternity which once linked
the States together, even more firmly than the
compact of the Constitution itself, has been
| rudely shaken, and that discord has crept into
| the relationship Of communities (which should
have found, both in the interests of the present
and in the memories Of the past, the strongest
motives for mutual regard and confidence
| What has produced these general and unhap.
| by cOnvictions2
! 1t has been too apparent to escape the most
casual observation that, for some years past,
there has been manifested design, in the move
ments of influential political leaders, t, force the
country into an organization of parties founded
on the question of slavery.
The first introduction of this subject into party
politics eDgendered controversy wich has con-
stantly increased in extent and bitterness, ming
ling with, or usurping the place OF all other po.
litical questions, and giving to those party poll
| tics greater and more dangerous vehemence.-
Considerations of the public welfare seem to be
ct fO kQ for
unrestrained contention on this single and en-
crossing theme.
The two great parties in the country-the
Democratic and Republican-have been the
chief actors in this fatal contest, if not its au.
thors. Whether they have always exerted
themselves to allay the excitement TO which il
gave rise, or, on the contrary, have both of them
occasionally employed it for the promotion o
party purposes, it is not for US to determine. Il
is sufficient to note that the mind of the people
has been industriously exercised by this contest
to the service of sectional agitation, and that in
its progress the teachings of the fathers of the
Republic, the lights of history, the landmarks ol
constitutional power have been renounced, onr
old and revered traditions of policy spurned and
the welfare of the present and the hopes of the
future been brought into jeopardy in the alter
cations of passionate challenge and defiance be-
tween luo angry OtSputdutS.
1t is not our purpose to arraign or denounce
either of these parties for their past errors or
trangressions, but we regard it as an indsputa-
BILE fact that by their conflicts they have been
mainly instrumental in producing the present la
mentabe state of public affairs. 1t would be ca
sy to establish this position by reference to e.
vents in the recent history of the country, with
which the public is but two familiar but we
purposely abstain from all comments upon them,
as inconsistent with the limits of this address,
and as tending to revive controversies which it
is its object to allay. We will simply state that
the one, by its frequent and unnecessary intrusion
of the slavery question into politics, has exasper-
ated sectional feeling at the North and increased
the growing spirit of dsunion at the South,
while the other has been prompt to avail itself
of these opportunities for anti-savery agitation.
After having so long agitated the country by
their reciprocal assaults, these parties are now
preparing for sectional struggle far exceeding
of which may be disastrous to the country.
AS an indication of the character of this strug-
gle, of its objects and possible consequences, we
need only point to the significant fact, that a
convention has been called by one of these par
ties to select candidate for the Office of Chief
Magistrate of the Union, from which, by the ne
cessary logic of construction, fifteen States of
that Union are excluded.
Solemnly impressed with these facts, num-
Der of gentlemen from different parts of the
country, among whom were members of the
present Congress, and of Congresses Of former
date, recently assembled in the city of Washing
ton to deliberate on means for averting dangers
to which they may lead.
1t was the unanimous opinion of the meeting,
that immediate steps should be taken to organ
ize Unconstitutional Union Party" pledged to
support "the Union, the Constitution and the en-
forcement of the laws"
This organization was accordingly commenced
by the appointment of Central Executive
Committee" charged with the general direction
of the party and with the preparation of an ad-
dress to the people of the United States
We need not assure you, fellow-citizens, that
we approach this task with diffideDce and ankle
ty. We are aware of the difficulty which at
tends the endeavor, at any time, to persuade
men to abandon political associations to which
they are allied, either by interest or preference,
and we know how much that difficulty is in
creased when party attachment is heightened by
the ardor of expected success or infaned by the
zeal of opposition. But there are, nevertheless,
junctures when honest-hearted citizens will be
prepared, at any sacrifice of prejudice or opin-
ion, to perform this duty to their country.
1t is the policy of the dominant parties to un-
derrate the real strength of those whom disap-
probation, indifference, or disgust force into the
position of neutrals in political warfare The
ordinary tactics of parties teach them to dscour-
age those whom they cannot enlist. But the
fact is demonstrable that the number who occu-
py this position at all times, and more especially
at the present time, constitute most influential
portion of the whole people. If the investiga-
tion could be made, there is reason to believe it
would result in disclosing the fact that, as par
ties are now constituted little less than mil
lion voters will be driven out of the sphere of ac
i've participation in the coming election. The
old Wing strength OF the country will be found
to furnish no small contribution to this mass.
Even those of that association who have been
induced to take sides in recent elections with
one or the other opponent divisions, acknowl-
edged but scant tealty to their new leaders; and
the greater number of them will, it is believed,