Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-04-02
What a Southern Democratic Candidate for
the Presidency SAYS. aQf

|
The Hon. James Guthrie, Mr.. Pierce's Secre
tary of the Treasury, who was prominent can
lidate for the Presidency, and distinguished
member of the Peace Conference, made a speech
at Louisville, KY, flew days since, which VIC
find so strongly cOrroborative of what we sale
Yesterday, that we publish the following extracts
Speaking of guarantees he saId ssI say here to-
night that verify believe that a majority in the
Free States are ready to give us all required
guarantees and hold the Union together when
ever the people have an opportunity to SPEAK
and make their voices heard through the ballot
box. They will change their rulers and repre-
sentative men and elect those who will be will
ing to grant US all we desire. But it will take
time they have elected many of their member.
OF Congress and many of their Legislatures, and
|impracticable men were sent to the Peace Con
ference, and what we obtained we obtained from
many grudgingly. How should they have re-
sponded to the noble act OF Virginia appealing to
the North, when she knew that the Border Slave
States were shorn of their strength by seven Sc
ceding States going out of the Union7 They
should have recognized the action of the Peace
Conference, granted freely what we asked, and
referred it TO the people. The delay was unfor-
tunate, but the time will come when the people
will have an opportunity to speak, and when the
North does speak, and she is going to speak, il
will be in favor of the Union and the flag of oul
country, the flag of Liberty"
Respecting the policy of the present Executive
and of his party as we'll as of the reaction which
he thinks will certainly take place, he says: =
ssWe have had agitation enough; let us wait un
til August, when we have congressman and 8
| Legislature to elect. Lincoln, IN the meanwhile
is not going to make war on the South; Con
gress did not pass a force law; he has no army
and no means or authority to raise an army; he
can't collect the revenue on the ocean, for the
laws do not authorize it, and even his own party
| in Congress did not furnish men, means, or mo
ney, or authorize the collection OF revenue II
seeding ports, to bring on civil war Hi
hands were tied; he was bound to keep the peace
and listen to the voice of the American nation
which cries out, speace, no blood' It is inter
estng to know why the Force Bill, and the Law
for the collection of the revenue were not pass
ed. The Democrats and old line Wings OF Con
necticut held meetings and demanded peace, anG
in Pennsylvania also, both parties recommended
pacific measures in their conventions, and so the
Force Bill and coercive measures were arrested
and postponed in Difference to the popular senti
ment for peace. l know many men who voted
for Lincoln who are for peace, and opposed to
war as much as or any other man in the lan0
| can be-. Mr. Lincoln is an honest man from all
learn; he was not my candidate, and If God lets
me live, will never vote for a sectional Presi
dental candidate: man must be all for the
Union, and march under the flag of the Unior
But Mr.. Lincoln will be restrained, even If he
were otherwise inclined, by the voice and will o.
the American people, and there will be no wal
unless they disregard all law and Constitution
and are the most bloodthirsty wretches in the
world, which do not believe.'
| And, in regard to the future of the country
the duty of the patriot to rise above party (Which
we commend to his disappointed followers and
the policy Of the Border Slave States, he says
ssTherefore l say to Kentucky, stand firm, ane
be sure of what you will get in exchange before
you unite with. the Confederated States. At tht
next Presidential election, tie people will cleo
a man free from all faint of freesoilism or abOli
tionism; healthy sentiment and feeling for th'
Union has been awakened, and it will place
popular ruler in the Executive chair. Let us a
wait these events with patience and receive will
humiliation our present calamity, for not listen
ing to the teachings of wisdom and the warning
of Washington against sectional and geographi
cal parties, and that we have thought more o
party than the interests of the country 1t j
hard for man to quit his party-it is like bein
exiled from ones native land, but patriotism
will rise above all party feeling and cling to tn
Interests of the whole Union rather than of
lpart. We will secure the best interests of Lou
Iisvile, of Kentucky, and of all the Border State
by standing true to each other, acting in concert
and advancing the ablest men in the land to pub
lie positions, to get all requisite security, an
induce the States to return to their first love an
their true position. [Lynchburg Virginian.