Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-19
Remarks of B. q. shackelford, Of Fauquler'
at the Richmond Convention.

of the party. But, fellow-citizens, l am a
Whig. and as such, am not afraid or unwll-
ling to appear at any and at all times in the
discharge of duty: and the more especially
when that duty calls to the defence of the
great principles of Republican Constitutional
liberty. The post of duty has ever been the
most of the Wings They have ever stood on
the side Of the people and of liberty, and
here. now. he felt himself TO be one OF that
iorlorn hope, who were willing to risk their
all. once more. in behalf of the Constitution
and the State.
Sir, the history Of the Wing party is one
of duty and not "spoils" They have ever
been opposed to those who dispense spoils-
Formed originally on behalf of the people,
against the kings of England, they have for
centuries fought against the one man power
Reformed and concentrated here in this
country by the executive cncroachments and
tyranny Of Jackson, We have constituted ever
since the only party who saw any par
ticular objection to executive power, however
unconstitutional or who have ever been
willing to raise the alarm in behalf Of llber-
tv and the peOple-and here, now, we see an
assembly equal to any that ever met in this
State, called together by the continued en-
croachments of Democratic executive power,
and the tyranny of that party dictation
which attempts to pat upon us one who was
once IN abolitionist rs Governor Of this good
old Commonwealth-and worse even, if pos
sible, than that, which attempts to put on us,
one who was in favor Of dividing and dis
membering the State, in order that his free
soil notions might have predominance IN
Western Virginia.
And this is the party who, for nearly
twenty years, has falsely charged our men,
the greatest and best of our nation, Southern
men and all, as being unsound and false to
the South on the slavery question. Clay and
Webster, Harrison and Everett, Taylor and
Scott, Clayton and Rives, have each and all
been denounced, and revilcd by this demon
allied Democracy, as unsound on the slavery
issues: and here in our own State, the gal
liant Summers was deprived of the vote Of
this State for Governor, and it was given for
old Joe Johnson, on the same false clamor
of these pretended Southern patriots.
Yes, fcllow-citizens, Clay, the immortal
CLAY. was bounded to his home and his
grave by the charges of the Democracy, that
he was not true Southern man on the sla-
very question; and, now, after near thirty
years loud abuse of us, and often defeat of
US, on this question alone, we see them
bringing out the man Of all others, the most
Objectionable because he desired to obtain
his object, by ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of the State,
rs Il candidate for Governor of the State
and we, the minority, are to be expected to
sit by and see this imposturc practised with
impunity.
How could we, as Virginians, be expected
to submit to this?
They stand condemned out of their own
mouths They have nominated man whose
record was worse than that Of Black Repub-
licanism.
They. if we understand their doctrines,
were opposed to extending slavery in the
tcrritories-in other words, they were in ia
yor of free soil in Rew soil. But MIR. Letch-
er was in favor of abolitionizing Virginia
and Remembering her body in order to do it.
He, (Mr. S. would oppose all coalition
with the Black Republicans, as he now oppo-
sed Democrats who favored worse doctrine.
If the Black Republicans voted for us and
with us, he would thank them for their votes;
but he preferred the cold embrace of death
to dishonorable coalition. If they choose
TO support our National platform, let them
do it, but we will never adopt theirs.
The speaker then proceeded with severe
and sarcastic review of Mr.. Letcher's past
course. In 1917, said (Mr. S. the whole
question of slavery was old and hacknied-
cre,y bo,ly knew all about it. and the Virginia
Democratic Legislature We're engaged in pas
sing resolutions to resist the 'WilmOt Proyi-
So or the extension Of slavery into the terri
tories. by Congress, ''at all hazards and to
the last extremity" and that this Union
should be dissolved sooner than submit to
such Il violation of Southern rights. These
resolutions were repeated in lS49 and 1850;
and yet Mr. Letcher at and during that time
was plotting the division Of the State, and
the free soil of the Western portion-and
even in 1851, he appeared unchanged in the
Virginia Reform Convention, and tainted
the Fast with "negro-ology and negro-ocra-
cy," and proved by his own figures that IA
Western country wMOm slaves must be
richer better, and happier than an Eastern
country wiM them All this was not the re-
suit of youthful indiscretion, but rather of
criminal ntention-For the Hon. John
Letcher had no hair on the top Of his head
even in ISL. and was in the full meridian of
his intellectual vigor. But they say he has
changed his mind since 1851, that he is a
converted sinner. When did conversion
and repentance ever save one OF our men
When were We saved even against a false
charge? But suppose he has changed, per-
haps he may change back again to suit the
Like 4 converted sinner in my
district (said Mr.. 5. who was talking with
IN old friend. Mr. c.. about IN old enemy
said he, damn him, SIR" but Mr. G. excuse
me, this was "before experienced Il change"
Now. how do we know, but that Mr.. Letch
er may break out in his old vein, before he
experienced change"
Fclow-citizens, we say that the Democratic
party are not entitled to the confidence Of
the people on this or any other question:
They have made other questions, football
of party, as well as this one of slavery.
They have preached one doctrine, and
another, on the question of the
Tariff. The Cincinnati platform opposes q
tariff
The Democratic party not only have al
ways had tariff. but Mr.. Buchanan recon-
mend- Tariff for Revenue discriminating
for protection to American industry.
SO that on this great question the immor-
tai CLAY stands defended by the message Of
President Buchanan, and the Wing party
is revived by the appreciation of their enc
mics.