Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-10-10
Letter from Baltimore to the Spectator.]
The National Commercial Convention, &c.
BALTIMORE Oct

= " A'0ttouoi OlutllGTcldi convention. who's
annual session has just closed in this citv. ma
have but little attracted the attention of n
people OF the Valley because of its suppose
relation merely to American commerce upo
the seas. ship-buildIng tariff and navigatio
laws, and the establishment of new lines q
ocean steamers. That is a mistaken opinion
1t was meeting of commercial men and me
interested in internal improvements The
came together from The North, the South, tn
West, aud the great Northwest, and met in
common cause, for the improvement of com
mon country Over two hundred delegate
were assembled, and their deliberations wer
NAKED by a fraternity and unanimity of feel
| ing, never before known perhaps outside of th
conventions, synods and conferences Of Chris
tian churches
| The City of Baltimore received the delega
tion as its guests and added cTawning chapte
to its bright record Of hospitality. Brilian
excursions and bauquets unsurpassed filled il
and stole upon the hours between business apt
repose; SO much so that in the closing hou
OF the Convention, Mr. Carrington. of ou
State, said: "One more Commercial Conven
ton and | am undone. L. is a duty which
owe to myself to my wife and children. to de
cline the privilege of going to St. Louis to tht
| Convention next year, even 1t rendered me.
The Convention was presided over by r. NJ
Bishop, ESQ.,, of Cincinnati, after organization
under the former President, j. W Garrett
E,q. The President prior to Mr.. Garrett. be.
fore the name was changed from Southern
to National Commercial Convention. was
Willard Fillmore concerning whom Hon. Thos.
S. Bocock, of Va 10 remarks at the final ban
quet, not yet published, said
III was proud day day long to be re-
membered, it is a day which we OF the South
Will long remember, when an eminent citizen of
New York, himself an ex- President OF the
country, came down and took bis seat as the
President of Southern Commercial Conven-
ton. Applause We honor him for is. We
will honor his memory forever for this bold and
good step which he took - Great applause |
The speech OF Mr. Brock on this occasion
was one OF the most eloquent to which have
ever listened, and In this day, when a Hercu-
lean effort Is being made to draw a party line
OF ku klux outrages and unrepentant bitter
ness on the part of the South, and of appeal
to the North to sustain the administration and
preserve the Union, | cannot refrain from quo
ting another paragraph particularly because
owing TO the lafeness of the hour and the
crowded columns OF the city press. the speech
reulsins unpublished, Mr. Brock said in. con-
clusion, and such had been the tenor of the
whole Of his remarks:
Gentlemen, We hail you as brethren. You,
uen of the Empire State, whose power is 50
great IN the Unlon-you, men of Pennsylva-
MIA, whose acquaintance [ have made here wi b
so much pleasure and so much delight-you,
men OF Missouri, whom [ have met here for
the first time, and ct vii so much pleasure
you, men OF the Nurthwest-you, men OF all
parts of the country, [ greet you as brethren,
as fellow-workers IN the great cause OF devel-
oplng the interest, protecting the rights, and
restoring the prosperity of our united, great,
and common country Great applause
The chairman of he Virginia delegation was
W. W. Walker man whom | had never be-
tore met, and | have added one more name to
the list of great tnen | have seen. From his
speech at the final banquet, not yet printed, |
quote:
when these differences that had unfortu-
natey grown up had been submitted to the ar
duration OF arms, when, In defence of what
was believed to be right on either and on both
sides, there had been manifestations of cour-
age, of endurance, of true and glorious man
hood, which have challenged the admiration
of the world and when the decision of the
God OF battles, of the Providence of heaven,
was against us, all [ ask you to believe of US
is that we honestly submitted, that we accepted
the results, and were Satisfied to acknowledge
and to discharge the obligations imposed upon
US cilizens of the U. s. Great applause I
And thus 1t Is BY the honest and sincere accep-
tance of he results of that contest, fellow Cit
Izens OF our common country, from whatever
pOsllon OF 1t you may come whether from the
Northwest, or from the West, or from lhe
North, or from any other portion Of it, by our
honest acceptance of the results of that con-
test We claim that we deserve your confidence
and are entltlbd to be restored to a common
brotherhood Great applause 1t is because
We are conscious of this that we feel that we
have the right to stand here and claim a cou,-
mon citizenship. Great applause If guile
was 10 our hearts II we drew near to you with
our lips whilst our hearts were tar from you,
the consciousness of falseho0d would brand our
brows and make US ashamed to stand In the
presence of those with whom we claim to be
bound by common ties" Great and prolonged
applause
While regretting that the Valley was not
fully represented 10 the Convention, | cannot
omit mentioning Its two able representatives
here, DR.. Moffett of Rockingham and Gen.
Il. ID. Lilly, of Washington and Lee Unver-
sity, whose genial aud courteous bearing added
not a little to he dignity and tone of the body.
While thinking of the great work which this
Commercial Convention has accomplished 10
bringing the two sections of the country to a
better understanding, | am also reminded of a
similar work accomplished by the editorial ex-
curson which went down to Virginia in Frb-
ruary under the leadership of Major N FL.
Hotchkiss Raise a Convention or body of
Northern gentlemen above the tranmcs OF
party, then show them what the South is,
what is her co dltlon and what are her feelings,
and they will then see the true state of things
and become conservative in feelug This Is
the work of the National Commercial ConVen-
ton, and such was the object of the editoria
excursion to the happy results of which the
sole honor must be awarded to Maj. Hotcbkiss
the steam-englne In pantaloODS, the jolly
agent. ''the indomitabe and ubiquitous,
'the champion of the world, 1.-THE constant
puffer, !" ''the printers true and substantial
road agent in the world, whose latch-strine
are thousand welcomes, Tor every tellow-Vlr
| glniau.
Perhaps you would have been saved the las
sentence, but | am stopping at the Fountain
Hotel, where the Major has his headquarters
and have shared his genial hospitality. AnC
| let me say from my heart of hearts that in al
| my journeylngs L have never unslung my KNAPP
sack north of the Potomac, under slate or shin
! giles, where felt warm q tnge OF VIrglnl;
hospitality. aud the blessings which hover un
der Virginia roof, as here at the Fountain
| Hotel. This is due In part no doubt to the ge
Mai Major of whom have spoken, but also t
the kindness OF Maj p H. Woodward, for
merly oil Staunton, who is permanent fxtur
of this house, and TO the gentemany clerk
Mr.. Thomas Furman, but, perhaps, above all
TO the tact that | am in Baltimore, city j
close sympathy with the South which is th
home of many hundreds of Virglnians, an
many former Stauntonians.