Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-05-22

lions, which were soon to be detern lined
by the dread arbitrament of the Sword
wnen men We're with anxious the lights
turning 10 the wisest statesmen to rescue
them from the evils which three tened
Breckinridge was, without his 1.onsemi
and contrary to his wishes, nor oinated
by the National Democratic Cor .vant,on
assembled at Baltimore, a., thu, Demo.
cratic candidate for the P. esideI lev. You
know the result. The time h ad come
90 much dreaded by the founders of the
Republic, when the p eople of the coun-
try were divided into sectional parties.
ana the stronger section prevailed
Brecklnridge was defeated, and Mr..
Lincoln was elected President of the
United States. AL men saw the peril
In Which the country was placed, and
the wise and pa triotic men of Kentucky
again called foI the services of Breckin-
ridge in the emergency, and be was
elected to the SENATE of the United States.
1t was know1l that his sympathies were
OF course WI tn the South, yet it was
equally well known that he was anxious
to avert " ar, the fearful consequences
OF which b too well foresaw, and that
he was an xious to preserve the Union
If it coul d be done consistently with
honor ansl the great principles which
had governed his political life. No por-
ton OF his life more strikingly brought
out the remarkable traits and elements
OF his character than did this short term
OF service as United States Senator.
The passions of men were then
thoroughly sreused, sectional animosity
and hatred were fsrcely excited, pre-
parations Were openly made for war, one
after another the Southern States with
drew from the Union and their Repre-
sentativres in Congress retired from their
seats. Breckenridge at last Of all the
Southern men, remained. His State
had declared her position to be that OF
neutrality. He knew how impossible ii
was to maintain such position, yet he
determined as her Representative to dc
all in his power to the last to prevent
an actual appeal to arms and shedding
of blood. Firm, composed and self.
reliant, conscious Of his own integrity
with the dignity and high resolve of an
ancient Roman Senator, he remained
at his post, speaking his convictions
aud pleading for the constitution, with
all the solemnity BETTING the occasion
and with all the earnestness of his grea1
nature, until he saw that there was nc
longer hope. when in one of the mos1
solemnly eloquent and impressive ad.
dresses ever delivered in a deliberative
body he announced his determination tt
resign the trust confided to him and re-
turn to his people, having despaired O.
being able to do anything towards avert
ing the ruin impending over the govern.
ment. Those only who knew the man
can understand the struggle which II
cost him, thus to have gone through this
trying ordeal.
His friends from the South had gone
from the Senate, and although the State
authorities Of Kentucky had assumed 8
neutral position for that State, vet hel
people were overwhelmingly for the
cause of the South in the impending
contest. Breckenridge knew that many
very many, of those whose good opin
ion he valued most highly, were com
menting unfavorably upon his course in
remaining in the Senate he knew, too,
that he was an object of suspicion with
the Federal authorities and Representa-
tives from the North, yet he was tran.
quill, conscious of the rectitude of his
course, and impressed with a solemn
sense of his duty in this dread hour Of
his country's history. AS questions O
moment Were coming up in rapid sue
cession for discussion and decision, un.
awed by the presence only of those who
were then his enemies, he expressed his
views with dignity and power, and with
out fear gave to unwilling ears the sol
emn warnings of the results which were
to follow the course pursued. It was
only when he saw that all was in vain
that the mighty rush of passion could
not be stayed, that blOed was already
shed-that he quietly and with digni-
dignity retired to his native State. Thus
ended forever his political life, and he is
to be known thereafter not for his tri
umphs in debate or for his intellectual
encounters in the Legislative halls of thu
country, he is but to be seen in the tent
ed field and conspicuous among thos.
who should mingle in the deadly strife
yet stillalways leader.
After his return to Kentucky, he re.
manned quietly at his home, determined
to share the fate of his State, cautious
prudent, and reserved, although deep
~ interested observer of the great events
transporting in such rapid succession il
the country. He was not, however, Ions
permitted to remain quiet and unmolest
ed. The Federal authorities were ieal
Gus OF the great influence which he hac
with his fellow men and fearful that he
might use it to the prejudice of the Fed.
eral cause, and although they could moi
charge him with any act inconsistent
y with the position of neutrality which
his State had assumed, it was deter
mined to arrest and imprison him as one
whose liberty was dangerous to Their
cause. This determination being COM
municated to him, he at once passed
ever to the lines of the Confederate gov
eminent where he was received with
glad shouts of welcome. 1t was impos-
sible for him, then in the vigor of his
manhood, to remain longer an inactive
spectator of the great contest then COM
menced. He had been forced from Ken.
lucky to the Confederacy; his svmpa.
thies were thoroughly with the Confed.
crates who were contending for princi.
pies, which had been the great princi-
pies Of his political life. He, too, was
ready to fight for them. His military SER
vice commenced with the rank of Brig.
General from which he was promoted
in 1862 to the rank of Major General.
L cannot undertake here to fellow him
IN the remarkable career through which
he passed as a military man, or to emu
merate the brilliant feats of arms OF
splendid strategy which indicated him
as one OF the great Generals of the late
war. When you speak of him as a mil
itary man, the mind reverts to Shiloh
Corinth, Vicksburg, Chickamauga
Missionary Ridge, and other memorable
engagements in the South and West, and
to New Market, Cold Harbor, Monocacy
and other famous battles in the East
The reports OF these battles cannot be
preserved without making perpetual the
record of his gallantry and his ability as
= soldier and leader. 1t has long been
a matter of discussion as to the relative
merits intellectually of the statesm an
and the successful military man.
Whilst both require very high order
of intellect, yet the history of the world
presents very few instances of the man
who had been eminent in the walks of
civil or political life, who had afterwards
taken high position as military man.
Breckenridge soon gave evidence that
he was one of these rare exceptions
Possessing in an eminent degree those
personal qualities which attract men.
and which enable the possessor to i'm.
press himself upon them, he was able to
fill his troops with an enthusiasm and
ir,I hi I.