Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-12
Address of Gov. Hunt, the President of the
Constitutional Union Convention, at the
close of the session of that body.


the courtesy, and the cooperation which |
have received from every side, to sustain me
in the discharge of the arduous duties OF
presiding officer of this Convention. The
spirit of harmony, the intuitive sense OF or
der and decorum which have prevailed here,
have made the duties of the Chair compare
lively light and easy. And believe it may
be said that in the course of our dellbera-
tons, not sentiment has been uttered which
any gentleman would wish to withdraw, and
not an unknd or unfriedly alluson, not a
speech has been made to disturb the harmo-
ny, the good will, and the affection which
has animated this Convention in all its pro-
ceedings from its commencement down to Its
happy and glorious termination.
| may 90 further, say that in the discus
sion of the great princi pies involved in the
contest before US, in reviewing the crisis up
on the country, and the condition of our pub
lie affairs, not a sentiment has been uttered,
not a thought has been expressed which
might not have been listened to with pleasure
and approval, even by the father of his coun-
try, if he were now here to give his smiling
benediction on the labors of the representa-
tivcs assembled here.
This is indeed memorable day in the his
tory of our country. At season OF dlscord
and strife, when the kindly relations be-
tween the States of our Republic have been
disturbed, when the fountains of national
feeling have been poisoned and embittered,
when the people of one part have been taught
to regard the people of another section of the
country with aversion and prejudice and ieal-
dow hot 10
still body of patriots in this land, North
and South, who can still come together and
embrace each other hand to hand, and ex-
change the noblest affections of the heart
and make as you have made here to-day,
renewed vows of fidelity to the Union and the
Constitution of your country-new vows for
preserving all those glorious institutions
which we have received from our ancestors.
(Applause.
Gentlemen, I congratulate you, congrat-
ulate the country, upon the suspicious terml-
nation of your labors. 1t has gratitied me
beyond expression, and | am sure you have
all participated in the pleasure, to see gen.
tlemen from different States Of the Union
coming together to Interchange sentiments,
to look each other fairly in the face, to as
to be, one united affectionate family of free
men. (Applause.) We have Frightened the
chain of union, and have lyen new guaran-
tees by the action and proceedings Of this
body, for the perpetuity of our glorious in
situations.
All will know and feel from this time forth
that there is patriotic band extending
from the hills of Maine and the VALUES of
New England, to the Savannahs of Georgia,
and the extreme of the Gulf of Mexico, which
will be found ready in every crisis and emer-
gency, where the sound Of danger is heard,
to come forward and unite in a glorious et-
fort to preserve our Constitution and Union.
More than that gentlemen, you have not
only shown that there is power to preserve
the Constitution and the Union OF the States
as a positive political relation between indie
pendent political communities, but you have
shown that the peace of the Union, the good
will, the fraternal feelings which give to the
Union its essential and vital value, shall be
cherished and preserved, and that we will
never consent to lose any part of these g lori
Gus privileges and advantages which the
Union was intended to perpetuate. Great
applauSe.)
In the broad galaxy of names presented
for the consideration of this Convention, in
the choice of it's candidates for the high Off
ces to be filled by the people, it was not
strange that there should be some diversity
of sentiment 1t would be indeed strange
were ii not so.
Who might not honestly doubt and hest
tate when we are compelled to choose be-
tween such names as John Bell, John j.
Crittenden, William A. Graham, Sam Hous-
ton, and others presented to this Convention;
(applause;) names worthy of the cause, wor-
thy of the principles, an honor to the country
to which they belong; names under any of
which we would be proud to rally and 90
forth conquering and to conquer. But after
canvassing the merits, the claims, and the
advantages of the various candidates whose
names were thus presented, upon a free in
tcrchange of sentiment, in spirit of patriotic
compromise and concession, you finally ar
rived at Il conclusion, in which the whole
country will rejoice. You have nominated
John Bell, of Tennessee, and Edward Ever
EFT. (Applause.)
1t would be out Of place for me, upon this
occasion, and at this late hour, to detain you
by any culogium upon the character and SER
vices of those distinguished men; but in JUS
tice to my own feelings | cannot forbear to
state that John Bell is one of the men who
had not Oh y deep place in my affections
but in whose integrity and PATRIOTISM and
capacity to administer the affairs Of this gov
ernment, my Judgment, my reason, find as
surance that he is the man of all men to dis
charge those duties in the spirit and in the
manner which is required in the present
posture of our public affairs. (Applause.)
| know him well. 1t was my good fortune
to be associated with him, in a subordinate
relation, to be sure, in the councils of our
country. And in times of doubt and diff
cutv, in common with others who were aoSO-
ciated with me, we deemed it did for one
our surest refuge to call upon him to OBJ
tain the result of his deliberations, the ret!ec-
tons of his own unclouded intellect and
heartfelt patriotism, which have always been
displayed in every emergency, every season
of difficulty which has come upon US in the
course of our national career, during the
time in which be has been connected with
the public service.
lie is man of eminent intellectual abili-
ty, of perfect candor, of moderation, and L
sense Of Justice which never swerves from
doing right; a bold, fearless, courageous man,
but one who knows when to be bold. Such
is the man required in the present emergency.
Who can forget, North or South, that in
the struggle which has been referred to by