Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-15
Remarks OF Mr.. Frederick G. Skinp.- ..
Rappahannock County, at the Wing C.,
Yention at Richmond

V6ntl0n al hlcnmOuQ.
Mr.. SKINNER being called upon t. aide.
the Convention. said At the in.,,r..
my colleagues, will crave the iniulsrn,.
the Convention, while | say very -
words. for the County which We h,,a,s.
honor to represent in this body Rappab,,.
mock responds freely-fully heartily p.
every resolution, and to every act 10, D..
Convention. II, seated among the ml.r.
tains, far remote from the great avenue. d,
commerce, and Of travel, she Ia. IN, ,..
made that material progress on which m,cr
more favored Counties in the State - ,u,,-
pride themselves, that rem0tenr>s La. D..
been without its advantages, for it ha, Pm.
dered her in a degree inaccessible To the 49,.
of the demagoguc and the party hack an,
the political integrity of her people. De- ,L.,
Wings, Americans. or Democrats. is sill nm.
corrupted The same indomitabIe enrryy
the same love Of independence, which Inn.
PEELED our hardy ancestors To CONVEX, mn.
rugged hills into verdant pastures. aud ,u'.
iect our teeming yalies 10 the dominion q,
the plough, still glows with undimini,b.i
ardOr in the bos0ms OF their defendant.
The memory of the lessons taught Us by rba
great men, whose noble efigies, carved d;
the hand of genius. stand on Wonder innp,,.
ment, will remain green in the heart, Of our
children's children, when the enlurir,
bronze in which those effigies are east shall
have fallen to dust beneath the corrodiD,
touch of time. The first, and the best les,7
taught us by those venerated fathers Of III.
Commonwealth, was, never to despair o. I'll.
Republic. We, of Rappahannock. as passed.
contests will show, have never despaired-
we have encountered defeat upon defeat. ~.
Antaus like, we arise with strength renewe!
after every fall, and more than ever deter
mined to assert that political faith. which
eventually must triumph; for it marches in tn.
panoply of invincible truth.
True, sir, there have been detectons from
our ranks we now meet as enemies in thu
very van of our foes men, whom We wera
once proud to honor, as among the ables.
champions of the cause-yet, sir, our ale,
glance remains mistaken. As farmers, We
know that defective fruit will fall immature
and worthless from the parent stem. The
sloughing of rottenness and corruption, is an
indication of healthy action in the political
as in the physical body. Sir, County after
County, District after District. may fall away
from the true faith: look then to Rappahan.
mock, and there you will still dcscry the
oriaamme of the great Wing party, the ban
ner of Harry Clay, in sunshine and in storm,
still CALAMITY streaming on the breeze, nail
ed to the mast, there to abide, as long as an
honored fragment remains--tor all history
teaches that the last hope Of patriotism all
liberty, has ever been found in the brave
hearts and stawart arms of free noun.
taineers, and their last refuge, where h"
eagle builds her eyrie, among the mounta2
crags.
Mr.. President, when We return 10 om
homes, to put in practice the wise and Is'
triotic precepts, inculcated with so much 81.
quence in this assembl y-at the signal II
action-to the Slogan Of "Rappahanne's
Virginia, and the Union?" echoing and f~
echoing from peak to peak-every mounIl4
every valley, and every glen, will p'u'
forth its contingent, to swell the rank q
opposition to the party which now holds odr
dear old Commonwealth in its fatal cmhrar