Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-12-09
MEETING IN BEDFORD COUNTY.

very large meerin. Of the people OF Bed.
ford COUNT was held al the Courthouse. III
the town Of Liberty. Oil the 2sth day oI No
yembcr, 1859:
The meeting wa> called to order 10y John
GooIc ,yr. when, on motion, Col. &. \. Wing
field was called to the Chair, and McSsrs. WIN
Y. Jordan and J.. \. Sale appointed Sccreta-
iic:.
The object OF the meeting wa> explained cy
the President, when. on motion Of James /.
.lohpsoo. tie Chairman WAS directed to appoint
, o:mmi;;c oi five to prepare business i"r thr
meeting.
The Chairman appointed the following gen
,lomar A. said coInrn;t,ee McS>rs. james +.
Johnson. VIA. Vi. Burwell, }. t;"odc, Jr.. Dr.
Granville /. Bro%n and Col. William II. C"ru.
ihe;>.
The Committee. after due delib ration, ie-
ported the following preamble and resolutions:
The Committee appointed to report ie~"i"'
;jons Tor the consideration Of this meeting, rr-
spcctiu!iy report:
We have seen with aSt%oni>hneHt aud 'ndlS-
nation that certain ,raltorouS conSpir"t"r- nom
IN. Northern States, availing themselves ol the
uure,trained intrrcou!- ~ authorized py Il con-
mon form OF Government. nave invaded 'ifSi-
nia. seized peaceabic citizens IN 'hs "c!' "i
ni.h,. imprisoned th,iE persons, i!nhHcrea
;hr,r crou.:tv, offered arms 10 tacir slaves, AMI
murdered several persons vino resisted, or ie'
fused ~ aid IN their Internal designs q! 'hoiht',
robbery and abolition.
Jl,. aderul and STATE authorities, "Nl c"r!-
meudable pfomptiluie aid courage. arrested
those iclous and committed tieIn t" the ciV'i
tribunals. bv which they have been FANNY 'ried
and iuS,ly condcmncG /" cSpiatc taei" triI'irN
hv Al. ign0miniOus death.
Instead, however. OfrccelSlisi nom the .Noitii-
ern pcop!c congratulations Tor ohr !F"'iueii'iti
escape from a terrible and lniirn"uS plot Instead
of an INDIGNANT condemnation oi thr wicket
men who planned and perpei'a''h II. y. !a'e
been SURPRISED TO lind ,hat-Wiih 4 IL" i'"ii"i
,hic cyccptionS-the Northern pres ari pulpit
hay, ;,euncl with r;dicule and insult I" oar
m.orlc. and even with ~ins",ent aud impItc!t
threat, Of vengeance. If The p%cnaiiie, % tae Ia"
shall he inflicted upon the convicted lr'":i'.
The confessions # the c%onrici>, "iu' other
evidence. lead uS 10 believe that cci'a" men
prominent amongst the Black KcEi,niic,H party
have been guilty oi completely with the ";icnce'
against "Ur laws, yet some at t'rHeat'"h!'icc
have He'd ~" couu'ry. and others ad''l' thclr
obligations To appear and testify upon uiai lac
lore the Federal Courts, bat openly Gcty I'll,
authority Of the fed.'ai law, an! "v'iar" 'i'r''
purpose to evaie or resist II
Thus has this abominablc c"ispi.ac! against
AL we icem dear, been organized Al tie North
and: carried out by the couu>ciS aHt r"ntribn
: tons of thousands. amongst WHOM wcr" men
or high oificia! station, yet 1t IA" beer ,cla
,ou,ly concealed from the pe"pl" for whose dc
struc,ion il wa, intended, and no oii"r nj Az
or confidence has bec!, made 'y Tho" "rn"ng>
whom the conspiracy originated
The conSpiratorS were membcr> Of III" iilaci
-, Republican PARTY. T"eir acts were III iiiera
? accordance with its doctrines. IT has vind'
Gated aud adopted them. Yet there appear
no rccuii Of the Northern miud from the rev"
iutionary and destructive Tenderness OF hiSh.
J l,w and abolition. There has been d. mani,
uprising in defcncc cf TIE Constitution an
the Union. No patriotic struggle Tor The pros
y, ,ra,inn Of fanatlci,n, and the protection q
= brethren allied hv every tie "i duty and q
Il interest. Sunk in the lethars!y OF gam, Swei'
away hy the current Of popular prejudice, ~
. different to the honor and fraternity OF Il.
= States, the conservative intrTcst al tbs Mort
has surrendered ,le ha'iot-boA to a despcrat
faction. and aclrjlSced III its irauicidal an
suicidal policy. What, then. Is the couSerS1
tism Of the Eorth eXcci,t a yenai Ieu,raiity
I IlttCl NhNN 'al'ililI-''l' -. ' IL t-lA'tt was q
% alternative but 90 rely upnU that which ha
e never vet failed tor-ihr fidelity aud c"ura.
e of her sons.
4, For the short reIiod Necessary for The Mort
q 10 determine what atonc,urat il can olirr lpr Il
outrage 80 unparalleled, AM wi.~, "ua!an;y
can afford against lis repetition. Virginia ~
,r. plant her ~ScntinclS and repoSe Upon her arms
1t can occasion neither surprise or r"n"r>tran"
"a that She viii suspend all Soc!ai and 4 ru'nsIcio
! relations with The North. until the 'c>"'t al II
e. deliberations shall he announced.
Sc /. HcS"irc&, That we regard with H'"'''
confidence and appreciation The prompt Al
efficient measures taken by the Federal an
STATE authorities for the arrest ard conviction
l" OF dr. i,lo'> Of ~ilarper's Ferry. in CONTEMPT I
t. the threats and solicitations ri their NOrthcr
t. %abett":S, and that ". hold ourselves ready t
D. MAKE good lncir defence and rindica;ion o. OH
institutions With "rr lives and fortunes.
r. =. Resolved. IAat the conduct of Gov. Wise
throughout the excitement produced by III
late affair at Harper Ferry, has been ,,nihcnt
~ prudent, patriotic and conservative, and tina
he is entitled to the thanks Of all true Virci
d mans for his ~resolute, prompt and vigorous &C
tior