Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-01-08

Below, we give the report Of the oppo-
sition meeting on the 9th Of Dec. Our
neighbor Of the Spectator" says that it
was lone of the most spirited and animat-
ing we have ever seen assembled in our
Court House" We consider it a very for
tunate circumstance that human nature is
SO endowed that all men do not view the
same circumstance in the same light, and
on this point, we must beg leave, with all
due Difference to our neighbours opinions,
to differ with him, and say that it was not
harmonious meeting. The elements would
not unite, and unity Of sentiment did not
prevail, and we will adduce one instance to
show it. Mr.. Imboden is an acknowledged
leader Of the American party and it is to
be supposed that his opinions have weight,
but when he offered resolution to this
harmonious meeting" he was instantly
pounced upon, and his resolution defeated.
And we would especially call attention to
this fact for the benefit of our democratic
friends. We infer, and the inference is
fair one, that the opposition Of this county,
and district too, will run candidate for
Congress il suitable opportunity prese nts
itself, and in view of this fact, it becomes
our duty to advocate the time-honored prin-
ciples Of democracy, and call for conven-
Etion, if we have more than one candidate
in tie field.
But we are depressing from our subject,
viz: the meeting, which was opened by Mr.
Christian in quite lengthy and pointless
speech, in which he failed to prove single
proposition laid down. Mr. Doyle was tg,ner
called to the stand, and after an ur.,ir 10
amount Of slang, abuse, billingsgate, and ,
mean aneodote, which neither edited nor
amused, took his seat; and mere we uon,d
take occasion to eD.ar!!ss that pity for HELM
less foe, or contempt for a bootless and
powerless Opposition, are the only incentive
which Would induce US to mingle with them
N 're'r political gatherings, and when in
.aese eesangs our party is made the sub
Ject and butt Of an abusive and slanderous
TRADE, candor compells us to say that even
the pity which we feel for their weakness,
, or the loathing for their contemptuous sub
terfuges, but confirms within us the belief
that could they once more obtain posses
sion of the reins of government, not even
the sacred memory of Washington, a
Henry or Jefferson would stay their ruth
less hands, from our only chart of safety.
After Mr.. Doyle had taken his seat, Mr..
Powell Harrison was loudly called for
The speech Of our young friend marked
him as rising man, but we would earnest
~ advise him, in the disinterested spirit OF
friendship to ''turn from his evil ways"
before he becomes too thoroughly imbued
with the old fogy principles Of whigism, for
it is our experience that the dreadful dis
ease becomes chronic if not arrested in its
first stages.
But we want to hear from many other
7" harmonious meetings." and finally the
harmonious meeting which is to assem-
BILE in Richmond, on the 18th Of Feb,
which is to be the progenitor of the ''great
opposition convention" to assemble in
1860, in which all the combustibles of the
Union are to unite and immortalize them
selves by grand finale, after which they
will be content to dispense 20 their homes
and sink once more into oblivion. But we
must let this harmonious speak for itself.
Opposition Meeting
At large and enthusiastic meeting of the
/ Wings and Americans Of Augusta, held at
the Court House on Monday, December 9th
on motion Of J. Givens Fulton, Esq, Rob-
ert Guy, Esq. was called to the chair, and
Z. Waddell, Jr.. appointed Secretary
The objects Of the meeting having been
briefly explained by the Chairman, spirited
and animated addresses were delivered By
Bolivar Christian and r. L. Doyle, Esas. !,
after which the following resolutions, offer
ed by Mr.. Christian, were unanimously a.
dopted:
! Resolved, I. That as Wings and Ameri-
cans, we have adopted and cherished our
political principles from an honest conyic-
ton Of their truth and patriotic virtue, and
such conviction is neither weakened nor
strengthened by the circumstances of tempo
lrary defeat or final triumph
2. That our confidence in the wisdom Of
that policy which leads us to foster and re-
ly upod the resources of our own country
as the basis Of great American system, !"
has received a signal support in the recent
Message of the President recommending to
the party Of which he is the representative,
and which has heretofore been opposed to
such policy, the adoption of tariff re;og-
nising the principle Of protection to Amer
lean manufactures.
8. That we cannot, consistently with a
} sense Of duty to our own contradictions and
our country's prosperity, encourage by our
votes the candidates Of the Democratic par
ty who oppose the principles we profess
and that we esteem it privilege to sustain
our faith by voting for candidates of our
own party uninfuenced by the prospect Of
either victory or defeat.
, 4. That we approve the proposition Of