Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-04-19

eloauonce and wisdom that will DO eternal
Alas what was prophecy to him. has become
history to us. Tho times which ho foresaw arc
unhappily upon us. The evils which hc dreaded
are hero. Tho patriotism which he invoked Is
urgently demanded. The voice Of him who WINS
first in peace. first war. and first In the hearts
of his countrymcn," calls on US from tho grave
I, frown Indignantly upon tho first dawning OF
disnnion
Whlo there may indeed be o combination Of
causes assigned for this condition Of thing, as
suredly one Of the efficient and potent causes. is
the manner in which we have departed from the
custom Of our fathers, In Selecting for the high
places Of responsibility. influence and control,
under the Constitution, not tho most firm, en-
lghtcnod. experienced consistent, tried and faith.
tul servants Of tho Republo.-mon who have do
mnnstraled their lofty courage and fervent pm.
riotism by severe ordeas; but In latter years mon
have hcen selected for the high condolences Of
Constitutional place and power, upon grounds
of mere paoy availability and partisan triumph
The great lights Of tho country have boon per-
united to die out, excluded from the posts Of in
nuencr aud control, whilc fnrthing candles In
comparison, fecblc, irrcsolute, Pickering, have
becn made to substitute tho great requirements OF
the earlier leaders aud rulers of tho people. Tho
question in Tutor times hns not boon, who is fttest,
who is truest who is braveSt who has been most
truo md found most trusty, but who is most like
ly-by dexterous subtorfuge by adroit complabil-
iy. by negative qualities Of tho most malleablo
order and sometimes, who 10 lenst ION record
to be borne by tho swelling voices Of delud6d
poopc, into places whore honor and ofioc and
plumber may be dispensed.
AIMS, what a docadenco from tho earlier days
of Republic what dosolating flood Of impu.
rity and unGtness. aud malfeasnnce flows from tho
fountainhoad through all tho streams and riv-
ulets Of public and official life, corrupting and
desolating tho heart of tho nation
Our country romans tho samo- our Constitu.
ton still stands, but how changed the government
in all its usegcs, in oil its standards Of official
fitness. In tho wenk, incapable, imbecilo or cor.
rnpt hands in which tho desiniqs Of tho country
have been for long years confded, how elso could
it bo but that the dignity. honor tho sacred guar
antics. anl The solemn muniments of our political
fabric, should bo degraded; and vital interest md
holy safeguards become tho nero footballs Of
parties, scrambling rrofanely and insanely for
plnce, aud power, and pelfP
With the Same wise and wcll balanced Constitu-
ton. with tho same FREQ and prolific country with
the same favorable and benefcient institutions,
how is 1t that the Same concord and amity do not
unite us? Why can we no longer dwell together
brethren in unity How Is it that dscord,
and dsunion, and strife, and rancor have rc.
placed the pacific counsols that marked the carly
age Of tho Republic?
These are no now questions upon which it 10
proposed to break up the Federal Compact. They
arose and were discussed by fathers ut its very
foundation; and they wisely overmastered thom.
They have arisen frequently since, and threatened
alarming consequences, but the patriotism Of the
sires still fingered among their sons, and the exi-
gcncy found, as it required wise connsels, firm
action and, above all loyo of country sufficient to
avert tho storm. We have but to initiate tho OK
nmplo of those who have proceeded u.s. We have
but to emulate their virtues, and follow In their
footsteps, and tho like glorious results will crown
our fidelity.
Let it not bo supposed, that holding this Ian
guagc,we aro nsensible to the rights Of tho South.
southern men ourselves. We have MS large an in
forest in the common welfare as they who boast-
ingly claim to he her especial champions. But
We believe that her rights and honor may still be
preserved in harmony with tho Union Mindful
of her wrongs, we believe they may be redress
scd under the Constitution. Loving tho South,
we can still love the Union. Maintaining our
own rights, we believe we can yot maintain tho
Union.
We are aware tha. there are those who, wiser
Than their fathers, now affect to believe that tho
Union cannot be preserved. Deprecating disunion,
their Efforts either through or design, tend
only to that end. Protesting to love the Union,
they see m ,de Of preserving it, except by con-
yulsing it, from the cenre to tho cxtremetics, To
maintain our rights they propose our national ex-
,ncton. To find light they grope in Cimmerian
darkness. To secure order thoy offer US chaos. To
obtain peace they recommend revolution. Fired
with q misguided zenl they have possessed them
selves of single iden and rush blindy ON n,regard.
less Of every other consideration except that which
their disordcrcd minds. Are these
rafe counsellors! Have they the spirit and tenn
per of our Revolutionary fathers' From such we
pray you to turn rcsolutely away. Give no heed
to their teachings con6de not the peace and
the honor of this mighty nation to hands like
these.
How shall wo better preserve our rights by n
dissolution of tho Federal Compactf Will they
then be any more secure from invasion than they
are at present? Will the inducement to invade
then be any less strong2 Will it not rather be
stronger. when the ties of interest and common na
tonality which binds US to the North, shall have
been finally sundered? We cannot comprehend
the argument of those who protesting that our on
ly safeguard 10 to be found in a common interest.
arc daily striving to break up that community of
interest When the channels of commerce, which
now interAow the several States shall have been
damned up-when the common glory Of our com.
mon Revolution and subsequent battles have been
partitioned-when Monmouth and Yorktown.
Lexington and the Cowpens shall belong no more
to the Union, but to tho North and the South-we
shall look in vain for motive strong enough to
stay the hand Of tho invader. These motives now
are more powerful than arms. II 10 q false assump
ton that disunion will cure any of the ills Of which
we complain. It is susceptible Of demonstration
that they will be ten-fold aggravated. When the
Gordon Of interest and patriotic memories which
now encrcle us shall have been snappsd-when
two rival Empires. North and South shall have
sprung out of the consequent chaos-then to what
is now the occasional and rare fruit of sheer fam
atioism or political knavery, will added to full
harvest Of obtrusye measures, dictated by COVER
mental policy or political necessity No longer
our brethren, they will have become our rivals.
No longer having a common interest with us their
interests will be adverse to ours No longer friends
they will have become our deadliest foes. All his
tory teaches, and experience confirms, that feuds
among friend are the most bitter and relentless.