Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-08-02
TrouSIes Of the Ancient Dominion.

nouncement-"France is tranquil" The
London Punch illustrated 1t by the picture
of a female, representing the Press, bound
hand and foot, gagged and prostrate, and a
French grenadier with his bayonet at her
throat. Virginia is tranquil, or at least is as
well as could be expected Gov. Letcher has
proclaimed = "T Ancient Dominion cest "a
pair" But it is peace through much triou'a-
tion-a conquered peace, as we used 10 OtiA
of when our national appetite craved slice
of Mexico. ~c
Some Republicans in 0ccoquan, Prince
William County, raised pole with Lincoln
and Hamlin flag, on the Fourth of July, that |
day when all men were born free aud equal. |
Here we must drop the pencil TO raise our |
hands in astonishment. Republicans on Vir-
ginia soil Why did not the earth open and
swallow them There the pole stood, insult
ing Virginia soil and high heaven, until
the 9th. Alas the glorious Wise no
longer wields the sword of State, or this pro-
tracted desecration would never have been
allowed. Wise, whose :" soul would have
leaped TO that encounter''-as he said of war
with John Bull, in his address to the sucking
sewbones at their reception at Richmond
"even as a bridegroom TO his chamber"
Wise, who, as he said in the inspiration OF
that glorious occasion when two hundred un-
fledQed Southern Medical Students returned
from the Philadelphia schools to carry dismal
horrors into the bowels of the South--would
have headed thousand Virginiaus and
marched through the free States, laying them
under contribution as he went, to Canada,
where he would have broken up that refuge
of fugitive institutions" and hatching-place
ofinvasions, and shaken the British Lion by
his beard Wise, who longed for long, low,
black, rakish steamer, with which he would
have cruised off the banks, and seized the
Cunarder that carried off the fugitive, Fred.
Douglass: in short Wise, the hero of Har-
per's Ferry Wise with his epistes more
terrible than an army with banners-Wise
was in retirement; abiding in his cabin, like
Logan the Mingo Chief, or Repulicanism
would never have dared show its ugly head
in the Ancient Dominion; much less would
Northern Republican hands have thrust pole
into the bosom of the mother of States.
Perhaps the great chief in his Accomac
retirement is pondering on the tecundity OF
the Virginia "oyster fundum,' and the enor-
nous revenue that might be derived from
poll-tax on the bivalves, collected and en-
forced by feet of Virginia war steamers,
commanded by sons of her first families-the
only kind of families that are ever heard OF
outside of that State. Perhaps he is record
ing for the truth of history the events of the
John Brown War. Thus Caesar alternated
the sword and the goose-quill.
We can family imagine how the heroic
Wise would have expanded with this emer-
gency. First he would have demanded of
the President dozen marines-aD import
ant base for Virginia military operations;
then he would have ordered out the entire
Virginia citizen soldiery, to back the marines;
he would have put the whole State under
martial law; roaming cows, chewing the cue
of finnocence, and on dairy gifts intent woult
have been frightened from their lactal secre
tions; spies would have been sent Throughout
the North to examine all liberty poles
neighboring Governors would have been
notified that his military operations might
extend into their States, and they must warn
their citizens to keep out of the way of the
great guns, for when he began he should stoT
at nothing.
But Wise being in retirement the thing
was ingloriously done otherwise. lnsteaC
of setting great armies in the field, it wa
disposed of by couple of military com
panies. Mot even were United States ma
rines called on, which shows that there wa!
no fighting done. We are informed by th'
Washington Star that the people of Prime
William, believing the flag and its inscrip
ytions to be a standing menace to the peac
iof the countyH determined to abate the NUS
ance.r' The hag was the stars and stripes
the ipscription was "Lincoln and Hamlin.
Which was the menace" is not clear, bu
Ms the Ancient Dominion has learned to cor
template the Inauguration of Lincoln an
Hamlin in the White House as q probab
event. and to be borne with resignation,
was probably the stars and stripes.
The Republicans of 0ccoquan thougl
they were the menaced party, and Tin
purely fanatical manner! as the Star say
they appealed to Gov. Fletcher for protection
who responded as follows;
"Orders will be issued at once TO Ge
Hunton for the protection of your citizens
Gen. Hunton came with the Prince w
liam Cavalry, and forty infantry, ander con
mand of Capt. Thornton, Capt. Fitzhugh ur
Major Carter The cavalry formed in bait
order near the pole the infantry formed
hollow square around the pole, facing ii
ward The positions may draw criticism fro
our old campaigners but it shows that the
apprehensions of danger were chiefly fro
the pole and its flag and inscriptions. TT
Star goes on to describe the action in hero
style:~
"At the word of command, James W. Jacl
son, of Fairfax, stalwart yoeman, sprar
forward and gave the first blow; others fo
lowed, ''redoubling stroke on stroke" Du
ing this time there was no interruptio
ave the Republicans and others who stoc
at the corners near by would cry out "AiI
your AK dull, Hope you are having go,
time" In few minutes, however, there W
cry of "Stand from under" and the DC
came TO the ground and shivered. Instant
the crowd gave three cheers, when the K
publicans responded by three cheers for Lii