The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-12-04
WASHINGTON, d. G..
THE DISUNION PARTY OF THE
SOUTH.
THE RESOURCES AND PREPARATIONS OF
THE SOUTH.
Frnn he Richmonh Enonirer


II is notorious fact that the best cannon,
for field as well as naval use, furnished to the
Government. are from the foundries of Virginia,
and that of late the Federal Governments or
ders to the Tredegar Works of Richmond for
cannon are larger than he establishment can
supply. 1t is a well-known fact to every mem
Der Of Congress but Burlingame, that a larger
number of the recently ordered naval steamers
nave been contracted for in Virginia, to be built
in Virginia ship-yards and shops, than in any
other single State in the Union, not excepting
New York, Pennsylvania, or Massachusetts,.
Besides these private armories, cannon found
cries, and ship-yards of Virginia, to say nothing
OF other Southern States, our tract of Blue Ridge
country abounds in the best lead, the mines of
which are furnished with shot-towers and moulds
In full complement, while the country is dotted
over al convenient intervals with powder mills
that manufacture that superior quality which
only our Western rilemen and sharp-shooters
deign to use.
The Black Republicans are as little aware of
the superiority Of the South over the North in
their military resources and establishments as
In any other respects TO which We have adverted.
Take Virginia alone, for instance. Do they
know that she has an arsenal and armory of
her own-established in the good old State SOW
ereignty era Of 1898 and 1879, from which she
can equip 1906 troops at ten days notice?
Do they know that she has the nucleus of a
standing army her capital, consisting of stand
ing public guard of q hundred men, In regular
pay By the State, and a volunteer force in Rich
mond larger in proportion to population than
any city in the Unicn-besldes two large com
panies OF young guards of the age and spirit OF
those conscripts OF France with which Napoleon
won his best laurels?
Do .bav Lnou that VIRGINIA has had n Mill
tary Institute in operation at State expense for
eighteen years, whereat $50 cadets have been
instructed in the practical sciences, pyrotech-
mes, and military tactics, every year, from
which 400 of the flower of Virginia youth have
been graduated, the most of whom receive their
education at State expense, upon the condition
of teaching within the Commonwealth for two
years after graduation? The fruit of this sys-
TEN is visible in sub-military schools in every
quarter OF the State under the instruction Of
these Lexington graduates, with an aggregate
of pupils daily instructed in military drill, OF at
least 800 We have made no allusion to the
volunteer infantry, cavalry, and artillery regi-
ments of the State. superior in numbers and
military drill, we dare say, to the volunteer corps
OF any State in the Confederacy.
Besides this personnel and mdteriet of war,
the State possesses between 100 and 80 field
pieces of cannon, exclusive OF her quota from
the Federal Government, leo at least OF which
are six Founders, in careful preservation in her
a:nory at Richmond, and ready for use at any
moment. Add TO this abundant provision of
war muniments, the fruits Of certain seizure of
Fortress Monroe, with its welstored arsenals,
AS well as the Federal armory at llarper's Fer
II, on the first occurrence OF hostiiiies with the
North, and her military preparations would be
very far from contemplate. The skill Of her
people with the rifle and in craftsmanship is
proverbal and we speak the words of calm re-
Election when we say, in no spirit Of boastiul-
ness. that if the North should undertake to in
wade the South, 10y throwing open her ports 10
free trde with foreign nations, and refuse TO al
low Federal duties to be collected in her
waters, Virginia could alone drive back their
forces.
To make her system of preparation entirely
complete, Gov. Wise has very properly and pa
triotically ordered the whole militia establish
ment of Virginia to be thoroughly organized
a militia such as that which defeated Ferguson
at Kings Mountain, which drove CORVALLIS
back discounted from the Dan river and Gull
ford, which carried an aggressive war thousand
miles into Canada, under Scott, in 1872, an Off
shoot Of which in the ranks of the Kentucky and
Tennessee regiments, under Jackson, overthrow
the British invaders at New Orleans, and closed
the war of 1872.