The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-02-06
THE DAILY DISPATCH
TUESDAY MORNING. rEeaUAeY 9. 1885.


TUESDAY MORNING. rEeaUAey 9. 1855.
THE Yrxr vIRcIsiA LEGisLATrRE.--We
are glad to see that the press OF the State is
beginning to call public attention to the great
extent and importance of the duties which
will devolve upon the next legislature Of
VIRGINIA AS the Richmond Examin er Justly
remarks, lit rarely happens that 30 many
questions of overshsdowing consequence
arise In the same legislative body, as viii
nresent themselves to the next Legislature Of
Virgins" /.
some of the questions which will demand
its attention are as follows; The charters OF
the old banks. which will then have to be re
neved. if they are to be allowed to go on; the
ouestion of State finance; the action of the
Board Of Public Works in the matter of
the agency of SeIden, Withers y Co; the ex-
tension of the great Covington road to Ohio.
and in connexion Herewith, the vigorous
prosecution of the James River canal, an i'm
provement of more importance to the future
welfare of Virginia, than all the others she
has ever made combined, the completion OF
the present railroads of the State, which, in
their present unfinished condition. can neither
pay dividends nor increase to any great ex-
tent, the tax-psying power of the people; the
election of U. S. Senator, &c, &c.
The press of Virginia can, do no better
service to the old State than to keep before
the people the immense, the overwhelming
Importance of sending their best men to the
next Legislature. Any. community that, in
the next election, permits itself to be gov
erned in the selection of its agents in that
body by any other standard than superior
talent and fitness for the post. will do griev,
GUS injury to the Commonwealth, and inflict
suicidal stab upon its own interests. Mere
partizans and tricky demagogues should,
for this once at least. be given the go by,
and men Of business, practical character and
habits be sent to grapple with the great re-
sponsibilities of next winter. The nrst men
of the State, men whose names are usually
mentioned in connexion with Congress, with
the Cabinet, with Foreign Missions, and even
the Presidency, ought to be willing to accept
next winter the humble post of legislators
for the sake of bringing in safety, through q
most trying crisis, that Virginia to which
they owe SO much, and which has a right to
their best services.
This is one of those cases in which office
may be honorably sought because sought
by such men as we have indicated, it in
wolves duty without personal reward. Let
each county and senatorial district in the
State look out its first citizen, and appeal
to him, by his love and loyalty to 'lr'
ginia, to serve in the next legislature
Surely, great men, who ought also to be great
patriots, cannot be deaf to such an appeal.
In Virginia's better days, her most illustrious
sons, her Marshalls, Madisons, Monroes, Kan
dolphs, &C., did not disdain to serve the State
in a Constitutional Convention, nor do we
believe that were they living now, they would
hesitate to come forth from their dlgniiied re-
tirement, and lend helping hand in the
great exigency that is before Us.
ELECTION OF SEwARD.-Tbe New York
Herald thinks that the action of the Wing
caucus of the New York legislature, which
nominated Seward, indicates his re election
to the United States Senate. The caucus
numbered Just one-half of each house, and,
as the nomination was made unanimous. their
decision is equal to an election, lacking but
one vote. We observe that some of the
speakers at the caucus professed to believe
that the Union would be greatly strengthen
ed by the election Of Seward, and that the
people of the South respected but feared him!
W.h-e-wi
The election comes off to day. and We take
it for granted that Seward will be reelected.
How much that result will strengthen the
Union and inspire the South with new re-
spect and fear. remains to be SEEN If the
continued agitation of the slavery question is
calculated to bind the country together with
new and stronger cords, then the Union will
become very strong indeed
The Herald attributes Stewards promising
prospects to the want of back bone among
the silver greys; to the Know Nothing de-
lection eontrived by Seward, which has re-
suited in the outside councils at Utica and
Schenectady, and to treason in the Know
Nothing camp.
The Herald deprecates in strong terms tbe
terrible consequences of sectional contest
tor the Presidency upon the slavery question.
Inns" it says, sis the object of Stewards CO.
ahtion-itwould be windfall to the more DIES.
perate of the secessionists of the South-tbe
onimatum OF both extremes being dissolution
o' the union-tworepublics Instead of ONE
That there may be more offices, mora nub,;c
piunder, and that general state of anarchy
civil war and social confusion. from wh;ch
needy and reckless adventures never fail to
reap rich harvest of the spoils."
SOUTHERN LITERARY MEssESGER W.
have received the February number of the
Southern Literary Messenger, full, as usual,
ofentertaining and instructive matter. We
again cordially commend the Messenger tn
the many readers of the Dispatch. Its editor,
John X. Thompson, Esq, is exhibiting in ,bis
periodical, a degree of talent taste and ener
gy, which. if his periodical were A Nor,b.,,
Literary Messenger, would insure 1t a vast