The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1867-12-20
THE CONSERVATIVE CONVENTION.

THE CONSERVATIVE CONVENTION.
Our readers are aware that we were
not much in favor of this Convention,
We feared that the call was premature
and we apprehended serious results
from those discussions which we thought
inseparable from all conventions. This
apprehension was shared by most OF
the delegates whom we met upon the
train which took us to Richmond. The
preliminary meeting, held the night
previous to the assembling of the Con-
vention, was Of nature we'll calculated
to awaken fears of the grayest charac-
ter. But the fears thus aroused proved
In the end Providential safeguards,
and secured what had been we'll nigh
dispared Of. the almost perfect harmony
of one OF the largest public assemblages
eyer convened in the beautiful Capital
OF our ancient State.
With the single exception of the Con-
vention of '29-30, no such body of men
ever before met within the limits of tae
Commonwealth. 1t was great privi-
lege to merely look upon so many Of
the representative men of Virginia, as
they sat under the lofty dome of s'Ae
Richmond Theatre ,.tnd they who were
so fortunate as to witness that scene,
more impressive than the march of ar
mics. will treasure up the recollection,
and tell of it to their children, and their
children's children. 1t was the collected
virtue, patriotism and intelligence of
mighty State, communing solemnly
for the welfare of an oppressed people,
and kept still by its very strength. 1t
was the concentrated force of an heroic
race, rising slowly but determinedly
at the first locsening of the withes
which have so long bound them : a sight
rarely seen, and never to be forgotten.
We were not present at the opening
of the Convention, and shall always
regret that we did not hear the adj
dresses of the venerable Thos. Jetfer
son Randolph and the Hon. A. II. II.
Stuart. But we did hear John Ran
dolph Tucker, of Virginia, when step
ping forward upon the stage, with
clear voice and an admirable manner,
he read those Resolutions, which,
clothed in the ancient forms of Ian
guage, breathed the ancient spirit of
liberty. We heard, too, the sonorous
tones of Baldwin. of Augusta, when,
in the presence of that vast assembly,
he recited the martial plan of organi-
cation, by which the strength of Virgil
mia is to be shown IN the coming strug-
gle for the supremacy of the white man.
The voices of Goode, Barbour, and
Imboden and other noted Virginians,
we also heard, speaking briefly to the
point, as if mindful of the dignity ofthe
assembly and the weight of the theme
which brought that assembly together.
And, the second day, on the question of
appeal from the decision of the Chair,
we saw the stately President arise and
heard the loud sharp, consentaneous,
overwhelming dye! which swelled up
to rebuke the idle interference of a
country member. There followed some
talk from another member, youthful
speech from a gentleman OF King
George, and then, when all sensible
men were trembling lest the closing
scene should be married by frothy and
ill-timed oratory, we saw the grey
ba;.oI Non0xuan Moora IF RanEh PiIua
stand up in his place and move that
"this Convention, having performed its
work, do now adjourn sine die" Car
ried unanimously and then came the
fine speech of Hunter; excellent in
sense, more excellent i'll prudence; and
the Convention was at an end.
These things we remember and ever
shall remember. We know not how
others were affected, but, as whole,
the Convention impressed us with
sense of supreme potoer--the power of
noble and unselfish Commonwealth
the power of that maternal heart, which,
from the foundation of the Republic,
has moved but to bestow upon the whole
country the blessing of liberty regula-
ted by law, and which moves now, not
alone for the welfare of Virginians, but
for the veal of the entire land, and even
of those who were and are the enemies
of Virginia. The action ofthe Conser-
yative Convention was the sense of the
people of Virginia and they need no APP
peal, no entreaty, no stimulus windy
editorials to arouse them. They know
their duty, to themselves, their wives
and their children, and they will per-
form that duty cheerfully, faithfully,
wholly.
THE BAPTISTs.