The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-09
speech 81 Hen. wn. 9. Rives, Lass Nishs.
La oonseu nanca Of tia annnnneanant hat


SpeeeA q Hen. wn. 9. Rives, Lass Might.
In consequence OF. the announcement that
the Hon. WIZ. q. RIvEs would address the
citizens, = very large number Of persons as
sembled last night al the African Church
Mr.. RIvne, after being introduced to the au-
dience by MARnAncKs JOHNSON, Esq, pro-
ceeded At once to review the action Of the late
Peace Conference, Of which he was men,
ber. expressing his confidence OF convincing
his hearers that the proposition which had
been denounced A. an abortion, a sham and
delusion, was the most complete and fairest
settlement Of the controversy that could have
emanated from any quarter whatever.
HeTave his views Of the eeveral provisions
embodied In the Conference Proposition. ex-
aiming each one In srtenso. and declared that
they covered every particle of ground. in the
most satisfactory manner, occuped by the
CxrrrsxpRS propositions, and gave even more
guarantees for the security of the South.
The grave questions now agitating the coun-
try could never be settled by politicians. 1t
waa, he said, their interest to keep alive the
agitation, while IL was the interest of the
people TO bury IL TO aver. II was that the
Peace Conferences body coming fresh from
the people-had produced a result so auspi-
eions. The voice Of the people must speak
ont and command the peace between the war
ing sections. He repudiated the idea that all
that had been gained by the Peace Confer
ence was TO be lost. If the people would
look calmly at the propositions they would
md that they contained loyal and
manly adjustment of the difficulties
Congress had not given the reference which
the Conference requested, but the people have
a power higher than Congress. The Virginia
Convention can ask other States to take the
proposition As 4 peace offering. He thought
there was no difficulty in devising ways and
means TO bring the matter before the people.
1t would be acceptable to the border States,
and he had assurances from Pennsylvania and
New York that it could be carried there by
immense maiorities. Was Virginia, then,
when In sight of the promised land, to bolt
out and join the seeding sisters of the South
Mingled cries Of mo" and "yes."l Virginia
had played a great role in history, and 1t was
not now in store for her to play a smaller role
by coming in as the "tail of the Southern
Confederacy." II was hers to reconstruct the
Union. and 10 bring back her erring sisters. -
He alluded to the past history of Virginia, and
to her great sacrifices in building up the Go
vernment; and paid m eloquent tribute to
her early patriots, who consecrated the best
wisdom Of their lives to the construction Of
the fabric. She now has the moral power tc
save the Union, which no other State possess
e.. She Is the acknowledged leader of the
border States. She holds the banner, and they
follow where she leads. He alluded to the
geographical position of Virginia, anC
asked II she was to be dragged ont a.
the bidding of one State-a State which
delights TO taunt and insult her. He hat
no i'll feelings towards our Southern sisters
He wanted to see them come back, but it was
we'll they should understand that Virginia IL
mistress Of her own destiny. [Appla use. j
He said this to one side as we'll as to the OF her
She would not be precipitated into secession
by one eide, nor intimidated by threats O
Federal power on the other. (Applause. J.
She stood at the head Of the Macedonian pha
lanx of the Border States; and in reply to tn
question, Where should Virginia go he woul'
say. 60 neither North nor South, but will
them.
He thought if the Union was broken nj
there would be several Confederacies. Hi
fortunes were with Virginia, and he woul'
sink or swim with her. but he had no idea o
her being dragged into any new connection
without consideration. His closing remark
looked 10 a consolidation Of the Border States
and eventual reconstruction of the Unio
upon n basis by them adopted. He though
the secession leaders would gladly avail them
selves of any decent pretext to come back.
Hon. 4EoRGB w. SUMMERS was then Gale
upon, but declined making speech Tt
RIvEs, Esq, was making an appeal for tn
Union when we left the house. We under
stand that MARhADuKB JOHNSON, Esq, subse
quently addressed the meeting, which &C
journed about IL O'Clock, with three cheers fo
Mr.. CARLILB.