Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-06-13
Mr. Fishers Speecn at Richmond.


made for Myers ". Fisher, esq, one Of the
delegates to Charleston from the Accomac
district. In response thereto, Mr.. Fisher
assembled the stand, and proceeded to give,
somewhat in detail, a history of the proceed
ings Of the Virginia delegation to Charleston.
Mr. Fisher, it will be remembered, was the
only delegate from Virginia who seeded
from the Charleston Convention, and united
with the delegations from the Cotton States.
While diSclaiming any purpose to reflect
upon his colleagues, he stated, that the Nlr-
gina delegation appointed Il committee to
prepare platform, to be submitted to the
National Committee, composed OF one from
each State That he himself proposed for
adoption by the Virginia delegation, the
series of resolutions prepared and offered by
the Hon. James A. Seldom, at Cincinnati,
four years ago, and then unanimously adopt
ed by the Virginia delegation. That the
committee OF the Virginia delegation at
Charleston, instead of recommending the
Seldom Cincinnati resolutions, brought for
ward platform, which he himself immcdl
ately denounced us Douglas platform, be-
ing altogether equivocal and ambiguous, and
liable to Numerically opposite constructions;
and that, Notwithstanding his protest, the
Virginia delegation, himself only dissenting,
adopted and recommended to the National
Committee, the Janus-tuced platform afore-
said. That suddenly afterwards, change
seemed to have passed over the spirit OF the
dreams Of portion Of the Virginia delega-
ton, and that one Of the Virginia delegates,
who had voted for the doubled-faced Doug
las platform, denounced said platform, on
the day afterwards, as one upon which even
Seward himself could stand with proprlety
and consistency. That subsequently, how
ever, the Virginia delegation began to give
signs of rctracing their steps, and OF taclng
the music, and did unite in recommending
the "majority PLATFORM" which was endors-
ed by seventeen States, and afterwards re-
iected by the vote of the Convention. But
that, when the "maiority PLATFORM" which
the Virginia delegates had emphatically en-
dorsed and recommended, was rejected by
the Convention, these Virginia delegates, IN
stead of seeding from the Convention along
| with their Cotton State brethren, as duty to
the State and the South, and proper regard
for principle required them to do, remained
in the Convention, in association and III ALI
who had Just spit upon the 'majoTlty plat
FORM" thereby refusing to accord to the
South an express and explicit recognition OF
her Constitutional rights.
Such were the proceedings OF the Virgin
in delegation 1T Charleston, as detailed by
Mr.. Fisher. There was another fact stated
by Mr.. Fisher II was ths:-The Virginia
delegation, before adjournment at Charles
ton, adopted resolution to the effect that
| no publication Of their proceedings should be
made, until after the adjournment of the
| Baltimore Convention next week.
| We advert To one other Tact stated by Mr..
| Fisher, and conclude for the present. lie
said that at Cincinnati four years ago, the
vote of the Virginia delegation WAS unanl-
nous against the Pacific Railroad scheme;
while at Charleston and in the face Of their
boosted strict construction principles, there
were eleven votes in favor Of the Pacific
Railroad scheme, and only four against i; =
| RichmonA wing.
Ycs,erday's Richmond Wing has Il Card
from Mr. Fisher in which he Saya:'I was
misapprehendcd, if | understand your edito-
rial correctly, in what ! said in regard to the
| platform which was reported by our commit
| tee, WHICH L ueIDutlccl d. - oul!r5
| form did not mean To say that that plat
form was ever adopted by the delegation, be
cause DO not believe the vote was ever Ia
ken upon it. But have no doubt a majority
of our delegation were in favor OF the Gin
cinnat platform, without any alterations,
and that is Senator Doug las platform. Nor
| did say was the only one who dissented
from The platform reported by orr committee,
or that that was adopted and recommended
: to the National Committee.
Our committee man on the National Com
mttee, according to my recollection, Inform
ed us what would be his course, unless 9th
crwisc instructed, and ! am not sure that
| any vote WAS taken III our delegation on the
platform before our committee man did act
in the National COMMITTEES: but ! believe Il
majority of our delegation concurrcd with
him in opinion as to the platform, while, ut
the same time. and others entirely dissen-
ted from him.