Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-11-30
MR.. A. Fl. III, STUART S REMARKS,


Mr.. A. 81. H., ,STUARTS SREMARKS, ,....
AT THE CONSERVATIVE MEETING IN AUGUSTA.
The questions now presented for the decision of
the people affected not merely the policy Of
administration, but the very existence and
peace of civil society. a wicked attempt is
now made by an unscrupulous party, i'll viola
ton of the Constitution and of fevery obligation
held sacred among men, to subvert the whole
structure of our institutions, and to inyert the
position of the elements of which it is COM
posed. It has always been received as an Ak
iom in politics, that the virtue and intelligence
ofthe constituent body were the only safe foun-
dation on which free governments could rest,
JEhe stability of, all representative republican
governments depends on the amount Of these
qualities possessed by those entrusted with the
election franchise The effort now is to disre
gard this cardinal principle, and to- sink the
virtue and Intelligence of the country and bring
its Ignorance and vice to the surface, as the
controlling power of the government. He need
not depictthe consequences of such process.
All must see that the result would be the ut
ter overthrow of allsecurities for life, liberty
and property. And yet with a full knowledge
Of these facts the dominant party In Congress,
not having the fear of God before their eyes,
but seduced by the iustigation of the Devil-in
violation of the obligations of the Constitution
-ot the sanctity of official oaths-and of their
duty to,their fellow men, were persistently seek
ing to tasten upon us degradation and ruin. ~S
!.n Mr. Stuart then dwelt earnestly on the duty
efevery man to use every effort in his power,
to avert from our beloved country such fearful
calalnltles. - l.gf
~. IL I. L ~ H. Il
vocatc of universal suffrage, even when sui
frage was confined to white men. He thought
: George NJ ason stated the true principle, in the
Virginia Bill of Rights, when he limited it to
those who had permanent interest In and
common attachment to the community. But
if such limitations were proper then, how much
more so are they now, when new element, so
potent for; mischief, and so ignorant Of the
practical bearings Of all political questions, was
introduced into our political community -.
I ii Slavery was forever dead, and he doubted if
there was single man in the sound of bis
voice, who would be willing to have it re-es
tablished. All are ready to treat it as a thing
of the past, and he believed that all were dis
posed to treat the negro race fairly and kindly.
For himself be entertained and always had
cherished, the kindest feelings for them. He
had sought to do his duty by those who had
been his slaves, and he believed they cherished
for him the kindest sentiments lie believed
that If the negroes had been let alone, they
would have got on in harmony with the
whites. But mischievous and designing mep
: had been sent among them, to deceive
and mislead them. . The recent elections
showed that they had been successful.
1t was natural that these ignorant and confid-
ing people should be mised. He was not dis.
posed to deal harshly with tehm for this error.
1t was not sheir fault, but that OF the knaveS
who deceived and betrayed them. But the
time was now at hand when the colored peo-
ple must decide, with their eyes open, what
their future course would be. If they persist
ed in arraying themselves against the southern
whites, they must take the consequences of
their folly They certainly were intelligent
enough now to know who were their best
friends. They could decide who fed and clothed
and sustained them. They knew they got all
. their employment from the people of the South
and not Of the North. If ftheY would 60 North
they would find how they are treated there,
and how they would be excluded from factories
and from most all the profitable avocatlons OF
life. In this connection ne referred TO the at
tempt Of the SON law Of Fred Douglas to
run hack In, Rochester,, when his hack was
broken yup and his personal safety endangered
Mr.. Stuart then referred to the falsehood OF
the allegation that the people of the North
we're willing to confer the elective franchise,
and other political rights, on the negroes: ln
refutation Of this he referred TO the 5O,O 900 ma
jorities in Ohio and New York against the
propositions, and proportionate maJorltles IN
other States:,,5j II a7i@ l..,S'%
i& Mr.. Stuart said he had always been satisfied
that Abo'itionism was not the offspring OF any
kind feeling to the negro. He believed it had
its birth in hostility to the whites of the South,
in part, but in a larger degree to the cupldlty
Of the North. ii The, population OF the North
was overcrowded They wanted an outlet the
South they wanted the profits of the employ
ments now pursued by the negroes; they want
ed to get rid Of the negroes, that they might
get their places. In word, the Northern
hive is ready to swarm, and they wish 1t TO occu.
py and possess our goodly heritage. .Ihe next
step is to array, the negroes against the whites
Of the South and thus provoke "a collision OF
races j, IL they are finally successful IN TINS,
then the negroes will be without friends, South
or North, and there will be one general, slmui,
taneous movement of the whites North; and
South, to get rid Of the ewhole race, and remoV-
al or determination must iclose the drama -
The colored people should be made to under
stand the true condition of things and it they
then choose toirush madly on their fate, they
must bear the consequences Of their own folly.
s!Mr..I Stuart urged activity and organization
Tor the coming struggle. he held that at was
important that every man should regard u nls
duty toi,use active means to , have every reglS5 Is
tered voter aah the polls: Ihe issues were 1 d.
most asimportant as those of lie or death:
Mr.. Stuart said he was one OF thoseeewno
never feared there would be general contlsca-
doubby Congress. But be did believe there I! 7
was5serious danger of what was substantially t,
coohseation, BY enormous taxation under State
authority now. These who owned no property
would weld the power. They would bear no
share Of the burden Of taxation, but would reap
all the profits, and they would levy taxes with
heavy hand untilpeope would be Obliged TO
sell their lands to escape the assessment on