Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-11-19

John Z. Calhoun, then Secretary of War, ten
dering my resignation as cadet. This | en-
closed in note to Colonel Thayer, requesting
him to forward it to the Department at Wash
ington; and little Dick scampered off with the
important document to Head Quarters.
To be continued.
THE OOPER INSTITUTE MEETING.
SPEECH OF HON. DANIEL w. VOORHEES, OF
INDIANA
| AT the Democratic ratification meeting, held
at the Cooper Institute in New York, on
Thursday evening, October 3lst., Hon. Daniel
w. Vorhees, of Indiana, spoke as follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN Il arise in your
presence tonight with mingled feelings of pride
and embarrassment. | live in distant State,
towards the setting sun. Mountains, rivers,
and vast prolific valleys separate my home from
yours Fifty years ago, the dark line of the
Western frontier lay along the banks of the
| beautiful Wabash. The light of civilization
and prosperity was burning brightly here, but
It's rays were struggling ieebly there IN the
forests, and on the wide plains OF the Vest
Now all is changed, and [ come to you from
the seat of present and future empire. Throng-
|
Mississippi The soil, the mighty soil, that
kindly, fertile mother Of all national wealth, is
the source OF Western power. Agriculture, In
giant dimensions, stands as the lofty pyramid
of our glory. Around it, in natural array, but
in subordinate proportions, stand the great forms
OF commerce, merchandise, and the traffic of
nations. 1t is my pride to be identified, how
ever humbly, with the rapidly swelling central
population OF the American continent, and to
be a follower OF and supporter OF that tremen-
dous agricultural interest at whose command
cities rise like magic on the coast and plain,
railroads stretch away, and pulsate like living
arteries throughout the earth, and ships, freight
ed like the argosies Of old, swarm on every
ocean, and fill every sea- And though this vast
concourse might well embarrass one of higher
and prouder pretenSlons than mine In the pub
c arena, yet, as representative to some eX-
tent, at least, of this controlling interest, and of
the people who possess it, | feel pride Of
country in salutlng the citizens of this great
capital of commerce as fellow citizens Oh the
West--in hailing this queenly emporium Of
trade, as she sits here by the sea, surprising in
splendor ancient Tyre or Sidon with more than
imperial robes about her, and a tiara ofjeweled
wealth on her stately head as the legitimate
child, the glorious offspring OF that welded love
which since Adam first ate bread In the sweat
OF his face has existed between agricultural toll
and the generous bosom of the earth, our moth
er. A common interest thus links together the
city and the farm, the merchant and the hus-
bandman, the shipowner and the man who in
the plain garb holds the plough and drives the
reaper. With these views, and In this spirit, L
shall speak to night OF the great overshadowing
question on which the American people have
been passing Judgment, from the Atlantic to
the Pacific ocean, and on which New York is
to decide next Tuesday. | shall discuss what
Is styled Congressional reconstruction OF the
| SOuth-nOt, however, as Southern question,
| but as national question, to be decided on
Northern soil, by Northern men, and In accord
ance with the local interests of every portion OF
the North. appear not as the attorney OF
distant cIent but rather to plead with the peo-
pie OF New ork In their own behalf. And IT
any Southern politician who is engaged In seek
ing miserable alliance with the Radical rule
and ruin OF his country, should raise his hands
and exclalm that | am iujuring his prospects
and his cause, to him reply, that the Democ-
racy OF the North are battling for the suprema-
cy on this mighty question without reference to
the future OF individuals or parties, but because
OF Its national import as a question OF free gov
ernment, OF industrial progress of agricultural
advancement, OF commercial prosperity, and OF
civilization ITSELF ten States OF this Christian
country. Fellow citizens, two years and a halt
land Since then the drum beat has not called
to battle nor the cnsanguned earth drank the
life blood OF the flower Of American youth
But except that the cannon no longer opens It's
murderous mouth, what blessing has this long
period of peace in the hands of the dominant
party brought to our distracted country? Peace
came in with illuminations and joy, by the light
OF which the very stars grew pale overhead be-
cause with the advance OF peace the people
| ,cn1 lo,,. Of
ings chief amongst which, and conspicuous In
its subimity, was to be restored Unon-re-
stored on the principles Of constitutional hber-
| ty The destructive heresy that States had
successfully seeded and were out of the Union
was then unknown to the Northern mind The
Radical party had not yet dared to unfold this
perfdious scheme of disunon. The hideous
face of the Prophet of Khorassan was yet veiled
to his deluded followers. The same men and
the same party which now hold that ten States
are out of the Union and that they shall not
return, except upon the condition of negro su-
| premacy,s at every stage Of the war, from day
to day, from year to year-from Sumter to APP
pomattox- to the American people
and to the listening nations of Europe that we
were engaged in suppresslng an insurrection,
not of States, but of peoples; that we were en-
forcing laws and upholding institutions, and not
violating or overturning them, and that upon
the close OF SCrlIC Tue OtdtoS WOuiu SCduU tLcy
did before-their attitude unchanged, their
powers unimpaired This is fair statement OF
the record made by Congress and its allies du-
ring the war. It is embraced in the justly cele-
brated Crittenden resolutions, which were a
formal solemn promise and appeal to the coun-
try and the world 1t was enacted into law
when Congress apportoned the Southern States
during the war for purposes of representation,
and received from them members and Senators.
When for judicial purposes the entire South al
: the same time was distrcted, and when for rev.
5 enue purposes those States were taxed as in the
; Union under the Constitution, the Cabinet oi
, MIR. Lincoln were in open accord with this poll
cy, and Mr.. Lincoln himself acted upon it III
his recognition of Louisiana and North Carroll
MIA, and in all the various proclamations which
= he addressed to the country. But why do
recall these ell-known and familiar facts of his
t tory to this reading and highly intelligent au
dience? [ do so in order to properly charac
terize the present attitude of false and treach