Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-07-22
THE RICHMOND WING.
SOUTHERN LITERATURE, No. 1.
By c. A c. W.

| By @. G. W.
This nation, though now engaged in war, may be e1
pe,ted henceorh to advance with accelerated step In all
the which ameorate life; for peace and security
viii be permanent condition. I. ia rus that the ex
sencs Of hosties nterposes obstacles to the free pres
ecution Of commercial enterprise that the clerk Is drawn
from bis dsk, the prac idoner from bis cfce aud the
printer from bis case tina. skilled mechanical labor,
wherever obtsiDable, commands premium for employ.
ent in the production OF maeris; that the kinds
Of yscal work prevalent in tovt must undergo tenn
porary diminuton Of force; While thanks to Southern
social organization on the basis Of servie labor arabic
agriculture may continue comparatively unaffected But
these disturbing Of sphemeral character
whereas the grand Interior result Of the present collision
must be emineDty favorable to the development Of
Southern and projucton in evsry branch OF
art, manufacture, and mental culture. -
The question presents ITSELF whether literary effort
may no. be continuous should rather await the return
Of pablo Tranquil y. TIL, apswer ia dependent the
circumstances OF any given case. Whrevsr, by addi'
tona exeron Of energy, the requisite intellectual aud
material conditions be combined let such enterprise
go ounand prosper. Our people are enactng history in
the field and 10 the part Of competent scbes TO record
their achievements preparation for the future phoso
sophie historian Nor is the patriotic pen less worthy Of
estimation than the foldeIly ssord, while ndeed from
the days Of Xenophon and (aa', they have been fro
qlently both veil welded by single hand Hi
But furher-it ia not alone that nos engages the
vsor Of cur nation This il merely iuc;dentL TO her
political sell ssaeron-s:mplya means TO an end. That
end and object peace and the means has been forced
on her by he North, against her choice IL neither
should does exhaust her vitality in i.s prosecution
The great primary action Of the South the procana'
ton Of her natoaa ndcp ndence she has risen in aims
for the establishment Of the claim Tor the vndicaon Of
her rank ss peer among the PSsers Of the earth.
Nov this declaration Of her equal rights involves the
allegation Of her self sutainng capacity, no. only in
s,s but in arts in agriculture manufacture and com.
meree and the essential condition Of these physical
avosaiOns Of Industry therefore, first Of Is that NOR
al and Intellectual power which is the only root whence
Civilization ever springs.
What We Of the Southern States, havesid, What our
soldiers sworn TO make good, or TO perish, not
that going to be Nation, rot that 10 intend to
become peops, but that vs are suct; that not only
are our Grms strong enough 10 defend our homes to
punish aggrsssion 10 Till eljs TO ship our prcduets
TO make and Wansport osn articles Of use and COM
fort, and to protect the exchange OF our commodities
eventually both home and abroad, but especially, that
our hearts are animated by justice and regulated by
wisdom, cur heads clear to apprehsrd, our tongues
prompt to snunciste the right This 1t 10 to be Ma
ion competent to lsgsste, judge aud execute for itself
living DEGREES, and to compel respect from the sord,
for the statement of i,s position. And hence NC con-
cuie that it is absolutely necessary for our social tIs
tence as power that intellectual culture education
and literature the expression and INSTRUMENTATION Of
that culture, shall continue and flourish.
We shal proceed to notice recent Southern pro-
auctions Of literary merit.
FRO 81 CONTINUITY