The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-05-08
CONSERVAT STATE
CONVENTION.
PERMANENT ORGANIZATION.
REMARKS OF MOORE AND BALDWIN.
Proceedings. dc.

Yesterday morning the Conservative
State Convention met in the concert hall OF
the Exchange Hotel, in pursuance OF the
call of the State Executive Committee
There were assembled the true repre-
sentative men of Virginia-the represen-
tatives of her worth, her ability, and her
good people-all intent upon the one OBJ
ject: the promotion of her peace and pros
perity, and the preservation OF her honor
and dignity.
How great the contrast between the de-
Lucrative assemblies of the two parties now
struggling for the mastery in the Old Do
miniOn. In the one we have the true SONS
of the old mother State-the men who were
born and reared upon her soil, and many of
whom are the lineal descendants of the men
who gained her such glory in the past in
the councils of the nation. They come to-
gether quietly, and in manner truly dig
nifed, united as o band of brothers, with
unity of purpose, purity of principle, and
congeniality Of soul. The honor Of the land
of their birth is what they are working for.
There is no squabbling among them for po-
sition, there is no fighting for the loaves and
fishes, nor greed after the spoils office. No;
they have holier object in view, and their
calm, deliberative action and dignifed bear
ing is true indication of the motives which
bring them together.
In the other is brought together the slaves
Of yesterday and the political adventurers
and scallawags who have invaded and
would fain take bodily possession of our UNI
fortunate State. The good of the State and
of its people is hidden from their sight,
and they know only themselves, and con-
suit only their own avaricious desires.
They resort to every species of design and
of political rascality. There is no love be-
tween them, for they are in each others
way in the individual fight for office. They
hate each other so that it cannot be dis
guised, and their deliberations are marked
with disorder and disgraceful confusion.
With the one party in power there is much
hope for Virginia ; with the other in posses
sion Of the Government, We may in vain
cry out, {" God save the Commonwealth.
The Convention was called to order at IL
o'clock by r. L. Daniel, ESQ.,; upon whose
motion Colonel Moore, Of Rockbridge, was
called to the chair.
REMARKS OF COLONEL s. MD. MOORE.
Colonel Moore, on taking the chair, asked
for his ignorance Of the du-
ties of the position by which he had been
honored. He considered it high honor to
be called upon to preside even temporarily
over an assembly of true Virginia gentle
men, especially when, as now, it might be
the last one; for if this abominable Consti-
tuition were adopted, they would have passed
away, or have gone to parts where they
would be free from its oppression ere they
could ever again convene in representa-
tive capacity. He had never dreamed that
would ever have arisen that
would have induced him to participate in
political matters; but the time had come
when every man must partake in the strug-
gle to save the old Commonwealth from dis
grace, infamy, and ruin. He might say, in
the language of some man of renown in the
days Of the first revolution, These are the
times that try mems souls,'' etc.
1t would be ont Of place to comment upon
that abominable instrument called the Con-
after the able address of the Con-
members of the Convention.
There was only one point which he feared
might be overlooked. There were doubt
ess many who had no conception of the
oppressive taxation that would be heaped
upon the people by its provisions. He then
rave as an example the amount Of taxes
paid for education in West Virginia. He
himself had lands in that State; and when
ne went there to pay the taxes on them, he
rave the authorities leave to 60 to the lower
hades and take the lands with them.
He advised q conciliatory course towards
he blacks. He believed that considera-
lie humber of them in the upper counties
nd elsewhere would vote the Conservative
icket. They were beginning to understand
,retty well how little they were to gain by
difference to the Radical party. They UNI
erstood fully that the Radicals didn't in
end to let them have the lands. He eoun-
elled the Conservatives to work steadily
ntil the time of the election. AS for
laking square-upf fight, he would only
ounsel this when the time should come.
Le believed that nm nd dress TO the people Of
he North would have it's weight, They
nd been influenced heretofore pretty much.
the manufactured lies Of the Freedmen's
urean agents throughout the South but
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