Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-04-20
Meeting Of the WIiig Members CT
the General Assembly.

mond, on Saturday. The 9th OF April, on
motion of VIM D. Massey, Esq, of Alex
. andria, Alexander Rives. Esq, Of Abe
marie, was called 10 the Char and Oliver
r. Baldwin, Esq, Of Richmond, appointed
Secretarymn u
On motion Of S. Patrick, Esq.,, of Ka-
4nawha, lit was resolved that committee
be appointed by the chairman to prepare
and report resolutions ana an address TO
the people of. f.Eirgia:a. i Tha chairman pp-
: pointed the 'iollowing gentlsmeq ;-Massis.
John, D. Imbodtil, Nicholson johnson,
Vincet Witcher, Hugh w. Sbefey. Joseph
Segar, and Thomas Creigh. On motion Of
Mr.. Patrick, the chairman~was added to
the committee, ~ :,i /:
/ The following address, and resolutions
were reported By the committee = Morn
ing .MaH.
AN APPEAL TO TIE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA. .
Constrained by sense Of responsibility
to their immediate constituents and the
people of the State, the Whig members Of
the General Assembly earnestly invite pub
lie attention to certain acts OF that body,
manIssting, in an alarming degree, the
misclleyous' policy.of the Democratic par1
ty. They would make this appeal in no
mere partIzan, spirit. The acts of which
they complain, deserve in their opinion.
the condemnation of all, candid and inde-
pendent freemen,, who maintain: and exer-
else the rights of pEigate Judgment, against
| the dictation of party organs and leaders.
It can be truly asserted that no paltry de-
sire to secure party advantage has suggest
ed this appeal; it has sprung from higher
motive; it has been coerced by sense of
duty,to the whole people OF the State, with
out distinction .of parties, under perfect
knowledge of the efforts that will doubtless
be made to close the public mind against
its fair consideration by the usual war-cry
that is: employed 10 arouse the passions and
prejudices ofparty. Apprehensions of this
sort cannot deter them from this challenge
of the public judgment and scrutiny to the.
course of the Democratic party IN the As.
sembIy and fno other voice shall be raised
in it's reprobation, they will not be the less
satisfied that lAey have discharged their
duty to the public, nor less prepared to as
cribe such result to the unfortunate ten-
dency of high party excitement, TO smoth-
er the voice of reason and justice. 1t is
not to be understood, however, that they
intend hereby to.Ielax the bonds of their
party organization, or to court the suffra-
ges Of the people on conditions inconsistent
with their principles, On tbe contrary,
there is, every thing in the course of the
State and Federal administrations 10 ad-
monlsh them of the duty and necessity of
clinging the more closely to their orgsniza-
tion as aigreat national, conservative party,
and of cherishing the more earnestly that
sound, genuine Republicanism, which lies
at its foundation and which opposes to tue
Sense Of 5, Re@goGbse1afa D. @gobeaf wholesome re-
peace, the honor and The stability of their
free government. Struggling in the minor
ity, they have bated not one jot or little of
courage or of hope in their reliance Oh the
eventual triumph of truth and correct prin-
clples but they have no. always enjoyed
the privilege Of remonstrapee against the
course Of the dominant party s-on ques-
tions of the deepest and most general inter-
est, they have been inexorably denied
heresy, or else their voice stlled in debate
by the legislative gag. 1t is to be presum-
ed that the measures complained of, have
already engaged much of public attentions
so that brief enumeration of the most
prominent of them, may suffice to arouse
the vigilance, and provoke the lnyestiga-
ton. of the people in all sections of the
State. 90 - az '-:
Cursed and afflicted as the people Of this
State have been, and still are, by the cis-
culation of an illegal small note currency
of the worst imaginable kind, the Assem-
BLY,, under the control of the democratic
majority has failed to provide remedy for
this great evil; and,as If ready at any Tine
and upon any pretext, to sacrifice the pub
lie interest to some abstraction of their
creed, has sternly denied the only relief
that could be given, in refusing 10 ,autho-
rize the Banks to supply a safe convertible
currency inthe emission: Of notes under
the denomination Of, iiTe dollars. The in
eyltable consequence ensues that new
brood. of swiridling shops will spring up
without and withinthe borders of the State,
managed by unknown and irresponsible
men, to tax the trading. community and
cheat the laboring classes with the most
unsafe currency that the wit of man can
devise. Perhaps, yet more pervading
mischief attends it, in the depraving effect
upon the morals ofthe people, of an open
and continual violation Of law, which finds
no small justification from the culpable toll
Grafton of this state Of things by the demo-
cratic lawmakers Of the State.
The democratic party commits many.;ab-
surdlties, if not crimes, sooner than allow
the infallibility Of its political faith to be
drawn in question. Thus, having once de-
cared, under vastly different circumstan-
ces, its opposition to a distribution of the
proceeds of the PUBLIC lands. it will not now
surrender that tenet of its creed, though it
now obstruets. the very policy it was de.
signed to- promote. +, 1t will be- recollect ted
| that. the State was induced to forego or dis.
claim her share of this fund, with the view
of securing its proceeds to the Federal
Treasury, and thus lessening the necessity
Of increasing the tariff on foreign goods
But, now, he, who will contemplate the la
wish grant of these lands for all sorts Of
purposes; the millions of acres that have
been granted to the States in which they
lie, for the establishment of schools, colle-
ges and the encouragement of public
works; the unblusing claim that is now
strenuously urged for the total surrender of
these lands to, the new States and above
all the startling fact, that this immense
fund.- sufficient to enrich all the States of
the Union. has come 70. be regarded as a
topic to be welded for electioneering pur.