Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-05-08
ALEXANDRIA.
FRIDAY EVENING. MAY 8.
virginia .Conser,ya.,tiYe Conyenfion

Virginia Conservative Convention;
The Convention was organized yesterday, q
large number of Yirginia's best and truest
men men being present Col. S. Med. Moore Of
Rockbridge, was appointed temporary chair:
man, ca taking the chair, Col, NJ. asked that
theConvention would bear with his ignorance
ofthe dutiesot the position with which he had
been bonored. It was a great honor to preside,
even temporarily, over an assemblageof Viz
ginia' gentlemen, especially when, as now, II
might be the last time q Convention should be
held in the State: H the abominable sGConsti,
tuition was adopted. they viii pass away or go
preston, ere they could ever again meetain q
REPRESENTATIVE capacity. He never dreamed
that circumstances would arise that would tn
duee him to participate In political affairs ; but
the time had come when every man must take
part in the struggle to save the Old Common
wealth from disgrace, infamy and ruin. He
might say that these were times that tried
mems souls.
In speaking of the abomination, called a
constitution, prepared by the late Convention,
so,called, he said he couldaddBery little to the
atle address Of the Conservative members of
the Convention. He would speak, however,
of the enormous taxation which was to be as.
sessed on. the people OF Nirginiato build school
houses and support black schools, He spoke
of the taxation 10 West Virginia to build
school: houses and support schools, His.own
land In that State was taxed so heavily that be
told the tax-co ELECTORS to take his land and 60
10 thess shades. below d. ea 5se5a
colored population. He was as sincerely in IA
ref sauare-up fight as any other man, but
didn't want to make this fight until the proper
time came; He knew that the Freedmen S
Bureau men had great influence over the ne
groes, but thought .by9 proper management
many of them might be influenced to vote with
theaGonsefVatiHe party. He knew many of the
Freedmen 8 Bureau men were paid spies, but
thought their influence might be overcome. !.
He was not satisfied that it would be adyis-
ableteonominate State officers, at least a can
didatefo Governor but he knew that the APP
pcarance of new men and new speakers might
have, "a good effect all over the State sd pa
NotA outstanding his stage,a when be went
home, he intended5to cali meetings., and have
speakers to address the people at every: pre-
hairwas gray-but as some one had said of the
SHOWS on the summit. Of Mount Etna,s his gray
hairs had not cooled the fires below. !.
Aeommittee then reported the names, Of
the following permanent officers, who. were
unan n3fgn' elected ~ odds 81 sae. 2ot!
JoHAB. Be- BALDWIN. of Augusta - s.aa
Wv dIgov Kace Presidents. ~ hoanbo14 Us
JaMrJeff of King and Queen Walter
Colesy PittsylvaDia::o q n. Watkins, of
Prince Edward: 6 J. j Marye. a,JJr, of;Spotsyl-
vaniay, TIL. Randolph, Of ;Albemarle. ~ r.
Kent, Of Wythe. E. H. Archer. of Peters.
burg B. FL. Shaek,eford.q got Fauquier ~
Secretaries All the Conservative editors Of
Virginia, in Richmond. s1qo>t 49, = t.,.7.51
Colonel Baldwin came forward and said -,
Gentlemen of the Contention Il feel profound
" sensible of the high honor you have confer
red OF me-. i feel that in this Convention we
are placed in a novel position. Heretofore when
Conventions assembled in: this State it was for
the purpose of deciding not what class of men,
but what opinions should prevail In the State.
There was no difference of opinion as to the
affairs of the State, and 10 times of the widest
party excitement. each man had the consola-
sion Of knowing thatit his views couldn' pre-
vail and his party triumph, the State would
still be- the hands Of patriots and gentlemen.
Now we have assembled to preserve the social
organisation OF Virginia. Every man and every
woman is interested Ia what shall be done By
us. We have to consider whether we Will sane
lion the putting upon us of "a constitution that
ovcrthroWs our social organization and places
us In the hands OF foreigners and aliens. This
is the question before .us. 1t is one on which
we find all the white people of the State uni:
ted to an extent that must be satisfactory to us
Wetfnd class Of people, composed of aliens
and their allies, endeavoripg to put upon US a
disgrace of the most CALLING character, Our
first consideration is, how shall we defeat this
constitution. No man in Virginia should hope
TO hold Office under it !; for in wiping it out,
we shall wipe away the ground on which any
man who hopes to walk into Office on it stands
Itisa question Tor you to consider, gentle
men, whether that concent ration Of interest
necessary to procure full vote cannot better
be obtained BY bringing forward candidates
for the State Offices than by, leaving our fel-
low citlzspsi TO vote. Tor an opinion. | know
if candidates are nominated, none but Virgil
MIA gentlemen will be brought forward for any
office. yl5Fyig&T ilEa5 sstIH Sca
! againthank you gentlemen, for the honor
conferred on me, and announce that the Con
vention is ready to proceed with business.
Mr.: MARTIN I OF Henry, moved that COM.
mltteee of fifteen De appointed to report busi-
ness to1y the consideration Of the Convention,
there report to be presented atfve clock D. M.
This MOTION was discussed by Messrs. Mar
tin, Of Henry $; Keller, Of Dinwiddie, and
Shacketord, ot Eutpeper. 49,, = -,
Mr. Minifee. of Rappahannoek proposed taat
the Convention proceed at, once to. nominate
candidates 9Sr Governor, Lieutenant Governor
ard Attorney Genera. he made a. speech in
favor of hisem6tiou, and said be saw no reasc
why committee Should intervene between ,b ~,
Convention and the work it had to do. IA '''s
Pending the. cons deration Of this motion J,
resolution ,Wass, pced and ,donted 0'' bv
which the assistant superint end nj If counties
and canyassersi present were . ! iowed to take
seats as delegateaa4 I'LL s}"no"sss 49,
After coasiaeEableddis .S 1sson The following, wing!
pgepo}inoao a sbouf, of Culpeper, Was
heomgaltH eofgtwosfrom each Congress,
slonal districts taI be recommended by the dele
gates from ea:ScaRf district. . be appointed by