Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-08-23
STAUNT0N SPECTATOR AND GENERAL ADVERTISER.
Opposition Meeting in Rockingham.

Opposition Meeting in Rockingham.
AT u meeting of portion of the citizens o
Rockingham, held at the Town Hall, in Harri
sonburg, on Monday, the 10TH, Chat being Cour
dayD
George 81. Chrisman, Esq, was called to til,
chair, and DR.. Geo. K. Gillner, appointed Sec
rotary.
The objects of the meeting having been ex-
planned by the chairman in short but torciblt
address,
The following preamble aPd resolutions were
submitted by COL Chas Fl. Lewis, and unani-
mously adopted, amid the loud applause of the
assembly.
WHEREAS, 1t is proposed to hold, in the city
OF Richmond, on the 7th of October next, Con
ventlon OF Delegates of the Opposition party Of
Virginia; we, portion of the citizens of Rock
lngham CO., hail with the most lively gratifca.
tion, q movement which we regard as the incep.
ton OF an organization which will relieve our
beloved country from the incubus of its present
mlsgovernment. To such an organization we
pledge our earnest and jealous corporation, and
invoke the aid OF conservative and patriotic men
OF all parties in the good work of rebuking ex-
travagance, corruption and profligacy in high
places, and OF defeating the mischievous mach
nations OF the leaders of the disoordant and war
ring factions that sre seeking the ascendency in
the democratic Party"-leaders who seem to
hold scarcely solitary political principle in com.
mon, but who are alike active in disturbing the
peace OF the country, and equally, resoutey, and
fatally bent on mischief" Surely, the time has
fully coma for such Union, when, according to
the admissions of prominent and influential
members of the party in power "irom the high.
ways and hyways of the Government the rot
tenness of corruption sends forth an insufferable
stencil !'-when, under the auspices of party
processing to hold that sit is the duty of the
Government to practice the most rigid economy
in the disbursement of the public money" the
annual expenditures of the Administration near
lily double the amount characterized by Mr..
Buchanan himself, few years ago, under q
Wing President, as s0astefully ertrapagapt !;
when, while we are at peace with all the world,
: our national Treasury is bankrupt-our manu-
factories prostrated--our home market destroy
ed, and the statistics of our trade with foreign
nations exhibit an annually increasing balance
of millions against US; and, when the leaders of
that party, which assumed the reins of Govern
ment with the boast, that the National De-
} mocracy" alone could restore that domestic tran
quility, which has been SO fearfuly disturbed by
their own "mischieyous, wanton and unpardon-
} able" repeal OF the Missouri Compromise, are
now forced to confess their pitifu lack of states
manship and want Of ability, to redeem their
, pledge of restoring peace to the country, by the
admission that their measure for this purpose
was justly characterized as "The Leoompton
J Swindle." Nor, can the honest, Intelligent and
patriotic masses of the people fail to perceive
the miserable political empyricism involved in
the dispute, now raging between the contending
factions OF the National Democracy" as to the
: power aud duty Of Congress, on tie subject Of
: slavery in the territories. Whilst the leader of
one faction, truthfully declares that the Kansas
Nebraska Bill recognizes principle which an
other faction properly stigmatize 'as the odious
and detestible heresy of Squatter Sovereignty
this last named faction is forced to concede, that
under the operation Of the very bill that was
palmed upon the Southern people, as a trium-
plant vindication of their just and equal rights
under the federal Constituton=-z!;not another
foot of slave territory will ever come into this
Union!" and yet, in the very teeth of this fact,
and of their own admission, that there are not
now slaves enough in the country to supply the
r demand for slave labor in the States where the
institution exists, portion of these agitators
are ciamorng for protection to slavery in the
territories But, as if all this were not more
than enough to convince reasonable and intelli-
lgent minds, of the demoralizing and lnischieyous
tendencies Of the doctrines of these modern AMOS
ties of democracy is yet another faction at
1.-THE South who claim to be the only trne and reli.
able States rights democracy, who seriously and
urgently propose as remedy for Southern ills,
to acquire more territory by robbing from ma
lions with whom this Republic is now at peace,
and more slaves, by re-opening that horrible and
inhuman traffic, which has been justly charac-
terized by our own National Code, and those OF
the most enlightened christian nations Of the
world, as piracy In the event OF the refusal
of the General Government to accede to their
demands, they openly and reasonably declare
their purpose to dissolve the Union These men
claim to be members of the family of the "Na-
tional Democracy" and their claim to right to
vote and deliberate in the National Conventions
of the party, is readily admitted and fully recog
nized We are sure that very large majority
of our fellow-ctizens of Rockingham have no
sympathy with such men as these. We know
that our feow-citizens here are loyal to the Con-
stitution, and firmly ant. faithfully attached to
the Federal Union. We therefore cherish the
reasonable hope, that they are now prepared to
admit the political sagacity of those, who, led on
by that noble and distinguished son of Virginia,
the Hon. John NJ. Bolts, faithfully warned them
of the inevitable evils that have resulted from
the repeal of that compromise, which bad so long
preserved the internal peace of the nation and
that they will do justice to the man who in the
darkest hour of seemingly torlorn fight con-
tended so bravely against the political hereses
that have wrought such disasters to the country,
by aiding US to rebuke and punish the agtators,
who reyile him as means of diverting the at
Itention of the people from the fact that pseudo
Democracy has grievously deceived and betrayed
them! We therefore cordially invite our fell
low citizens, by whatever party names they
have been heretofore called, to co operate with
us in the great work of the National Conserva.
tive Union party, which promises to commit
the administration Of the federal government to
hands that will maintain the Constitution and
preserve the integrity OF the Union.
Resolped, That this meeting will appoint six
delegates to represent the Opposition party Of
buckingham in the Convention to be held at
Richmond on the 7th of October next.
Resolued. That committee of - gentle
men be appointed to prepare and publish an adj
dress to the people of Rockingham, in support
of the principles and objects of the Conservative
Union party.
Resolued That come what may, the Opposi-
ton party of Rockingham will be found "kneel-
ing at no other altar than the altar of the con-
stitution, worshppng at no other shrine than
the shrine of the Union, and fighting under no
other flag than the stripes and stars of the United
States"
The following gentlemen were then elected as
delegates to the Convention: Gen. Samuel H.
Lewis, DR.. G. W. Kemper, ST., Stephen Harms
berger, ST., G. Il. Ohrisman, Esq, Col. Chas. 81
Lewis, and Isaac Hardesty, Esqs. Alternates-
DR.. g. K. Gilmer, j. F. Lewis, DR.. W. Wallace,