Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-09-02
CONSERVATIVE ADDRESS.
Address of the State Conservative
Committee TO the People Of sir-
pfrpis

Committee 10 the People Of Vir-
ginia.
Fellow citizens: For the twenty third time
sioce the period when the people OF the Uulted
States, ''in order to form more perfect
Upion, to establish justice, TO ensure domestic
tranquility, to provide Tor the common defence,
to or mote the general welfare, and TO secure
the blessings of liberty" adopted, by the rat,
foatiop of their several States, plal OF gen
eral government, embodied 10 a written coDstl-
tu;ioD, is the Chief Magistrate and executive
head of the Government thus created TO be
chosen by the people.
Th. President of the United States is in-
vested 10y the Constitution with powers watch,
however limited, are Yet so ample that TO
large extent must rest with him, in the wise
and iudicious administration OF the Govern
meat, the ability to satisfy the important OBJ
iects enumerated 10 the preamble, or by an
unwise, injudcious, or corrupt ex. reese OIL his
functions. to defeat the purposes of our fathers,
aud deprive the people Of the blessings Of ITO,
ery aud good goverumc OF, so earnestly desired
20 be provided for AMI secured to them by that
Instrument.
Clothed with the authority Of tribune OF
the people to stay, ii not annu, the nasty or
iii advised acts of co ordlrsse department.
the tyranny of reckless maj nrites may, by his
wise Interference, BE- avcrttd and the country
rescued from the effects OF passionate legiSls
ton the hand of was!etul appropriation may
b. held iu cueck, the burthens OF unnecessary
and useless taxation removed, and the Govern
mint conducted on principles of justice. SIM
plic!ty, and rigid economy, so essential to the
y,ry iiea of true rcpubIicaulsm On the other
ha I'd, armed with the vast prcrogatlve OF APP
opA rnp,nUal fr,m office. charged
through his supervising power With the c)llec'
ton aud disbursement Of the immense revenues
Of the country, the constitutional chief OF the
military aud uaval forces, and controlling the
foreign policy OF the Government, he Is afford.
ed the opportunity, it tempted by the lust "
power or sell aggraudizsment, to uSurp stu
greater powers, 10 prrvert the great purposes
Of renublican Institutions to his OVID sllhoh OBJ
iects, to degrade the Government ioa mere
personal establishment, TO be Conducted IN the
Interest of personal followers aud corrupt lac
ton. and finally, If unrcsrained, to tramplc GU
the liberties OF The people.
The election of az officer clothed With such
vast powers ard responsibilities, the exercise
OF wnich may so seriously affect the well oelcg
of TIE county, is an event which shoud hll
the breast of every patriot with solIcltude and
| anxiety.
1t is duty which every citizen living under
the benign inAueuc. of republican institutions
owes to his couutry-to exercise the right Il
suffrage; it is that privilege which dlstin-
cuisines him from the subjects OF other forms
of government. 1t makes him part and parcel
| of the government Itself, and he Is respoosioie
to the extent Of his vote and his personal lLnu-
ence for the caiamitles OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
should he neglect to adopt ali honorable means
| to secure the election OF honest, lntellEeni,
competent, and faithful pubic agents aud rep
res natives
In the election about to take place it is emf
pently the duty Of tue citizen to participate, as
| il is equally his duty to acqualnt himself be
Iorehand with the principles aud character OF
the candidates who may be put forward Tor SO
exalted a position, as well as the history, prln
cip)es, and character Of the parties which pre-
F.! fer them, and which they must represent.
The Two great parties which divide the coun'
try ut this tme-the democratic aud the re.
| publican-have held their conventions and
dominated their candidates.
The Conservative party Of Virginia, as a
| Corinthian cclumD, formed of the eomolued
| beauties of the earlier Dorlc aud loblc orders,
| 40 fashioned Of the best elements OF the old
| whig ADD democratic parties OF former times,
| and proud of the memories aud ASSOCIATIONS oi
their past histories has identified itself IN this
national contest with the democratic party,
and endorsing the declaration OF principles II
has proclaimed, and sympathlzlDg 10 Its hopes
and patriotic aspirations for restoration OF the
Govern mrnt to the original design OF Its found
ers, presents to the people OF Virginia the
| names Of Samuel j. Iliden, OF New YORK. and
Thomas A. Hendricks OF Indiana, as clilzens
worthy their confidence and support Tor me
! great Offices they have been nomloaied to MI
The history of the democratic party Is the
history of the United States through many de-
| cades of its most glorious existence. The IN
paralleled Increase 10 the population OF the
country, the wonderful development OF its re
sources, it's spleudld achievements ID war,
whether resisting invasion at home or prose
culing it successfully abroad; It's vast acqu 81
ton of territory, by diplomacy as we'll a. oy
| conouest: its establishment Of new aud Amerl-
can PRINCIPLES of international law, are largely
the results Of the wise aud vigorous measure:
which distinguished democratic admnlstra-
tons.
Tue brief history of the republican party is
but the recital OF acts Of nlsrule, usurpatlJD,
oppression, extravaganza, and corruption.
Inaugurattd lnto power by the unhappy
sectional contest which plugged the country To-
to cruel aud bitter civil war, 1t has sought,
When the issues involved were settled, aad the
results accepted by the most solemn declara-
tons, to prrpetuae the horrors OF war, the
rgors of conquest, and the humiliation OF de
feat.
Prosecuting the war for the avowed purpose
of saving the life Of the nation, and pre>ervog
the integrity of Uoion which was one and 10,
divisible it egislated, wien notan armed hand
was upitted, the patton saved aud the Union
preserved ten States out Of the Uriou aud
subjected them to cruel process Of rcconstruc-
tion.
ProclainiDg that uo State could voluntarily
or uvouutsliy cease to form part Of the Gov.
eroment, it degraded them lu;o provinces, Il
established them into military satraples, 1t gov
erned them by military pro.consu!s, aud, ignor
ing the houored namsS of those who, as part OF
tue Odd Tuirtevu," first proclaimed the indie
pendeuce OF the nation, Ii adopted for them the
nomenclature of the Bastile, and deromlnated
them by numbers as military districts.
T, tbo, a1o