Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1860-05-22
From the Virginia Index.
VIRGINIA ANNALS.

VIRGINIA ANNALS.
We have been mortified in looking over the
numbers Of the New York W<'"ricut -NNgu:Me,
to discover how much Virginia is behind her sis
ter States in zeal for the preservation Of historic
facts. The youngest States Of the confederacy,
whose existence dates from yesterday, as were,
exhibta most cnmmcnlahle desire to collect and
place uron record nil the public occurrences con-
ncctcd with their birth and growth-and yet Viz
einia with past rich in nil that interest the
mind or touch the heart. seems wholly apathetic
and Indifferent. The Ui<h"rirW &ucicty Of lir-
uinu seems 10 he regarded with supreme con-
tempt 1t is painful to state the fact but ii may
as we'll he done. With the exception of few
gentlemen who have displayed in the past and
still display. Il highly praseworthy zeal for the
institution, and who cheertully land thanklcssly)
rive TO it their best eXcrtions there seems to be
no individual in the whole Commonwealth who
would care rush if the society expired to-mor-
row But the comatoSe state of the Institution
is not the main point. If nothing was done to
adj 10 the books and MSS, the evil would only
he negative There is positive prospective evil,
however. which is still greater. We refer to the
danger Of destruction hy fire. to which the treas
urc> Of the $ncicty are exposed. Of this destruc-
ton we have little doubt. We give the society
ten wears Before that period has elapsed, We
predict that the achieves Of the Commonwealth
Of Virginia. rs far rs they are contained in the
collections Of the Historical Society, will be
ashes.
There is something melancholy about the his
tory IF this institution. If seems to labor under
fatal Lad Of neglect. In vain have 4 few in
tcl!ircnt and patriotic lovers Of literature sriven
to iiru<c life into its veins. 10 blow away the
dust. AMI render il useful and worthy Of its de-
I,,. E,il Inv
hi4hly respectable meeting which listens to an
allie AMI warmly patriotic address: resolutions
If thanks t, til" speaker are passed Il few dona-
tipns are announced, and then the society goes
70 sleep. Il exists and ;har is all.
Have we nr'hine in our history worthy of col
lection? Shall the Iowa and Wisconsin socie
ties have large and enthusiastic mrctingS-lihc-
raj rul,ic a--uum"ruWS CORES prndcntS; shall
these new States which entered upon life since
,:.n birth # the child who is NOT vet in Ianta-
ly.ns. ,li~,lav the most ardent zeal to collect the
1, = in their chrm"ral annals. and Virginia re-
main careless a},ut her own? We have Il his
tory which j. az worhy If record rs that Of Eng
lan,i In all the lrn;: series Of public events
which Lrr! N:"a,llay d"lin"ai"'l, where will amy
j.. found more fruitful in instruction, and the
nurture # grcat principles and patriotism, than
the Revolutionary period presents here on our
native soil: r. parallel the English Rebellion,
We have hpcor'S in ltIG-a> genuine y revolt Of
III" ..rn,t Anglo-S Saxon race against inra$ons Of
their Constitutional liberty. ~ thar which pre-
go. led il ul,,m the sill nr En@Ianl in liI0. And
! ia nil !t" history # Great liriiau. there is no
,.i..Ilr noilrr or more impressive than that Of
! the oil House If lurg">ScI. ready t" stake life
AMI fortune il the struggle against the crown.
W" need moi refer - I'll" Romance I'll our annals,
t. l'..ahpnta> shielding Captain Smith from the