The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-06-05
ALL HONOR TO vIRGINIAl


American people the leader of armies met the foreign
invader the field Of Yorktown the State of Virginia
aud compelled him to surrender The issues at stake be-
tween the contendng hosts the great principles of
civil and religious equality and liberty The northern
section of the Union had been by the troops Of
arrogant monarch and uncompromising ministry.
Brayely fighting in than enc doubtful conflict and
often winning the advantage the soldiers of the colonies
though animated by the counses of sages and phoso
piers and led BY hero without stain and reproach
only able secure the conclusive victory when they
touched the sacred soil Of Virginia It seemed if the
State from which Henry had hurled his first fierce defiance
against the expressions Of the English monarchhe State
which gave birth TO Jeiarson--upon which Washington
grew manhood and gloryhad been set apart as the
theatre that to witness the closing struggle for free
dom in that sevenyears war And thus at the very mo-
ment when all seemed to be lost when the SIX gloom
lest and the future crowded with the dismal appre-
tensions the sword of Washington opened the way to in
dependence and to peace.
The parallel between this period and the conflict
just decided in Virginia is nguary and impress
sve The principles supposed to be settled during the
Of the revolution had once more been assaied by
band of who dared TO hide their designs under a
noisy prelenoe Of exclusive patriotism Reckless Of all the
lessons experience and blind to the blessings which had
sanciifed this experience they proclaimed their deerm-
nation TO erect Standard and to substitute for the
doctrines Of the revolution and the practices Of the revol-
ton the pains and penalties of the Spanish nquston the
disabilities and acknowledgements inflicted by the English
rulers upon the Irish people after the revolution Of 1868
and that spirit Of infatuated seishness which has left
China to tester between its was-a picture of po-
lteal darkness and social degradation in the midst
of region upon which Nature bestows the most won
derfni advantages. Invoking to their cause host of
preudces which civilization has vanly labored to pluck
from the human heart, rallyng every hatred whether
OF caste creed sun,snoning their aid the most
eveng theories of mpractcablc reforms and holding out
reckless promises of Office and of power exn ct parties
and desperate leaders, they conrved to sweep State after
State in the North and West and to advance with their
victorious banners the shores of the Old Dominion
Here however, they their match and their overmatch
Flushed with the recoections recent riumphs Of most
signal and extraordinary character and sanguine Of
yaster than any which they had yet obtained they
forgot that they were hallowed ground and that while
they were seeking to dshonor and degrade the living
they were at the same time profanng and insulting the
dead They forgot that they stood upon the soil watered
by the blood and made sacred by graves Of the fathers
OF the constitution they sought to muate They forgot
that their enginery of sehood their secret complica
tons and secret bargains, and their projects of i'm
possible improvement and reform, were all SO many
resurrectons of the departed genius of oppression In
toxicated with victory and eager for advantage
over the right they found their mistake The dis
trc OF which Yorktown is part forth champion to
meet and TO master them--a champion Of aundauned
mete-a knight in the cause of the constitution filled
with no visions of doubtful creed but inspired by the
cause he defended and made nyncble by the responsible
NY which II imposed. In proportion they were SAN
guine ne was confident and when foes predicting his
defeat he prepared for triumph with calm and untering
devotion
The effect of this and opportune result has already
peen almost magical Like the surrender Of CornwaIls
u has destroyed the Vaccinations Of enemies Of our
country and restored concert and strength TO patriotic
people Like that event, il has established on firm and
lasting foundations the principles Of the Declaration of In
dependence Like that event. also has given an assu
rance 70 The worlda hope to the oppressed on the one
hand and an admonon to the oppressors on ths other
that however faction may rave and traitors ssemble moth
ing ~ more certain of being maintained than the nstt
tons of the American republic
Upon the politics Of the present and the future This RI
suit cannot fail to operate with saluary effect The secret
party already halbeaten the free States where their
fap legislation and immoral practices have rendered them
oos y large maJorities, eagerly awaiting the hour
rePuda'e them with scorn relied upon Virginia to omen
the way for them to permanent ascenency in the s,h
me overwhelming response Of Virginia however is no
less rebuke to this irrcyerent aspiration than AN amo
milton to the people OF the southern States rts M l
an evidence that the abolition sentiment of The porbo
Anow-nothings has alerned the southern mind than a
demonstration Of the unity and the power Of the demo-
cratic party u is saying to the factions of the North
thus far shalt thou 20 and further II is saving to
the southern whg leaders already deep the complica
tons OF the northern fanatics beware how you try the pa
uence OF generous md a confdng constituency We
shal shortly see new developments Of kuow-nohing pol
ICY An effort will he made either TO build
UP mat party as northern party alone or, fail
ing ~ THIS to attempt the Matchmaking of that party
over Inc whole Union. But they are doomed al
feauy lner prestige is gone Their hour of triumph IL
ose me politicians who attracted to them by their
suauen success are already 'haung off, in disgust and
the mass OF those who were deluded by theft
are ead 70 gather counsel and experience from the crea,
victory In Virginia and come back to the great
zaon once more reesabshed In ihvincble security
Its old foundations Nothing can save the whq dema-
gogues who now lead the new party They are broken