The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-22
ALEX ANDRIA, VA.

A more complete report OF the remarks niaoe
by Mr.. Beach ut the Union meeting,
on Wednesday night last, will read as fol-
lows-the report given yesterday having been
meagre and imperfect
After some remarks of general charac
ter, Mr.. B. said:
That no event. he''believed, had occurred
since the breaking out of the war, which had
more thoroughly stirred up our own domestic
secesh, than the event which had occurred to
day-to witt the election Of new officials tor
the city of Alexandria. The anticipation of
this event had caused great conmotion at a
late meeting of the City Council, and had
given rise to discussion which was any,
thing but comp lmentary in its expressions
to the motives and purposes Of the Union
men. He had read the report Of the discus
sion in the columns Of the LEGAL News, and
whilst he was not disposed to retort harshly,
the tone and temper Of that discussion would
Justify retort in terms Of severity. Gentle-
men. on that occasion, had talked loudly OF
been excited over what they denominated the
outrage, she monstrous outrage, which was
about to be perpetrated upon those chartered
rights. nd, pray, in what did these gen
temen suppose the chartered lights of the
town to consist? Was it one ofthe chartered
rights of the town thai it's affairs should be
administered by a SET Of officials who were
hostile to, and sought the overthrow of, the
very government hy which the charter was
originally given? Was it one OF the char
tered rights of the town that its affairs should
be administered by a chief magistrate, who,
as was publicly stated here, had thrown into
gaol man for no other offence than because
he declared his adherence to the government
of the United States? Was it an ,ther of the
chartered rights If the town that its con-
Germs should be controlled by a Common
Council " no voted, OF attempted to vote, the
money of the town drawn IN part from the
pockets OF loyal men, to arm and equip troops
who were making war upon the government?
Were these the chartered rights about which
the Common Council was SO concerned, and
for the preservation of which one member
was willing to lend his own parlor?
He would say, that, if any violence had
been done by the action of the loyal men
that day, it had been done tojust such rights
as these, and to no other, and he would chal
lenve the combined wisdom Of the Common
Council and the added wisdom of the legal
minds whose aid they had called in, to point
out any other particular in which the least
violence had been done to any of the char
tered inmunites of the city. And yet there
was this Exclamation about outrages upon
chartered rights-chartered rights which our
fathers would have exerted themselves SO
much to defend! Our fathers, indeed And
who were our fathers, that they should be
invoked in such connection, and on such an
occasion? Our fathers were men who knew
what it was to be pervaded with deep SEN
timent of loyalty, and if they could have ap-
peared, in response to the invocation, they
would have secuted from the halls of the
CORPORATION the men who should seek in their
hearts to destroy a government which our
fathers would have shed their last drop OF
blood to maintain. But the Council protests
against the outrage, and the shock to be Civ
en- to the peace and credit of the city. The
credit of the city, to be sure IL wondered
if the member. who be believed introduced
the protest. who talked of ''conque, ed prov
irces.o and who had forever blasted the hopes
of Governor Pierpojnt Ivy declaring that he
would never recognize him as the Governor
of Vircinia-he wondered if this member,
in the range Of his reflections. bad consider
ed how much the credit of the city owed to
those lately charged "iSh its government p
Wby. what were the facts which everybody
knew? The faces were, that, under the late
cav administration, default for the fret time
in the history OF the town had been made IL
The payment of the Corporation interest
CORPORATION due bills had fattened out to no.
thing, and almost the only valuable property
which the city owned had been shInged over
with mortgage. He would not be Unfair
however. with these gentlemen, and he would