The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-11-07

! VIRGINIA ARMING-A LANDwEHR FOR THE
OH DoMNIoN.-Our Richmond correspondence
represents the existence of a most warlike state
of things there The militia throughout the
State is being armed rifles are being distribut-
ed even to the patriotic ladies who apply for
them; the commander-in-chief is deep in the
study of SCOTS tactics and Forbes guerilla
pamphlets; tailors are all hard at work stitch
ing up military uniforms; the ear-piercing fife
and spirit-stirring drum are awakening the
echoes among the Blue Mountains; the peaks
of Otter seem to raise their tops higher into the
sky, as if proud of the return of the days of
chivalry; mountain howitzers are being sent
in all haste to the border counties; a
Napoleonic censorship over the press is
exercised by the Charlestown colonies !;
and finally projet is being matured for
presentation to the next Legislature, for the
organization Of all the able bodied men of
Virginia, on the principle of the Prussian and
Hanoverian Landwehr. Piedmont made no
more active preparations when the Austrians
were threatening to cross the Ticino last year
than Virginia is making now to resist an abo-
lition invasion over the banks of the Potomac
In fact judging from the dispatches of our
correspondent, Virginia is mentally exclaim-
ing, in the words of Richard before the battle
of Bosworth Field 'My souls in arms and
eager for the fray"
We will not dispute the wisdom Of the re-
commentator to prepare for war in time 0 +
peace, but yet we cannot perceive the pressing
necessity that exists for these warlikc prepare
tons in Virginia. To be sure, Old John Brown
made foray on Harpers Ferry; but he is not
very likely to repeat the experiment, and the
Black Douglass, in his natural aversion to
being "bagged," has taken fight northwardly
into Canada. The enemy's camp is broken up !;
their leader is in a Virginian prison their arms
and munitions of war have fallen into the
hands of the victors and the three or four
survivors of the army Of the provisional gov
ernment have fed promiscuously, with prices
set upon their heads. To be sure, it is supposed
that Seward may soon arrive from England:
but, traitor as he is, he will hardly bring a
French or English feet with him and Greeley,
notwithstanding his professed anxiety to be
present if there was any fighting to be done,
has shown the white feather, or-which amounts
to the same thing-has turned his back,
with the old white coat thereon
upon Brown and is exceedingly anxious that
this modern specimen of Praise God Bare
bones fanatic shall be jerked out of the world
with al speed. As for Forbes the Dugald Dali
getty of the enterprise, he has disappeared of
late, lest subpoena might find him and compel
his attendance before the Federal Court in the
Harper's Ferry district In word, the insur-
rectionary movement against Virginia is tho
rougly squelched out.
1t seems, therefore, that the organization of
the Virginia Landwehr is most useless piece
of extravaganza. As to the idea of defraying
the expense through the means of a communication
tax to be imposed on those who will not don
the uniform and shoulder the musket on parade
days, we know from the experience we have
had in this State how foolish such an expecta-
ton is. The Communication taxes here 20 to
paying for target excursions and such like. or
arc divided up among the officials; surely not
FIVE per cent goes to the legitimate purpose Of