Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-02-11
THE OPPOSITION CONVENTION AT THE
AFRICAN CHURCH.
REPORTED FOR TIE ENQUIRER.


REPORTED FOR TIE ENQUIRER!
Yesterday beamcd out cheerfully, and al
fordcl all who wanted to participate in the
/ opposition proceedings \ sunny light and clean
road to the African Church.
The representatives Of the Old Wing Party
and its aids that had not been dccently inter
red or sent to the other side Of Jordan, Assem-
BLEED us n,lmcrously rs they could, and remind
cd us of
Those ghost. rejec,ed-,he unhappy crew
Deprived Of sepurchrrs and funeral due.
Altogether, dressed in their best t0ggcry and
manners, they formed 4 respectable looking
crowd and plainly showed that a strong com
bination is 10 be made by the Opposition du-
ring the coming Gubcrnatorial canvass III Viz
GINA. This. however, is \ thing that has been
done before against our stalworth Democracy.
80 We see no reason to dread that the wind-up oi
the struggle will, rs usual, leave our opponents
Hat on their backs and as ghostly rs ever, al
though Yesterday the announcement OF ten
live Wings being present from Amelia seemed
to clcctrIiy the Convention into spasmodlc
raptnrcs at the thoughts Of future success.
As we contemplated the large gathering,
physically and phrcnologically, we felt aston
isied how such men could ever favor the un-
principled abortion of all ismS, Know nothing
ism; or how any. who had kept aloof from such
an anti Republican and I'M. Amcrican crew, could
now take the nnrepent mt and unshriven disci-
pies of "Sam" back to their hearts. This made
US look sharper ut the intended elephant be-
fore us. and 10, it turns out mighty like 1.-THE
same old COON still with the rings no ways
changed. But. as this is their spring Of love
and harvest of their enjoyment, y let them EN-
joy it while they may without our being too
severe OH them, As. We know that this bud of
their hopeful fswcr will wither away ere long
before the constitutional Democratic blast OF
Virginia Democracy, and never be heard of
more.
At noon, precisely, Mr.. Francis Dean. Of
%Lynchburg, proposed that Mr.. Alex. Rivcs, OF
.ilbcmarlc, act as temporary Chairman, and
: Mcssrs. Ridgway and Mcdonald, of Richmond,
be appointed Secretaries.
Mr.. Rivcs was, of course. delighted at the
pro.nostics cinanating from the gathering be-
fore him of hope for the modest and retiring
Wing, Of old, whose modest merit had so long
kept them from being engaged in the vulgar
scramble for Offices IN tins Commonwealth.
Consequently, it WAS this modest merit that
brought them together H. the vanqnisllcd par.
", bat, Us Mr.. Rivcs exclaimed to his friends,
'thc day Of fertilization has arrived, and the
Democratic party is exploded" The burden
of Mr.. RS Introductory speech was, to charge
all the evils Of the country upon the Democrat
ic leaders. lie discovered a monarchIcal lean
ing in the Democracy. and then he ovcrhau!cd
"negro-ology and nesro.ocracy.' After this, he
suggested 10 his audience to reform and restore
the IS government to its ancient basis; to plant
their batteries on Democratic acts. to vanInl>h
them, us well lis to hang their banners on the
outer walls" where, doubtless, they will hang
until next election takes the starch out OF them.
While Il committee Of thirteen were absent
drawing up q list of Oil ;erS for the organiza'
ton Of the meeting and business, there were
calls for various speakers. Some wanted Bolts,
but 4 member or two suggested that they
wanted everybody to hear Bolts great effort,
and il was then premature 10 call hinl. Calls were
then made for 4. Judson Crane, Ridsway, Scott
and others, which settled down with Mr.. Ridg-
ways coming forward to express his wonder
that he WAS then ut all in the land Of the living.
lie was i ghost Of the spirit Of the lla>-been-
q thing OF the past and gone but, feeling SUI
iicient well. even in his ghostly form. to make
fight yet against Demo ;rlcy and the DcInocra-
tic nominee for the governorship! Mr.. Rids.
wav really expressed his conviction of now
gaining "a glorious triumph" provided all
would "vote early y
The call was now for \. Judson Crane OF
Richmond. one Of the champions Of san" and
I Know.N ~othingism in this section. lie began
his speech with "Whigs and Americans" said
he was born on Main Street, and Lived all his
life, except four years, with niggers." At the
last Presidential election, it amounted in his
mind to Il mere toss up, which should be
elected, Fremont or Buchanan; indeed he pre-
tcrrcd Fremont. lie discussed foreign relations,
and it was evident the tenor Of his speech was
not palatablc To all. lie very politely requested
all whom Known othingism had driven i'll dis.
gust from the Wing party, to 60 back, as fol
lows: %"llcturn We wandering sinners home. the
day Of Jubilee has come
The committee on organization reported the
following officers: Mr.. Vim. Ballard Preston,
of Montgomery, for President; and for Vice
Presidents: McsSrS. X. 7. Lacy. Of New Kent;
j. {. White. Of Norfolk county; Vincent Witch
or, Of Pittsylvania; Win. Townes. Of Mecklen-
burg: VIM. {. Scott. of Powhatan; John y.
Carter, Of Loudoun; DR.. Terrell, Of Orange;
Jno. Lewis. Of Rockingham; Walter r.. Sta
pies. of Montgomery: i. +. Wysor. Of Pulas'
kt; r. l.. Berkshire. Of Monongalia; John y.
Hutchinson. Of Wood; Henry W. Thomas, o.
Fairfax; DR.. McCorklc, Of Cabell; VIM. H.
mcfarland. Of Richmond. and all the Whig
editors present as Secretaries.
Mr.. Ballard Preston on taking the chair
said he was glad to find himself and old friend,
once more in the same halls, and considered
them now a union Of old line Wings and Know
Nothings. lie recommended for the selection
of the meeting n candidate VIII was in favor o
internal Improvement, no disunion man, a mar
favorable To education, currency and slave III
~tcreStS, and after some other remarks, cheer
ing on the resurrected Wings. &c, he CAV,
place to other speakers.
1t was resolved and adopted that committed
of one from each senatorial district be appoint
cd to nominate individuals for the offices o
Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorne!
General Of Virginia.
The Convention then took a recess till 4 +. VI
In the a~ftertoen session, a letter was read IL
favor of "thc move from Mr.. Alex. II. II
Steward, Of Augusta county. Then Mr.. Ra
leigh Travis Daniel, of Richmond. made one
of his peculiar speeches; pitching into the De
mocracy, when he might have been better EN-
ploycd il. with all his legal ability, he coulc
have shown that his own queer party conl'
manage things better in any point Of view thar
the Democracy have done. Any old woman
can pour forth a scaldinS TRADE Of all sount
and fury, mclning nothing! y Mr.. w. K
Staples, of Montgomery, next got the f1oo'
and pcrpctuatcd some active anti Democratic
talking, because. rs is known. it was witt
that object in view he came to Richmond
So Inc did his duty. Yet it is strange, how
with all the fearful crimes this Opposition
party now heap upon our respectable Demo
catic party, that We always find converts tt
our side and never q Democrat joining theirs
These evident practical facts tell much NOR,
in favor Of the correctness and trueneSs Of
party than all the high.falutin i~nvectivc all op
position can pour firth against US.
On the return Of the committee OF nomina
ton. they through their chairman, Mr.. X. f
Scott, reported that they had decided on Mr
Vim. l.. Gossin, Of Bedford, as the opposition