The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-06-06
orerIo MEETING OF THE FRIENDS OF THE Hoo
HENRY A. WISE.

N pursuance Of previous notice IN The Union OF Ihurs-
,r last large and enthusiastic meeting Of the friends Of
me Hon Henry A. Wise was held at the United States
uo,el on the evening of that day.
The meeting was called to order by Thomas j. Mast,
ga The Hon Richard N. Young chosen president,
ys..rs Lumpku and McDermott esqsq vice presidents,
and G B. Cluskey secretary
Judge Young, on taking the chair, briefly and impress
,irely spoke as follows
GrsrLgNEx: After thanking you for the position assign
"a me by your liberaty will proceed at once to state
Inc object Of this meeting Ii is TO DO honor to one OF
,merica uobest sonsto one who is American in the
,roe sense of The term applied TO pariosto Henry A.
Wise of Virginia the fearless champion OF the peoples
dearest the rights OF suffrage, and the freedom Of
thought and speeehaye, ard Of the still sacred
rioht 10 worship Almighty God the Author Of our being
according to the dictates Of Our conscences-righs now
struck at though secured to ali by the constitution of our
country Already In quarter of this Union has the
constitution been violated and ramped upon; its pro-
visions openly nulifed and disrcgarded by State egsla
ton Judge removed from office for doing his duty le-
gay and conscientonsly and may add Justly, under
b provisions of that constitutions the peaceful inmates Of
religious and literary female institution rudey disturbed
and uatreated in their legitimate reracy under the
lion OF legislative authority while ir other portions the
voice Of freedom has been senccd the ballotbox orcb
seized and broken TO give unlawful effect to the vote of
b minority and high in the confidence of the people
and justly esteemed for their great abilities have been
rdey nulted by Kisses and wild hurahs and prevented
from speaking in public when invited to address their
democratic tellow-citlzens
Time was in this country in the days Of revolution
ay ancestors and the generation Immediately succeeding
when the United States of America hailed the hand
81 the oppressed Of all nations; when foreign emigran
10 our shores within reasonable period made free
man and had the right of suffrage conferred upon him
raised from the degraded position of serf TO foreign
iepoi that OF an American citizenaye when he
raised the condition of man. what Nature designed him
10 be- for according to that beautiful sentiment of the
poet Burns which trust we all, democrats endorse
'The rank is but the guineas stamp,
The mans the gold for a that"
when il was the boast of our counrymen everywhere that
here country upon this habtable globe where every
man and every woman could sit down under their
vine and fig and worship God according to their
conscences and none to interrupt make them afraid
But bark What clamor is this that seeks to she
he foe Of libertyl 1t is the dark spirit of religious f
acism and political intolerance coming forth from its
hiding place TO invade the rights bequeathed to us by
ancestors and religious freedom and the right of suffrage
and Of speech no longer from intrusion and out
rage All we can do as democrats with this issue is TO
rally the support of the constitution, the Union Of the
States and to the support of the of those who
sought to be oppressed and may Heaven defend the right
Already has mighty victory for the of liberty been
achieved in the Old Dominion worthy Of yrgnians and of
their gallant leader, whom propose to hon0r-a
noble chean, holy cause and victory most complete
There are doubtless many engaged in this unjust and
unconstitutional crusade in the belief that they
tending for the better interests Of the countrygood
sieHiious men, am ready to admit for would not
demn such multitude in the mass; but trust that many
will soon the wrong they endeayorng to perperae
mu pelpIt IL Is 100 many OF tueT
order appear 10 have done of late in Virginia and else
where in other States Let them seek nober than
that Of oppression Let them remember that it for the
right Of religion and the freedom of speech that
ndonary ancestors fought and conquered And shall
now prove recreant to these holy principles2 Never
nevefi Such surely cannot be our destiny have said
what intended and suggest that we proceed to carry
into effect the object of this meeting
The chairman having concluded his remarks several
propositions to the most appropriate way of acknowl
egng our Indebtedness to the moher of States and of
rng tribute evidence of the high appreciation in
which the advocates and sentnes of civil and religious
freedom here hold her governor elect discussed and
on motion, it was
Resofred unanimously That banquet be given TO the
Hon Henry A. Wise in this city at such time AS he may
name and most convenient him and that a committee
Of thirteen TO be appointed by the chair with the officers
The meeting, make the necessary arrangements for
ng the same into effect and report to adjourned meet
ing 70 be held at the same place at early day
Resoired further, That the proceedings be published in
such of the city journals MAINTAIN and defend the
cred principles so uumphanty indicated by the people
a'gnla IN the recent election in that State and that
THIS meeting do now adjourn.
G. B. CLUSKEY, Secretary.