The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-05-01
Prom the Southern Literary Messenger.
The Social systs-a OF Virginia.

Having now got some distinct idea OF what the thing
we call civilization ls, LEI return 70 me problem which
system OF Virginia likely to make In civilization b
wha, It's probable success as compared with the other
social sysiems by which II was surrousded And il The
definition which have given OF civilization be correct.
in order solve this problem II will be proper that we
should put 10 that system The twofod question: What
likely To do Tor or against the development oil
for or against the development OF ectety7 And
mark. in the threshold, that al all acquainted
with the social system OF Vlrgna during the colonial
period a to discover Immediately the preponderance
OF those elements which favored the development OF
man at The expense OF society We have seen that IRON
the first settlement OF the colony isolated county We
constituted prominent feature in Virginia There were
no towns or Giles, aud the inhabitants OF the colony lived
in the woods scattered in dwellings along the streams
and water OF the country, al long distances
apart Many OF them--much The most considerable iot
power and infuence-were large landed popnetors ana
the masters OF slaves There they collected around them
ltle society, of which they themselves the CEN
ire, and over which they presided with absolute sway
That these should come TO be regarded as oil gfeal
importance, not only by themselves but by all around
them, was naturally TO be expected Observe for
ment, you please the social position OF the Virginia
farmer He was the head OF family, landed propre-
tor the master OF Indicated servants, and the lord OF
slaves. Above him superior, near him equal be-
You'd the influences OF general society," with no rule OF
conduct but his good will and pleasure he lived in
his forest home like feuda baron in his lonely castle
He was everywhere supreme IN The sphere IN which he
moved, and which he rarely left. That feeling of
sequence and superiority together with sentiment OF
personal Independence and individual liberty, should
have sprung up in the bosom of this society
voidabe And What the Vrginans of that day by
liberty quite different thing from the modern acep
sion Of thai erm and what their contemporaries The Pu-
rians of New Engand meant by il The liberty for which
the OF New England laboied zeaously was cvl,
POLITICAL religious libery-the liberty OF the citizen; but
the liberty which the Virsnian pa-sionatry
attached personal bey-the liberty OF the iad'uid-
val And while our northern neghbors were devottng
faculty to The improvement OF Their social relations
and condition citizens our ancestors In Virginia could
with difficulty be induced TO submit to the restraints OF
society at all They loved their free ioes, lie, aud
aFpd infinitely their liberty than their
franchises as cilzens They could not understand why
they should abrge their natural rights for The improve
men OF their socal relations when they felt society to
be burden, and only desired 10 be relieved from its
trammels. They asked nothing from II, and were viii
ling to concede nothing TO 1t; they ie able to protect
themselves, and did not lean upon the arm OF govern
ment Tor safety Aversion TO much government has
been, from the settlement OF the colony, and is al Ibis
day, Virginia instinct Listen TO Bancroft:
"Shall the Virginians be described in a word They
Ango-Saxons in the woods again, with the inherited
culture and intelligence OF The seventeenth century The
ginlans that never saw town. The Anglo Saxon nnd
III s setenest nationality, neither distorted by ianacism
subdued by superstition, nor wounded by persecution
excited by ideas, but iondJ cheiisung the active
live power such belonged to before the Reformation
had made It's dwelling place in the empire OF Powhatan
[Vol. 2, p. Asa.
This isolated country life, together with tina, love Of
liberty and personal Independence which 1t osered. has,
beyond doubt, been OF the controlling elements OF our
civilization II meets us at every point OF our progress
has moulded Institutions and lays at the foundation
Of our political creeds.
No one tail TO see that social system thus cons
tuted was admirably adapted TO the progress OF the ad
vdua man-to the development of his sentiments, afec
tions and IDEAS HIS secluded life favored meditation
and that independence that love of liberty that
superiority and habit OF command which we have Just
described power 10 his nature and elevation 10 his
views And we accordingly find that when the Virginia
farmer lett his native forests, 10 be translated 10
some higher sphere OF actonelihe the cabinet the egls
ative hail. the rosrum, the field Of battle. For the
counting house the factory he manifested any
taste or talent In addition TO this, society did not then
-h,.r t nnitn rfpItup f
The people OF Virginia had not yet submitted themselves
10 that Procruseaa operation by which all the nequai
ties OF nature corrected aud mankind reduced 10
stature In the depths OF The tores, they recognised
social standard to which they were Obliged TO con-
form had they been subjected 10 that modern sy
OF grading BY which II sought 10 equalze everything
TO +" make all mountains and valleys exactly OF the same
level, plane down universal creation into We-tphalIan
6at, and metamorphose The irregular grandeur OF Naure's
Alps INTO a methodca decentralization OF Dutch dkes;
but society, like OF Natures own landscapes was
broken into hill and dale, mountain and valley, where
the royal oak and The stned pine side by side, aud
man walked abroad in his native majesty. The air he
biesihed tree, the soil he trod was his own: re-
Heved from all conyeniionality, his sentiments, pas
sions, and ideas bad ample space Tor expansion, and
his nature full for growth and development All
this eninently favorable to individual progress
nor has the civilization OF Virginia been false 10 lis
constituent elements II. have seen, those ee-
ments peponderaed which favored The development OF
the individual man, we lind that they have produced
their legitimate resusihal the fact has cofresPonded
with our expectations. IL is impossible 10 deny that
the civilization OF Virginia has exercised vast and
salulary influence upon individual progress-upon the
development OF mans sentiments, passions, and ideas
AT every page OF her annals meet with crowd OF
noble sentiments elevated ideas, and striking manifesto
tons OF character and passion evidently generated the
bosom OF that country life peculiar 10 her people
Nowhere has 10 greater moral and intellectual
grandeur: warriors, statesmen, orators and civilians
TO be the natural products OF her soil. The
who have ruled in the cabinet, who have guided the
legislative councils OF the county, and led her armies
vicoy, have most oil Them come IRON the woods OF Viz
gina The greatest statesman the greatest warrior and
the greatest that America has yet produced have
each been Virginia products Washington, Henry, and
Jefferson the types OF her cvIzaton-she claims
them peculiarly her In the bosom OF that
try life which we have described, far away from towns
and crowded citiesln The solitude oil the ioest-wefe
their great virtues cultivated and their natures deve-
oped These and others almost great, have been
the contributions which Virginia has made to The nation
Indeed, no impartial man read the history OF the
country without discovering the vast influence which
Virginia ideas and Virginia have exer,ed over It's
destiny in peace and Truly has The great states
man Of South Carolina said that Virginia, like the
mother OF the Gracch, when asked for her Jewels points
10 her IONS"
But Virginia has not only abounded in great men-she
has been equally fruitful IN general ideas! her soil has
been the hot bed OF political efeeds Those great pnc
pies of civil, political. and religious liberty, upon which
all our institutions rest grew naturally ~ The bosom OF
that society which We have described And no one can
ia 10 that those principles emnenty charcerls
TIC OF our civilization They are just what mzb have been
expected IRON it's sgent elements Their object IS 10
preserve, as lar possible, the Independence OF ind
vdua action and pursuit. and they reject all limitations
great ends OF social organization They REGARD all those
which wiplds n ar curnnr.tp