Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-03-14
ENQUIRER-EXTRA.
RICHMOND, FRIDAY, 1f1aR CHI ID, 1884
AN ADDR EGSS
TO THE
PAOPlhL@ Q(Q Hy1RGa1IYrAo
BY THE
eIi'c5'jgy Of tie Legislature,
on THE .,
DBp0S1PB QUESTION:
AND
PRESENT CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY.


PRESENT CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY.
At meeting February IS, 1884 Of Of the minority
purpose taking into subject of the
e@oyS the dcpSs!ss from the Bank Of the United States
called to the chair and H. a. Garland, delegate from
resolved that committee be appointed to DRAFT an address to
the citizens Of Virginia {, the preen, condition of
minority were acuaed, in the course they deemed their
And, at adjourned meeting March lst, committee
appointed to dral said address, reported the sane which
by the secretary and six thousand copies printed
and distributed among es SGea 'zsS1 Ys Chairman
Hugh "a Garland, Secretary.
After having maturcy and calmly reflected the
extraordinary state of parties exhibited during the
present session of the Legislatureafter having dis
covered that the thought it duty to pur-
sue in reference to the Executive interference
ing the national deposites be removed from the Bank
of the United States, has been msinterprcted and
after having learnt with regret, that the country in
every direction, is in distracted condion-that the
minds of the people disturbed and unsettled, not
only on the bank question, but the great constu-
tona principles of our government,-we, portion of
the representatives of the people, deeply feeling the inn
portance of the crisis and the responsibility of
station, hold 1t to be duty, faithful sennels, to
send forth address to the good citizens of Vir-
ginia, stating distinctly and unequvocally the prn-
cipes which have guided i'm recent course,the
motives which have influenced us and the views which
we entertain on the present condition and circlnl-
stances of the country
AT this moment, fellow citizens, you called to
deliberate questions of vital mportance,to act on
subjects involving fearful consequences: There is need
for all your camness and dispassonate consideration
The fate of our country To be suspended it
Were, by single thread The least ndscretion your
part, single false move may plunge you into of
troubles from which you will never be able exricate
yourselves: spark rashly thrown amidst an excited
multitude, may kinde flame whose widespread and
consuming fires will cease only with the destruction of
our republican institutions, our peace, and our liberty.
Revolutions fellow citizens are progressive in their
courses and like the ruthless hand of time they spare
neither the good the bad the noble and generous
works of freemen, well the cruel engines of des-
pots, fall beneath their resistless stroke. When the
work of u revolution has commenced in despotc go
vernment, however tardy in its operations may be,
however much be resisted by the hand of power
later it will be finally consummaled, by erect
ing on the ruins of fallen dynasty, government of
the people. DO you discover any signs of revolution
in the land of freemen? small speck i'm the horizon
little cloud like mans hand? then haste we, and set
your house in order, for is coming OH. Yes,
felowcltlzens that memorable will spare not
moment the sublime institutions created by your ia
theirs, for the preservation of freedom and of Justice
will spurn with equal Indifference, the asylum erected
for the wandering of the human race and move
steadily onward in his course bringing i'm its train tu-
mults and riots connections and civil wars; and as
as the darkness follows in the path of the sum-
sure will the dark night of despotsm close in upon this
succession OF caiamitles These the warnings of
history We con ure you therefore, elowcitizens, by
all that you hold dear, not to suffer yourselves be
excited in this controversy.
every corner of the land, whose aim is deceive and
mislead the multitude; who promise medicine, but
administer poison who hatter in order to deceive
who affect love ALL and show pity none men Who
eXaggerate and misdeve the distress of the laborng
classes in order to make them turbulent and discourage
every plan for their relief in order keep them so.
These political EMPIRES arc the rank growth of every
soil, and of every cline. No countryno age has been
freed from their presence wherever found their ends
have been the same. Whatever means used, whether
spoken printed addresses, whether periodical journals
OH
have ever been the same their process the same-to
infuse vindictive and discontinued fncies into minds
already irritable and suspicous to coat the tongue oi
gd and spread acormcood on The paidfe; and, by thus
joining political calumny with private SANDER, to under
mine and uprcot every principle, every feeling that
binds the citizen to his country. Not by reasoning
for from that there is no danger-bu by the mere habit
of hearing the institutions and the officers of his coun-
try reviled and scolled at with mpunty. Few can
stand the keen of rdicule the more bolster
volies of caumny Norman desires to be eproached
and pointed at slave of government the parasite
of power. Such is the weakness of the human heart
such is the dread of the idle school-boy's sneer
that many made to shrink from their duty: yea
duped into the ranks of the rever, and into the
seat of the sconer merely because they have the
moral courage to contemn the vile arts the false de-
nunciations OF the calumnious ncendiary The potent
influence of these engines their resisess power
the minds of men, daily and felt in your halls
of legislation. Fellow-ctzens you must take the
cause into your own hands. You have interest to
subserve, save that of your counry examine, there
fore for yourselves search for facts weigh them de-
liberaely and then be we judges, and not partizans
divorce yourselves from all favor Partially, afec
ton to men or their interests you only hope
only refuge. Let not Virginia, them be unmind-
full of her former deeds let her not forget the many
days of peril through which she has already passed:
The time has come, when she encounter still great
perils. We look to Virginia with strong hope and
feel an assurance that she will do her duty. We hope
her rousng herself like strong man. from Sleep
and putting on her nvncibe armor, kndlng her undaz.
zled eye in the full beams of her former glory, and
pluming her mighty wing for a new and more arduous
flight. %,
With this hope, we enter cheerfully the task
which we have undertaken and request your patient
attention to the facts and arguments about
present to you for consideration.
In order TO perfect understanding of the inn