Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-12-20
| CON MI NIC.tTEp.
COMMUNICATED.
Remarks of G. W. Brent, at the Citizens
Meeting.

Meeting.
Will YOU he kind enough 10 insert the en-
closed, being the remarks Of Mr. Brent, at
the Citizens Meeting, AT Liberty Hall, on
Thursday evening last. and oblige
\ SUBSCRIBER?
After repeated calls. Mr. Brent appeared
and said, that the reluctance manifested by
him 10 respond 10 the call. did pot proceed
from any Indifference Ia the wshf, Of the meet
ing but rs the views which he entertained
were 50 widely variant from those expressed
BY all the speakers, and winch seemed to meet
with general appreciation. he felt lndlsp">cd
To say anything that might mar or disturb
the harmony which prevailed. lie shared
with them IN that deep ceiling which exist
Ell 1T the continued aggression upon the
rights and Interest, # the South. The eA-
listing condition OF tuings was full OF trouble
and peril: but ii has 10 he met. On tins
point there was 10 diversity Of sentiment.
The spirit that animated ali. Is the same:
and when the hour of the "irrcprc>sible
conflict should come, all will he found NIr-
ginians intus IL IN cute. The existing state
Of things had no novelty III ii. 1t was fore
seen and toretold. prophet-like, by the great
Calhoun; Ind Yet, all seemed startled ami
surprised. Some action on the part oil the
Soutl. was necessary. but II ought /" BE- gene
raj and unted-Iot partial or individual.
NoH-utcrcoursc laws and cmbarg"cs had
been recommended. and il has been suggest
Cd that the Legislature should BE- appealed L.,
IL pass and enforce such laws. He believed
such measures were impolltic and impr:ctl-
cable. As long H. we are in the Union. moth
ing could b. gained by such means. Ii the
time had come for IN embargo and non inter
course between South and North, the entire
South should move III the matter, in >crrlcd
column; aud he thought when such state
of things arrived. rs this complete Scpura-
ton and arrangement OF North and South.
the time for II withdrawal from the mon
has also come. Nun-ntcrcour>c and cmbar-
20 then become but halfway measures. II
such measures were rc,"rtcd to and enforced.
there was practically disunion. This con,e-
qucncc was inevitable. If the Union. he
thought, was worth having the South should
band together and demand, even with arms,
all the rights Ia the Union under the Cons;i-
tuition But if the rights of the South We're
denied, and such n state of things ~ practI-
cal disunivn was 10 be brought about hy non
Intercourse and embargo, he thought the
South had better openly march out oi the
Union. than dodge Out under the dciuslNc
schemes Of non-intcrcuursc and embargo.
lie hoped that the meeting would not ms
understand INN. He was not a di-uniun~t.
He was protesting against measures which
would burIhcn the South with all the cN lis Of
iisunion, without the advantages and bcnc-
e. &C. NIL . -,
him. that gentlemen VII, claim L. lnNc the
Union, and praise it, should advocate such
measures. IL was strange that they should
praise, AMI urge W. IN cherish III our hearts
and affections, such men rs uliani! nam, !"
Ohio. who were bravery struggling IN behalf
of conservatism. Vet, nj the same time. would
urge the adoption OF n policy that would cut
off these men i@om us, and drive them into
the ranks of Black Repuhliransm. II"
lonorcd such men. There were many ut the
North. Tderc were Pierce. Everett. Cushing.
and hosts Of others. True they We're III the
minority They were. however. battIln-
IL uu: cause against odds. They Sir"uli
receive our support. and our SYMPATHY
But, asked Mr.. Is, are we supporting them
III their hour oi trial AID conflict. Mhrn
We urge n"u-ntercousr and embargo.
We are separating ourselves from them.
W" are leaving them alone to b. crushed
out and overpowerrd III the ''irrcprrssblr
conflict" or they will b. forced ~ the
necessity Of the case To become Rrpubl-
can, themselves. Honor aud interest should
compel u Ia sustain and uphold such mrn.
We should respond from the Srry drptn, 81
our hearts IL the noble. fearless. and self
sacrificing cAcrtlun~ ni such men. A.cXan
diia had been called upon by gentlemen Ia
stop al trade and iuterc"ul-" with thr
North. THIS Wa practical question, ami
the people 81 Alexandria should look al is
practical results. Stop AL trade You
have expended large sums ui money, and are
gruaning under taxation. u open up runnrc
non with thu, nexhaustible mine Il wealth
cnAbo-uluri in Your mountains. Tins trade
In, become valuable Ia YOU IL is NORTH
crn trade Will YOU strike this coal trade
dead and drive nearly all Your shipping
from the port; VIII You drive away all tl4r
steamship lines which have been lately e.
tablisheI between this port and the North:
Millions have been spent IN works Vi III,
pr"Nrment ~ the STATE. Ia gather up this
trade. and 10 y"u mean 10 render all thl>
NbItlllc-S. IL .tlcAuUuIlu were ~ i'l in
the recommendation 81 gentlemen. all her
commerce aud trade would he DESTROYED.
Her merchants and capital would all be- dri-
Sen away. He wa, always opposed t. CO.
rrci>c and restrictive legislation in such
matters. 1t operated uniustly and upprc~-
>iyrlv un one class for the benefit of another
IL built up one. but destroyed another
Trade. commerce. and manufactures could
not H. created ~ legislation alone. Private
capital and enterprise should !" let alone
aud not trummcl"d hy restrictions. Tie
South had "ntcrpriS" and energy. not ,ur-
PASSED hv that ui the North 1t had capital
IL had all the elements aud materials Of
wealth and power. How was it. then. yha'
Southern industry. commerce. and nantltac-
lures lan.ui>hcd. Time was when SOUTH
rrn trade and commerce hour>had: when
she had her rich argusir- on the Sea.
Bur now her foreign commerce mad been
destroyed her ship, had been disposed pi
t. the North, and the grass grows in IT,"
streets of her once commercial cities. Ti'~
Las all been brought about by this corrrN"
and restrictive system Of legislation. ~
means of bounties. tonnage duties prnh,il-
tory tariffs and the fiscal action Of til" Frd"-
raj Government. the North has been mad"
the great centre Of capital commerce.. ANA
manufactures This one-~idcd legislation he
did not approve Of anywhere" Direct for
rign importation and home manufactures
could not be properly established by State