Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-05-26
Speech of Col. John B. Baldwin.

+, Awake to grief and care.
| Speech of Col. John B. Baldwin.
The following is synopsis of the excellent
speech delivered by COL Baldwin in the recent
Conservative Convention which nominated the
State ticket. Want of space has prevented its
publication in this paper heretofore. 1t will
| be read with interest He said:
| Mr. President-I am we'll aware that [ ap-
pear before this Convention under very embar-
RAISING and difficult circumstances. | should
| be more or less than man 1t | could be lnsen-
sible to the manifestations of kindness and con-
fdence which have received so frequently not
| only here, but on many occasions in my past
life, from my friends and fellow citizens in Vir
ginia. / am, indeed, profoundly sensible of
the kindness that has been manifested towards
me; but as my friends become more and more
kind and confding in me, feel the duty of
! dealing with them fairly and honestly increase
until it becomes absolutely imperative L feel
myself under obligations TO return for this kind
ness and confidence perfect candor and straight
| forward integrity in dealing with them. When
| [ was brought to the notice OF this Convention
last night | stated at the first opportunity that
| [ was earnestly and honestly convinced that
was not the proper person for this nomination
| | said then what, upon more careful and calm
consideration am satisfied was true and cor
rect, that [ am not the man. There is no po-
sition in this Commonwealth that could be be-
slowed upon me that would regard as high
er honor or more fattering testimonial of re
gard than the nomination of this Convention. -
None whatever. And | beg to assure my
friends that nothing of dsinclination for the la
Dor, or the time, or the sacrifices that might be
necessary in the campaign. mlnges In this con-
clusion to which | have arrived am willing
to do and to suffer anything or everything in
such cause and at such crisis. Applause.
But | am persuaded into absolute conviction
that am not the man for the OCCASION and
feel bound SO to say to this body. In convey
ing to you the reasons which have induced this
conviction on my part. hope the Convention
will indulge me while make some remarks of
personal character Whatever of favor may
have gained from the people of Virginia think
is founded to some extent upon some peculiar
ity of character, temper, and disposition on my
part, which while they gain me friends, do oc
casionally leave behind me enemies. have
been eyer conscious that at every turn in the
history of my life | have been greatly indebted
to the kindness and forbearance of friends, who
have overlooked faults and mistakes in my
public career in the confidence that | meant to
do what was honest and right. | have received
from friends; but if [ am put up as the
standard bearer of the Conservative party Of
Virginia | could not expect such courtesy from
our opponents; and every fault and every mis-
take Of my past course would be brought TOR
ward, not against me as an individual, but
against the party which put me in nomination.
and would furnish means of diyerting the at
! tention of the people from the enormities and
villainies of the Constitution to the personal
motives of the candidate. have never care
fully preserved my record, but feel convinced
of the plain fact that there may be that in it
which though my friends would overlook, my
enemies would not. ! say again. | don't be-
lieye am the man My friends from Halifax
(Mr Edmunds( and from Pittsylyania Mr.
Sutherlin) have truly presented the views with
which | came to this Convention. [ don't
think that we ought to recognize, as these gen.
tlemen say, the idea of such thing but, in
the first place, prudent regard for the exigen-
cies which might arise requires the selection Of
men who will be ready for any turn things may
take We are going into contest with willy
without sacrifice of principle that we are
bound to do in this emergency. Now, if there,
is sacrifice of principle between the selection
of two persons, one who is eligible under the
constitutional amendment, and the other is
not-both true to their State-I cannot see it.
[ know of no sacrifice of principle in this
There would be a sacrifice Of self-respeot and
principle, however, in the selection Of man
who could take the iron clcd oath. [ can read
lily see a line of demarkation here. But as be-
tween two gentlemen, alike true Virginians,
who are with US in sentiment, feeling opinions,
and acknowledgment two such persons one of
whom is disfranchised under the constitutional
amendment and the other is notI say [ can
see no Iline which divides them. 1t is a mere
question of expedency, involving no sacrifice of
principle in any shape that [ can see Now,
take this case | am disfranchised. For what !?
| Not because | held position referred to by my
associate in that act Mr.. S. McD. Moore) in
| the Confederate Congress- not because / COM
manded regiment in the Confederate States
army; but BECAUSE some twenty odd years ago,
| | was an alderman in the town of Staunton =
Laughter. That is the ground of my dis
franchisement. could point to men in Vir-
| ginia who are not disfranchised who have com
| mitted higher crimes and offences than that of
being an alderman OF the town of Staunton-
Take, for instance, my friend Colonel Withers,
who has, think, committed several larger Of
fences than that; and General Walker also !;
yet both these gentlemen, earnest as they are,
/ determined as they are to make resistance to
any Infringement upon the peace and honor of
the State, it so happens have not fallen within
the prohibition of any amendment to the Con-
stitution gotten up on purely artificial princ-
Piles. see no principle which divides or dis
eliminates between them and me, but | do see
expedency In such a discrimination. In Geor
gia, where gentleman came forward who was
obnoxious to the Howard amendment, General
Meade-who, suppose is no less respectable
than General Schofield-at once announced that
he should not run. Why not? Because he
could not hold Office if elected, and no votes
cast for him would be counted. What was the
result? He had to withdraw from the canvass.
Then came forward General Gordon--a man
who had been most conspicuous in the Confed-
crate service-a young officer who had rendered