The Van Buren press., 1867-11-08
RepOri for hs Press.
THE CONSERVATIVE MASS MEET
ING.

lN6.
Mn. EDiToR For the qualification 0f those
conservative friends who were unable to at
tend the Mass Meeting ofsaturday last beg
leave to submit brief review Of the excel
lent speeches made upon that occasion.
On motion of Col. 5. NJ. HAYS, Col. +. NJ.
LOCKE was elected to preside over the meet
ing. W. ALEXANDER, Esqa wa, appointed
Secretary.
The President after few remarks, grace
fully acknowledging the honor conferred,
called upon Hon. .IEssr TURNER 10 explain the
object Of the meeting; and it was explained
by the Honorable speaker with flow of stir
ring arguments which we wish every voter of
Crawford county could have heard. The con
dtion of our country was touchingly illus
trated: Usurpation had followed usurpation
and the black tide swellcd with each meeting
of Congress. Thousands who fought for the
preservation of the Union would not have
done SO had they supposed the rights of States
were to be crushed out by military despOtisrn.
Senators COwan, Duolittle and other eminent
party admitted this fact and are now acting
with the Conservative party. There w-re
rights of the people that could not be iniring-
cd on without producing revolution. The poll
cy of the Republican party had ot'brought
peace aud prosperity Is good and wise poll
cy would have done but to use the langmgO of
one of its eminent men 1T had rained hell
upon Louisiana and upon Virginia" and so
it would do everywhere else. Its object was
not peace, but to maintain itself in power ut
all hazards, and for this end they were over
riding and destroying the Constitution Did
it not make the blood boil in every frecmans
veins TO think that we the sons of glorious an
cestorS, were being placed, by the Instrument
ality of a miserable Rump Congress. under
the political dominion of those who were but
a few years since our slaves? Turn to Vir-
ginia-who filled the places once held by such
men as Jefferson, Wir. and Henry vile cum
ming cur called IIunnicutt-a base born
spirit called Underwood, who wore the erminc
made sacred by her illustrious Judges? Oh
God, what a change, could these things last
California had said no, Connecticut, Ohio and
Pennsylvania mad responded in laundering
tones no-and ere long, even from fanatcal
Massachusetts, we expect to hear a rattling OF
the dry bones. Among those present he saw
some who had battlcd under our stray FLAG
for the preservation of the Cnion-he wa,
glad to see them here and he believed tha,
when they entered the army it was to fight fol
the Constitution-thcy could not now consist
emily be anything but Constitutional Union
men-they did not fight even for the freedom
of the negroes, but now they were called upor
to force them into political equality with our
selves-would they do it? he believed not
We were glad to have good men settle among
us, especially good farmers and mechanics
but those who drop down among us for the
purpose of seeking office and for strengthen.
ing the power of this infamous Republican
party, we care not whether they drop from
Kansas, or even from the skies themselves
we would rather see them take another shoot
Arkansas needs them not, she wants no sucl
citizens. And why are these men so friendly
with the Africans? Is it to confer benefit.
upon them? not at all, but it is their votes they
want. Do they propose giving the negro Of
flee why they will not receive one among
them here, unless they first make his hear,
blacker than his skin-they have no use fol
such a man as my friend Ned Dixon there
Cogent reasons were given to show that ne
benefit could be derived from the proposed
Convention and although he could advise nc
one how to vote he would say, that if he hat
the privilege to do so, he would vote No Con.
vention and on the opposite side Jane.
Greg.
lregret very much, Mr.. Editor, that moro
Republicans, Onion Leaguers, etc. were moi
present to hear this speech in full. | noticed
that some of the boys in blue" were present
however and must confess that it warmed ur
my heart to see them so heartily endorsing
those principles so dear to every true man OF
the South.
Hon. II. +. THOMSON was then called upon
His numerous friends were much gratified tC
see him once more able to take part in active
affairs. Weomit for want ofspace the enter
esting arguments adduced to show that the
three coordinate branches Of the government
were equal and independent, and pass to his
remarks upon suffrage. We were glad to hear
him address the negroes as one who was in
heart their friend--and as their friend he
would tell them why he thought they should
not be allowed to vote: They had the same
laws to obey that the whites had, and no
others--l these laws were good enough for
the whites surely they could be satisfied with
them; he was opposed to their voting simply
because they were not yet qualified; an edu-
Gated Englisllman although he might have
property, had to wait five years before he
could vote and they would certainly admit
that he was better qualified than most of
thcm; voting was no right the man who
voted had to 1.-Two under the same laws as the
man who did not vote. You do not yet know
enough of government to vote intclllgently
md pptil tbnn ro,, shntlJ NOT ,v,,,t