Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-12-25
Hon. Reverdy johnson before United States
Supreme Court

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on Thursday last, Mr.. johnson asked the indul-
gence of the Court to refer to the present condi-
tion of the country, and then delivered the pero-
ration which we give below:
May it please your Honor, indulge me with a
word or two before conclude.
This may be the last time that the Court will
sit in peaceful Judgment on a Constitution &C.
knowledged and obeyed by all. God, in His
providence, and for our SINS may, in his inscru-
table wisdom, suffer the folly and wickedness OF
this generation to destroy the falrest, noblest
fabric of constitutional freedom ever erected by
man. Its whole history, from the first moment
of its operation even to the present hour, bears
evidence OF its unrivaled excellence. Our coun-
try, our whole country, has, from the first, pros
pered under it, and because Of ii, with rapidty,
and in manner, before or since, unknown to
nations. That prosperity vindicates the wisdom
and patriotism of its good and great founders. {
Is this prosperity now to cease2 Is it now to
be dashed to the eartha Are the hopes of civil
lied man, the world over, now to be blasted q
Are we to become the jest, the scorn, the detes-
tation of the people of the earth Is all memo
ry and reverence for the great dead, who, living,
we admired and adored, to be now forgotten -
Is all gratitude for the mighty trying struggle of
our fathers now to end2 Are the warnings, the
world now to be disregarded and despised? Is
the country of Washington, oonsecrated by his
valor, wisdom and virtue to freedom and peace,
now to be converted into wild scene of disor,
der, fraternal strife, bloodshed, ware May hea-
ven in mercy forbid!
May it stay the arm of the mailman. arrest it
in its mad career before it strikes the fatal par
ricidal blow. May it give time for reason and
patriotism to resume their swayi May it re-
move the decisions of the misguided strengthen
the efforts of the patriotic; impart heavenly fire
to the elOquence of the faithful statesman; si-
lence, by the universal voice of the good and
true men of the nation, the offerings Of treason
now tanting the air and shocking the ear of pat
riotism, and the winnings of imbecility now dis
couraglng and sickening the honest public heart!
May it, above all, rekindle that fraterDal love
which bound us together by ties stronger, inf
nitely stronger, than any which mere govern
ment can create, during tho whole of our revo.
lutionary struggle. and has since cheered Us on
in our pathway to the power and renown which
ration of the world
Bat, IT all shall fail us, and ruin come ifchaos,
worse than Chaos is to be our fate the spirits of
those who have departed, and the survivors who
have administered justice in this tribunal in the
general wreck and wretehedness that will eDsue,
will be left this consolation: that their recorded
Judgments, now, thank God, the rich inheritance
OF the world, and beyond the spoilers reach,
will, till time shall be no more, testify TO the
spotless integrity, the unsurpassed wisdom, the
ever bright patriotism of the men who, from the
first, have served their country in this temple,
sacred to justice and duty, and to the matchless
wisdom OF our fathers, who heaueatied it and
commended it to the perpetual reverence and
support OF their sons, and remain never dying
dishonor and reproach to the sols who shall
have caused or permitted its destruction.
The Great Gin Man Of the World is from
Virginia.
Udolpho Wolfe, now the largest manufacturer
of Gin in the World, is by birth Virginian.-
He was born in Richmond. He is the seventh
son of Major Benjamin Wolfe, deceased, who was
an officer of the American Revolution.
Of these sons only are living: Joel, alluded
to hereafter and Nat Wolfe, the great criminal
lawyer OF Kentucky for the last twenty years.
Originally taken to Kentucky by Henry Clay,
Nat Wolfe retained the friendship of the great
statesman to the last hour of his life. Udolpho
Wolfe removed to the city of New York in 1926
and entered the counting house of his elder broth
er, Joel Wolfe, who was then largely engaged in
the importation of brandy and gin from France
cation and energetic perseverance soon gave him
prominent position ia the house of his brother,
and when he reached the age of 81 he became a
partner.
In 1889 that brother established the first dis
tillery in Schiedam (Holland) ever undertaken
by an American, and it yet continues, and is the
place where the famous WoLFE's SoHIEDAM AR
oMATIo SCHNAPPs is now manufactured.
In l84S the senior partner of the house retired
from ACTIVE tod a large
fortune. In that same year Udolpho Wolfe made
the fortunate discoveries that led to the manu-
facture of his now northumberland ssSchiedam
Schnapps.''
Udolpho Wolfe, although amerchant, has ever
taken prominent interest in the political ques-
tons of the day, especially in stern, though dis
interested, opposition to each and every political
party or leader who aimed to disturb the sacred
institutions of the South, where he was born.
In any matter that affected Virginia or her
leading men, whether of the present or of the
glorious past, Mr.. Wolfe has taken a deep and
patriotic interest. When the removal of the re-
mains OF the lamented Monroe, who had been a
warm personal friend of Mr.. Wolfes father, as
well as Of himself, was resolved upon, no man
took more active part than Mr.. Wolfe.
When the Seventh Regiment returned to New
York, Mr.. Wolfe compiled and published book,
with full narrative of everything connected with
the obsequies of the late ex-President, at an ex-
pense of three or four thousand dollars. This
book also contained full description of the
famous Seventh Regiment, and also biographi-
cal sketches of the principal officers. 1t con-
tanned 346 pages. 1t has become book of his
tory.
Mr.. W. presented the Seventh Regiment with
], 200 copies, and also presented through Gov.
Wise and the Mayor of Norfolk, copies of the
book to all the principal civil and military Off
GERS, and, in addition, he placed copy in every
public library in the different States. Not only
Southern himself, he married lady of Mobile
Alabama.
In closing this article, we merely desire to say
that the history Of this eminent energetic mer-
chant gives the lie to the oft-repeated charge
that the South produces no commercial men OF
distinction Mr.. Wolfe is the most extensive
merchant in his branch of commercial manufac-
ture that has ever lived in this Union.
A NAIL DRIVEN IN SURE PLACE Some may
say that it is useless, and worse than useless
now, to indulge in elimination. They may
think that, as the trouble is upon US, we should
prepare to meet it without inquiring by whom,
or by what means it was precipitated. This is
not our view of the case but whilst decided as
to the policy of looking the danger fairly in the
face, and OF meeting it like men; we are for
holding the guilty authors responsible for the
consequences of their act Believing, as we do,
that the Democratic party produced the Repub
lican party and nurtured its growth, we do not
hesitate to ssy so, and charge that they will be
indirectly, at least, accountable for the dsrup
ton and ruin of the Republic if such shall be the
melancholy sequel We say more than this -
That, if Mr.. Breckenridge had been elected, and
the spoils OF government had been continued in