Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-02-01
For the Spectator.
A Voice from the Mountains.

.Nessrs. Editors: The Wings of this county
have aroused from their slumber, and are buck
ling on their armor for the approaching politi
cal struggle. Their Rip Van Wrinkle sleep ha
only invigorated and nerved them for a goot
fight; and everywhere throughout the county
we hear of their firm resolves and stern deter
limitations to go boldly up to the polls, and cas-
their votes of disapprobation of the ruinous and ru
lining tendency of the theories and practices of thu
powers that be. They have seen and they have
felt enough of Democratic misrule. They have
seen the great distress and want that has pervad
ed the whole country since the beginning of the
Pierce Administration. They have seen our for
ges and our furnaces closed-our mines aud man
ufacturies deserted and heard the cries of the
poor, starving workmen, thrown out OF employ
ment by their own Government, in order that il
might foster the industry of England and France
and feed their paupers. They have seen our cot
fers drained and filing those of foreign countries
| by the purchase of the very articles, which, hat
we good Wbig tariff, we might manufacture
ourselves, and thus use the abundant mineral
agricultural, and manufacturing resources with
which God has so gracously blessed our old Com.
monwealth, and thus keep our money at home
and feed and give employment to our own fel
low citizens.
The Wings of the State, generally, are sick and
tired of sectionasm and gzzard. foot-ism. They
see that while the South has been engaged in
useless and deceitful disputations of "wool or nc
wooT-leaving her vast and rich mines of min.
erals and ores to lie dormant-impoyerishi hel
citizens, and placing them entirely at the mercy
of Northern swindlers and foreign capitalists the
North has been building up her towns, villages
and cties-tostering her commerce, encouraging
her manufactures, and protecting her agrcultur.
ists-in word, growing rich, powerful and
great, and to-day out rivals the South in all
that pertains to national wealth and greatness
Bury the weapons of seotionasm, and give to
Virginia high protective tariff, and she will be
able to compete with foreign and Northern man.
ufactures. She has the finest lands in the world
for sheep growing, and lands that can be used
for no other purpose She has inexbaustble wa
ter power upon which to erect her furnaces and
mills. Complete her important lines of railways
and the value of her land will be increased-tbe
dark forest will fall by the strong arm of improve.
ment and enterprise--towns and villages will
spring up where once stood the frowning and I'M
welcoming wild, our own seaports will flourish,
good home market will be afforded the farm
er for his grain, and the dary-man for his but.
ter and cheese-and Virginia will indeed,
"0loom ana blossom as tne r0Se.' GlYe her
her share of the proceeds of the sales of the pub
lie lands, to which she is justly and constitution.
ally entitled, and she can pay off her public debt,
elevate her poor, and become what she former.
twas, the proudest, noblest State of all.
1t is for the accomplishment of these great OBJ
ects that the Wings are gathering for the strifes
of $50 and go. The Wing party is o glorious
party Its history is full of glorious remem-
ORANGES; 1775-1S20-1S3 2-1s40-1s50-1s5
are memorable epochs in the history ofour coun.
try, and with these scenes are materially con
nected the name of the whigs-of Webster and Of
Clay (oh sacred name.)
By all the recoections that cluster around
our party, and our Clay-by all the love that we
have for our country, our affairs and our fires,
we intend to fight. We do not know that we
will succeed in this conflict, but, like the modest
hero of Niagara, we will say that 1--WE will try"
If we should fail, and though hope herself were
to desert us, we will say, "DoN'T GIVE UP THE
Ship
B***+*+**.
UPPER TRACT, Pendleton Co., Va.
Januorv 1870