Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-16
Mr.. Alexander Riyes's Speech.

MARKS ol aIEAANDEh nv H. 'Slr Va -
marie. on taking the Chair at tho opening ut
the Wing Convention:
Out of all those who are here. collected
from the various parts of the state, 10 be
called by your invitation to preside over YOU
even for the temporary purposes of your or
ganization, il compliment | duly apprr-
ciato and most respectfully acknowledge
Nv authority will be brief and my trust easy.
No effort or exhortation will be required on
my part to preserve order i'll an assembly OF
this sort, where, by confession in high
quarter, dignity, courtesy and dccorum are
among your mstinctire and, | will add, d's-
tinctirc attributes Cheers | need not
therefore detain you from your business by
the customary appeal for your indul gence;
but | cannot, with bosom swelling with the
inspiration this scene is calculated 10 impart
refrain from ayailing myself Of your for
bearauce while ask some of your time to
express my glad sense of the earnest success
that has attended the call of this Convention.
and nv impression of the sentiments and
purposes that have brought us together on
this occasion. Upon short notice, and AT
an inclement season, we are greeted with an
assembage rarely surpassed in point OF num-
beers or character. hail it. therefore, as an
appropriate occasion for conGratulation a
mong ourselves. and a. IA cheering and hope
full augurv for the best interests of our State
and Country. We assuredly do not come
here with the pride or madlcning lust OF
place: we are not attracted hither by those
glitte.ing spoils which the voice OF the Past
admonishes us we may not clutch; no claim
or assertion of ma jOrity III our behalf EN-
boldens us to follow suit in Il vulgar scramble
for office: we nave no party achievements IN
the past to boast of: nor predictions to make
of success in the future. We are and have
been The ranquished. but with this proud
consolation, that our honor has never been
furnished, nor our galantry and zeal extln-
guished. We again appear here to-day IN
the lists, with no crest fallen. no color struck.
but eager for the contest, to which principle
and duty summon US; and ready To hang
upon the outer wall that glorious banner
which no temptation nor disaster can ever
induce us to desert. We are the minority-
minority so prescribed by II sort of Orlen-
tai fanaticism that we are made to appear III
the eyes of others as the very PUiahs OF the
State. and denied. BY shameful gerrym0n-
der, the invaluable right Of representation III
Congress.
For these reasons. submit to a consider
ate public that may rightfull! claim for
you the merit of being actuated by simple
convictions of duty, unpervered by the all
prevailing lust of office.
| shall be asked, what are those roh'"-
TONS Through the medium of that init
mate sympathy Of feeling and concurrence
of opinion, which makes us one III action
and sentiment. you will permit me, am
sure. to nterpre, them for you.
In enumeration. | would first name our
thorough persuasion that the whole slavery
agitation has been originated and conducted
by the Democratic party in such mode as
to promote for the time its mere party aims,
but in the end, To subvcrt the true interests
of the South. should abuse Your patience
to 90 into the history of this affair, step by
step. to demonstrate this proposition. You
viii recollcct that 4 few short years ago. both
Of the parties resolved that "hencctor'h all
agitation should cease ON the subject Of Sla-
very in Congress and elsewhere" The SEN
timent was reiterated and enforced in the
inaugural address of President Pierce. But,
at the very first Congress, under his admin
istration. it was renewed, and. for what pal
try, personal and political motives the secret
history of this movement best attcStS. The
fountain of bitter waters was rc-opcncd: and
the peace and harmony of the country sarrl-
feed to the creation of nrw ISSUES, for which
the Democracy has so depraycd an appetite.
And what now turns out to be the real char
actcr of the Kansas Nebraska act? The en-
bodiment of the doctrine of Squatter Sover-
eighty, with the DougidS gloss of HOH-int'r-
rsntion' Slavery to be protected under the
agis of the bred Scott decision. but ieyisla-
ted out of existence by squatter assemblies.
This is the boon our Democratic statesmen
would have the poor South to be proud Of
Look at the execution of this law under the
auspices Of Mr.. Buchanan What has it
been but an attempted fraud upon the peopl"
of Kansas. Indignantly spurncd a. 1t should
have been: an abstraction for the South, and
II substantial and lasting victory to the North.
The result has been the perpetual, overthrow
of slavery in the Territories Of the Union,
followed by that very philosophical speech of
the South Carolina Senator. quietly pcrsuad-
with defeat coming from the house of their
friends. | would not be uncharitable to our
Democratic representatives from the South: |
may even concede their Loyalty and fidelity
to our peculiar interests but ! do here most
distinctly impcach their wisdom. and arraign
them for having done, however, unintcntion-
ally, more to build up the fortunes of the
Free-Soil party, than they could have done.
had they been its avowed allies. But, Most
happily. the day of rrtribution has come to
these artifcers of art-works, to dazzle the
people. The engineer has been ho,t"d by
his own pctard The Democratic party il
exploded! it is Sone-cvaporated i'll smoke:
but alas out of that smoke our democratic
have conjurcd up to our APP
palled vision. the shadowy and growing out
lines of that Black Republican party,
''ir bulk a. huge,
''As whom the Fables name of monstrous Siac,
"Titanian OF Earth born that warrcd ON jove.'
But. to descend from the arena of federal
politics. what do these self-constituted guar
dians of the Shareholder propose in his be-
half? For party purposes, they would pro-
pitate the frec-sOier of the North. by giving
us Governor. who wished TO dismembcr
our beloved Commonwealth and make FREE
soil of part of her sacred territory: and
whose taunts of .'negro-0crdcy' and "neNO-
oiogy' will b. 50 euphoneous to those North
ern ears, that now turn from them, deaf as
the adder. charm they never SO wisely. -
And we are told. that the Democratic fiat has
gone forth that such candidate is 10 be cleo
ted In may hc So. n any event however.