Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-01-13
For the Yindieaeoy.

The period of the Charleston Convention
is approaching and legions (not Of angels,
but) of politicians are looking forward with
intense eagerhess. Every chieftain is mus
tering his clan, and every political warrior
is expected to buckle on his armor. The
times, are, indeed, critical. no matter what
may be said to the contrary. The next ten
years-aye, the next 6ve-will decide the
destiny Of America-will prove whether it
is to continue the brightest example pros
|perity and of freedom the world has ever
seen. or whether it is to become shameful
system of anarchy, surprising revolutiona-
ry France and even misguided Mexico.
As we are more Christian, more civilized,
and have been more prosperous than either
of those nations, so greater will be our own
adversely, if it must come. France passed
from a state of despotism into state of lib
erty: another revolution will make US the
prey of tyrants, more fierce and logged than
was ever George the Third and his pusil-
Luminous Ministry, Mexico has never en-
joyed what we enjoy land she can never suf-
fer what we aciU4 suffer. $50
This may be called the idle talk Of dem
agogue, but it will yet be found otherwise.
The late instruction in Missouri, the slight
and the daily murmurings Of disaffected ne
groes around our homes, prove that Satan
has his co-workers at the North and at the
South, in the bosom of the negroes as in
the heart of the white man.
Soon, then, will begin that era which
~ ho npo rs &bo oropJock oooobc ol.s.
nations history, and of that epoch the nom
inee of the Charleston Convention will be
the hero. O! that thes@pages, Der which
our posterity will liuger, couid be spangled
by names as bright, washed in blood as
pure, as those of rs.
Let US throw aside, then, all party pref
udices, and look TO the great men Of the
land. Let US turn first to Virginia and see
what claims the has to rendering one of her
sons for the Chief Magistracy. The moth
ef of Presidents in the infancy Of the Re-
public, she should. in gratitude, be allowed
one in the maturity of her gigantic growth
and at such crisis. But, waving this
simple argument, we contend that, as she
was the first to feel the tread Of the inva-
der's foul feet, and as she so CALAMITY rep
resented the South in hurting vengeance in
his teeth, she should be rewarded by the ell
ovation Of one Of her gallant sons to the
highest seat of national honor.
The present state of our governmental
affairs, the character Of Ex-Governor Wise
and his jacksonville conduct throughout the
trying times of the closing part of his ad-
ministration, allow us to point to him and
say, ''thou::art the man." Whether p TO
tecting the violated law in its dreadful maj
esty, careless of the threats of his Northern
adversaries, or the sneers Of the outrageous
~ peaceful, whether performing his whole
duty, be he 'cursed by every woman and
child over the land" or whether dealing his
playful, spontaneous harangues to the pop
ulace, the soldiers or medical students, be
is still the same unwayering, fearless, pa
triotic Southerner, proud in his power as a
politician and civil ruler.
But in all that grand scene-that politi-
cal and military panorama-there were two
errors of its great character: once, when he
stopped from his 'high estate" to grant the
petition of Northern female fire. eater !;
twice, when he INDUCED the revengeful
spirit Of an aggrieved woman. The for
mer was the result of Southern chivalry,
too often imposed upon; the latter, perhaps,
of sympathizing and indulgent heart -
AS such, they are of course forgiven and
forgotten. Of Mrs. Childs too much has
already been said. She is no better than
she should be- But of the conduct of poor
Mrs. Doyle let me make one passing obser-
walton.
No legal punishment was certainly too
severe or too ignominious for such an as
sassin as Brown; but was it not sufficient
that the law, which had been SO deeply
wronged, should pursue its own course Of
vengeance or must a private individual
make it an instrument to revenge herwrongs!
Was it not sufficient that the murderer
should perish upon the scaffold-that Satan
should have his due Or must an injured
woman present the cord, and her son as the
hangman, and her offer be accepted? She,
| in the plenitude of her sorrow, which drown
eth all thoughts save those Of its object, is
not amenable; but that the great ruler of q
mighty State should dabble in an affair
unprecedented, perhaps, in the annals of all
nations that he, who is the head and front
of all law, should witness and even aid in
its disgrace was moral as well as political
error. Such are nv weak opinions alone
and what I have said was from no DISPOSE
ton cf friendliness towards Brown and bis
sympathizers, or of malice towards the be-
reaved Mrs. Doyle, nor from any disrespec'
to the Governor of my State. It arouses
my Indignation to see the ancient and learn
ed science of the law made the instrument
of private revenge. The punishment it in
Aicts is not in satisfaction for the wrong. but
as penalty for the mischief, and as an ex.
ample to future evil-doers.
Some humanitarians (?) hold that the arch
traitor should have persisted by the mos
torturing death Such ideas do not become
man born in Christian and civilized
land, and might be the logic Of an untutor-
ed savage, bred to consider the victim o.
his laws as the victim Of his torture.
I we'll recollect the barbarous treatment
some germ of civilization wished to faster
upon Nena Sship, the brutal Fast Indian
Chief. s'Place him." (said this being, who
ought to have been born in the wilds of At
RIGA, lin an iron cage, and exhibit hin
through the land, like menagerie." Anc
we'll recolect. too, how the proposition
was met by every lover Of humanity.
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