Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1837-04-04

> various departments, and see what the
:, true condition is.'
!. PRESToN'S LAMENT FOR VIRGIN1A.-Tb
D following eloquent lament for the lost hor
or and fallen fortunes of Virginia, is iron
5 the speech of Mr. Senator Preston on tn
eXpunglng resolutions. Well nav he sa,
OF the Old Dominion, that her glory ha
departed.
Sir, when first heard that state lie
glslature had instructed her senators t.
vote on this floor in favor of this thing, i
struck me with inexpressibe sorrow anc
dlsmay; but whenI from time TO time be-
held various legislatures acting under the
same dlctatlon, or at least, misled into the
same mistake, sorrow assumed in nv bo.
som the complexion of despair.
But there was still one ingredient 70 he
added to this cup, to render the odious
draught more intoIerably bitter. | could
i will confess it-with some compare
tive degree of philosophy, have seen GER
tain states of this confederacy, one after
another, giving way, and bringing their
successive sacrifices to this altar Of exc
cutive power. could have borne to see
this and that and the other state prostrat-
ing herself, and aiding in the general con.
splracy to PROSTATE the Senate. But when
at length it came to pass that the ancient
and powerful commonwealth of Virginia
was brought to bow her venerable locks
before the tootStool of power, forgot her
past history, forgot who and what she
mad been, and associated herself in com.
bnatlon like this, how shall describe NV
feelings? As a politician, | might have
been mortified at such spectace-as a
statesman belonging to the United States.
turned from it with shame; but as a ma
i've of Virginia, depIore, lament from
he bottom my heart, that she, too, has
oned the funeral procession of the con.
Sir, was proud to remember
Ter IN her proud day; to consider her as
ne once was, and perhaps still is-the {
lother OF great men: to look back to that
right, that immortal period in our history. s
men she recalled her children from the :
alls oil national legislation into her own 7
glslature, there to vindcate the rights y
Id independence Of the state, and to re. =
'sert the violated constitution against the y
'urpatlons of this government. -
Then, indeed, Virginia preserved that !,
ustrlouS character which had descended
tn her from the Revolution. Then she
It herself on her State rights, and on
popular doctrines of free Govern. r
mt; and all who witnessed the animat- lie
sight must have concluded that. W
'oughout her existence she would ever "
ltlnue to vindicate and to perpetuate re
doctrine and the spirit of liberty tn
, could have wished that the honora. te'
gentleman who now represents that Cc
tlngulshed State, could have found in a
own mind the reasons for taking diff ial
eht course from that which he has MR.
d in this matter. With the mowers
ch he unquestionably possesses. with cul
liberal education and large experience, car
especially with the good fortune Of anl
wing up amid the very men who laid 9Th
foundations of our Republic, I had ar
ed that he would have invoked the an. ten
t spirit of his State, and would have con
ID the suffrage Of his voice to save the If
lbIlng constitution, about to be immo. Iob
at the footstool Of Executive power and
1t was my lot to be disappointed; and nor
'urn, from the bottom of my heart eve,
instruction under which he feels him. the
constrained to vote for this very on orc
rdinary resolution. Where are the con,
teness, the gravity, the calm and cau- erin
wisdom of Madison? Where the adm
sophie spirit, the enlarged views. the
popular predictions of JefFerson?- in a
re the sturdy republicansm of John nv
orr Where these bright names that Cam
her history They are gone--gone, inc
others control her destiny. Sir, | la. any
, mourn, that my native State should soon,
lent herself and the remnant of her wv
to promote and gloss over this pro. 80
ng' take consolation, however. Mr. Stone
dent, that there is one State ono frao Navy
earless State, which has kept herself Chess
from this combination. whose ~ lishm
n spirit, whose pride and honor do and {
OF me, her representative, to make Bruins
ow do, on behalf of South Caroline Tn
md aannoOt o mn protest against this to inn
""' 'io'"lion OF the consti- teriou
are III
have or,or - :, rise in
, hodv = EE so" II stated that the cret