The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-01
THE REIGN OF TERROR INlvIRGINIA-
THE REMEDY.

/ We have for several weeks published various
evidences of the tremendous excitement which
prevails in Virginia, consequent upon the Har-
per's Ferry invasion; but the following letter
from Virginia correspondent of the New York
Times exhibits state of gloom and terror
which we could not have believed possible, prior
to the Harper's Ferry affair. 1t furnishes sad
illustration of a passage we quoted last week
from the speech in the Virginia Legislature
made by Mr. Moore, of Rockbridge, in 1882
He said, (" If we look back through the long
course of time which has elapsed since the Gre
alton to the present moment, we shall scarcely
be able to point out people whose situation
was not in many respects preferable to our own
and that of the other States in which Negro Sla-
very exists. True, sir we shallsee nations which
have groaned under the yoke of despotism for
hundreds and thousands of years; but the indi-
viduals composing those nations have enjoyed
degree of happiness, peace, and freedom from
apprehension, which the holders of slaves in
this country can never know"
This may be thought to be the language ofex-
aggeration, and it may be so but after perusing
the following calm statement from writer who
evidently sympathzes with the master, and
not with the slave, the intelligent reader will
find it difficult to point out in history an exam
pie of parallel misfortune. Civil wars are ex-
ceptional cases, and are not legitimate subjects
of comparison. But here is community, CON-
posed of brave and intelligent people, in a state
of chronic alarm and terror. Peace reigns in
all her borders, or at least no foreign or do
nestle enemy makes war upon her; and yet
Virginia. the oldest and proudest State in the
Confederacy, is thrown into spasms of anger,
rage, and terror, by idle rumors of invasion by
voluntary organizations in the sister States
organizations which receive no countenance
from the Governments of the States in which
they are said to exist. On the contrary, all
such enterprises would be promptly suppressed
| by the State and Federal Governments.
/ Fearful insecurity is the normal condition of
slaveholding society and breath, whisper,
is sufficient to create an all-pervading panic.
We subjoin the long extract from the Times
correspondent, with the remark that it describes
a state of things too serious and alarming to
call forth jeers and ridicule. The instances of
individual folly and absurdity, originating in
groundless feafyare ludicrOus enough but the
state of things described in this letter can only
awaken feeling of sadness in every humane
and thoughtful mind The Times correspond
ent writes as follows:
g., VA. Nor. 10, 1859.
"The present aspect of things in Virginia is
gloomy, and ominous of still more gloomy fu-
ture. There is prevailing feeling of uncer-
tainty growing out of the Harper's Ferry insur-
rection, and its sad effect upon the relations of
the two sections, which affects the very tenure
of property ITSELF and impairs the patriotic re-
lations of the citizen to the State. Patriotism
rises not one jot beyond the point of selfpro-
lection, and even in this its functions seem in
adequate to the crisis, or at least inadequate to
give the necessary assurance of protection. 1t
is needless to deny the fact; our people are dis
mayed and distracted to a degree which no
change in the present state of affairs can ma
terialy affect or remedy.
"The colossal character of the evil which was
the immediate cause of this feeling ofinsecurity,
and the consequent despair of ever remedy
ing it, is producing its effect upon the minds of
large property holders in several parts of the
State. They see nothing in the future but in
terminable strife, the end of which must be a
material diminution in the value Of all descrip-
tions of property. The Government of the
country is deemed incapable of an efficient dis
charge of its fundamental obligations, and the
spirit of self sacriice and patriotism, which were
heretofore looked to- as a counterbalance for
this saeP IL hsE fe Atisif exercise else
arose. A feeling Of insecurity in respect of life
and property has narrowed down the sphere of
patriotic labor to a concern about ones own
peculiar or individual interests. This is but.the
natural result of a want of confidence in the
Government and laws to give due protection to
life and property. As consequence of this
conviction, L understand that several leading
and wealthy families of the State contemplate
selling out and moving to England, or some
part of the continent of Europe, there to enjoy
that security which their own Government is
unable to extend at home Moreover, as I'M
derstand they see in the present distracted state
of the country the basis of future conflict
which would involve a serious depreciation in
the value OF large amount of property that is
now valuable and they accordingly propose
avaing themselves of the present prosperous
state of the times to dispose of their effects and
quit.
"The state ofthings, as it is estimated here is
truly anomalous. There is no actual wsr be-
tween the North and South, yet the panic is no
less intense. The feeling is Just such as per-
vades people daily apprehensive of war, with
this exception, that in the former instance the
apprehension and panic are destined to be en-
during, because the cause is permanent and ir
remediable, while in the latter negotiation NAV
be available in removing the cdsus 6eHi. Far
better for the interests, security, and peace of
the country, that six months actual war
should rage between the two sections, and then
terminate in a settlement of all impending diff
iculties, than that this corroding panic, this
demoralzing, spiteful, and hostile spirit, should
continue to exist between the North and South |
Its influence is degrading. 1t is making the |
population of the country spies one upon the |
other. The faculties are exercised, not in the |
line of noble rivalry in commerce, science, the |
arts, or mechanism, but in forming devices to |
countervail some supposed plan of the enemy, |
or retaliate with the most ingenious effect for |
an injury done. Talk about freedom of speech |
There is none There Is more caution mani
tested, and more need of it, wherever we 90.
North or South, in the expression of ones |
views, than is necessary within the ruling of the
French Emperor at this moment. 1t is no I'M
common thing to see men of standing and in
huence look cautiously around them before
venturing an expression of opinion on any sub
ject savoring remotely of sectionalism. There
is an all-pervading spirit of distrust and sus-
picion. Every man is acting detective upon
his neigbbor, and the principle, regard every
man rogue until you find cut the contrary,
seems to be the universal rule in social inter
course. No wonder, then, that, in such state of
things, people who desire peace and repose
should seek it beyond the sphere of this es.
pionage system. And it will be so. In less
than twelve months from this time. Won will
hear of many leading families in Virginia emf.
grating to some region beyond the limits of