Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-03-10
The Old 1bOnsinion.

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The Old Dominion.
Neither venerable ancestry, patti tastes,
nor magnificent pride will pay mans way. or Il
States way, in this ntiIitaran uge. lhe State
Of Virginia afford. just now, striking proet If
this fact
Virginia t. the mother of the Confederacy.-
Virginia has furnished the new world its greatest
leaders. statesmen aud lawyers. Washington
jefferson. Marshall, Patrick Henry. james Mad
~on. John ltando ph-ihis is the class of minds
that Virginia has given 10 the Republic. It no
wonder that tie old State should be proud of her
irwes-and no wonder that she is somewhat
maternal in her solicitude for the Federal Gov
ernnrni. if it were all her own family affair.
aud matter of her own private conce,nment.
But Virginia has lost much by neglectng do
nestle government To nnnopolize federal power.
While Vrginin has been busy making Pre- idents;
and while her first families have been busy
consenting to be made Presidents Of and to hold.
if possible. three fourhs Of the civil aud military
appointments bestowed every four years at
Washington, the home governmen, of Virginia
has been lamentaby neglected.
Who has heard, for twenty years, Of any great
Governor Of NirRinin Even Wise, the most
noted. If not notorious of that period, i not dis
tngnshed rs Sirgnas Governor, but as {
"iorerunner" ofbis pnrty in the late Presidential
campaign. And his influence. n well rs his in
to he at Washington, Than rs IA real, life
giving power in Virginia's home Interests, ut
Richmond. Wise. in his canvass. ran for the
Office OF President, mol for the office of Gopern0r.
Aud he evidently considers himself now ma
fondi man, moi mere executive officer of sin
gle State.
So has it been with Virginia for two genera
tons ever since the organization of the Federal
Government. in fact. Subjects of mere State
pnli,v small Gar
Aud to go to the Stnte Legislniurr-fau the
i1ea was decidedly vulgar Congress was the
only theatre tit for IA Virginia gentleman.
The result might hive been anticipated. NIr
ginia has been wofully msgoverned. Ignorance
md folly have been in power til debt and degre-
daton nre threatening the Old Dominion with ii
nancial and moral bankruptcy. Extravaganza
in public expenditures the blind tavoritsm of
intense, because i'll Informed, party spirt-olices
requiring talent being held "a feudu tenures hy
an ntermarrying aud half idiotio alistocracy-
the lack OF practical good sense among eglsla-
tors. such ns can best be found among the en-
iIhienrd business men of the STATE, guided by
minds of large cnlibre, who deserve {" be called
statesmen-these causes have given Virginia
crushing public drbt-ntrcasury that no means
yet devised seems capable Of rrpeni, hing slip
shod agricultural rickety, unproductvr. inter
nal Improvement system consequent high tax
g., humIliatin., loss of credIt-and II general and
almost total dependency of the better and re
frcting classes of the State.
The baif presses hard after the venerable
mother of States. Her bond-men clnmor loudly
for money, or their pound Of flesh. But Virgin
as statesmen still live for Washington City
alone
Bat there is a hopeful movement in Virginia.
y few citizens beginning 10 appreciate the
prrous condition of their State. They and
lament the decline visible all around them. They