Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-02-22
MIR. Rives' Speech.

L
! The following is correct report of the rt
marks Of Alexander Rives, Esq, Of Albemari'
on taking the Chair, at the opening OF the hlcr
mond Convention:
| Out of all those who are here; collected fror
the various parts of the State, to be called D.
your invitation to preside over you, even for tn
temporary purpose Of your organization, is
compliment duly appreciate and most respect
fully acknowledge. My authority will be brief
and my trust easy. No effort or exhortatiol
will be required on my part to preserve order il
an assembly of this sort, where, by confession il
high quarter, dignity, courtesy and decorun
are among your instiaetioe, and, | will add, DIS
tinetiue attributes. (Cheers.) need not there
fore detain you from your business by the Gus
tomary appeal for your indulgence; but can
not, with bosom swelling with the inspiration
this scene is calculated to impart, refrain from
avaiing myself of your forbearance while ask
some of your time to express my glad sense
the earnest success that has attended the call
this Convention and my impression OF the sen
timents and purposes that have brought us to
Qether on this occasion. Upon short notice
and at an inolement season, we are greeted Will
an assemblage rarely surpassed in point OF mum
bers or character. hail it, therefore, as an ap
propriate occasion for congratulation among our
selves, and as cheering and hopeful augury fol
the best interests OF our State and Country. W.
do not come here with the pride or maddenine
lust of place: we are not attracted hither BY
those glittering spoils which the voice OF the
past admonishes US we may not clutch; no claim
or assertion of majority 10 our behalf embold.
ems US to follow suit in vulgar scramble for Of
| fee; we have no party achievements in the past
to boast of; nor predictions to make of success
| in the future. We are and have been the oanl
quished, but with this proud consolation, that
our honor has never been tarnished, nor our
gallantry and zeal extinguished. We again ap
pear here to-day in the lists, with no crest fall
en-, no color struck but eager for the contest, to
which principle and duty summons US; and
ready to hang upon the outer wall that glorious
banner which no temptation Dor disater can ey-
er induce US to desert We are the minority
minority so prescribed by sort OF Oriental
fanaticism that we are made to appear in the
ewes of others as the very Pdriahs of the State,
and denied, by shameful gerrynaander, the
invaluable right of representation in Congress.
For these reasons, submit to considerate
public that may rightfuly claim for You the
merit of being actuated by simple convictions OF
duty unperverted by the allpreyailing lust OF Of
fee.
I shall be asked, what are those convictions
Through the medium Of that intimate sympathy
of feeling and concurrence of opinion, which
makes us one in action and sentiment, you VIII
permit me, am sure, to interpret them for you
in enumeration, l would first name our thor
ough persuasion that the whole slavery agitation
has been originated and conducted by the Dem.
ocratic party in such mode as to promote for
the tims its mere party aims, but IN the end, TO
subyer II the true interests OF the Sonth should
abuse YOUR patience to 90 into the history ofthls
affair, step by STEP to demonstrate this PROPOSE
ton. You will recollect that few short years
ago, both of the parties resolved that "hence.
forth all agitation should cease on the suolect OF
Slavery in Congress and elsewhere" The SEN
timent was reiterated and enforced IN the lnau'
eural address of President Pierce. But at the
very first Congress, under his administration, It
was renewed, and for what paltry, personal and
political motives, the secret history OF this move
ment best attests. The fountain Of bitter waters
was reopened; and the peace and harmony OF
the country sacrificed to the creation OF neW as.
sues, for which the Democracy has SO deprsyed
en- appetite. And what now turns out to be the
real character Of the KaDsas-N Nebraska actf--
The embodiment of tue doctrine Of Squatter
Sovereignty, with tie Dougtts gloss Of asonsnter'
rentSonI Slavery to be protected under the
wsis of the Dred Scott decision, but tegtstated
OUT of existence by squatter assemblies. inns Is
the boon our Democratic statesmen would nave
the poor South to be proud Of Look ut the ex'
ecution of this law under tho auspices OF AIR.
Buchanan! What has it been but an attempted
fraud upon the people of Kansas, Indignantly
spurned IS it should have been; an adstTdcteon
for the South, and substantial and lasting VIC
tory to the North. The result has been the per-
petual overthrow of slavery in the Territories OF
the Union, followed by that very philosophlcal
speech of the S. O. Senator, quietly persuading
bis restve constituents to be satisfied with de.
feet coming from the house OF their friends l
would not be uncharitable to our Democratlc
representatives from the South; may even con-
cede their loyalty and fidelity to our peculiar in-
terests; but do here most distincly impeach
their wisdom, and arraign them Tor having
done, however unintentionally, more TO build up
the fortunes of the Free-soil party, than they
could have done, had they been its ayowed allies
But, most happily, the day OF retri6ution has
come to these art6cers OF artworks, to dazzle
the people. The engineer has been hoisted on
his own pstard. The Democratic party Is ex'
ploded it is gone-evaporated in smoke; but
alas out of that smoke onr Democratic NEGRO
mancers have copjured up to our appalled, vis-
ion, the shadowy and growing outlines OF thai
Black Republican party,
''in bulk as huge,
GAS whom the Fables name ofmonstrous sizej
aTitanian or Earth-born that werred on Jove.
| But, to descend from the arena OF federal pol
itics. what do these self constituted guardians o.
the STAKEHOLDER propose in his behalff Fol
party purposes, they propitiate the free,soler o.
the North, by giving US Governor, who WISH
ed to dismember our beloved Commonwealth
and make free soil of part of her sacred terri
tory and whose taunts Of "negr0-oe'dcy' ano
0,.egro.oIogy" will be so euphoneous to those
Northern ears, that now turn from them, dea
as the adder, "charm they never 80 wisely. =
| And we are told, that the Democratic hat Ia:
gone forth that such candidate is TO be eiected
| 1t may be so. In any event, however, staae
here to declare in your stead, that this grea
wrong shall not be contaminated WITHOUT ou'
earnest remonstrance, our candid appeals, oul
unfageing opposition throughout the WIDE por
ders of our State. When we have done ou
whole duty in this respect, what matters defeat
We have merited success; and enjoyed the lux
ury of battling for the right under oil discour
agements.
But, we have further TO 90 justice 70 our c2n
oicti0,,s of the sins Of this Democratic Admins
tration its bankruptcy of the Treasury; iSs ex
travsgance and corruption; snd to carry on sucl
q warfare, We need only the weapons our adver
ssries give us. They lave declared with tn
authority Of theI official positions, that cur gov
eminent is the most corrupt on earth; they ar
taking the alarm and carrying out "retrench
ment and REFORM" taking good care, however
not to commence with their large per annans-
no longer per diems. These lState-righs me-
are with their Chief, in claiming for Congres
the right and expediency of destroying charter
which the States can alone give, but rebel q
| nainst his only honest and iudicious recommen