Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1861-02-22
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She gave you the sturdy sons who felled the
crest and titled the field. She gave you
all you possess. She has right to com.
mand your services; and she does command
them. Will you obey? Or will you, in
the spirit of black ingratitude, like the ad-
der, turn upon her and sting her? Or will
YOU like Samson, to show your strength,
tear down the pillars which support the
temple, and bury all in one undistingulsh-
ed ruin? Then, will you force the old
mother 70 exclaim: ''Eear, 0 heavens
and give ear, 0 earth have nonrished
and brought up children, and they have re-
belled against me y
Mr. Speaker, let us think of the honest
millions, the support and the pillars of the
Government, who, unobserved, watch with
such deep solcitade the condition OF their
country. "None see their pure devotion,
none their tears, their faith and love Which
burn within then" for their country. Think,
oh think, entreat you, think of them
But if you will have no regard for the hon
est people who Fave made you what you are
and who are not responsible for the burdens
with which they are now afflicted then think
of our great Government, new the pride OF
America, the admiration Of the world. Dir
vide us. dissevcr our States and erect petty
confederacies, warning with each other, in
their stead, and none will be found so poor
as to do us reverence. Sir, l confess 1t
grieves my heart when [ see gentlemen Oh
that side of the Chamber sit, with SO much
indifference, as State after State is shooting
from its sphere when they must we'll know
that unless something be done, and that
promptly, too, there is danger that every
slave State, whether right or wrong, will
be gone-gone, and forever. Nor can |
witness with less feeling the glad smile which
is produced on others as the lightning's flash
brings the same sad intelligence. 1t is to
me like the smile which plays upon the face
as ..the blood comes gurgling forth from
out the throat of the wild suicide"
Sir, my own State, Virginia, has elected
her delegates to deliberate upon her welfare
and her destiny. and while her action may
be against my judgment, yet, when it is
taken. then her lot becomes my lot; her fate
my fate; her destiny my destiny. Her will
not mine, be done. But my prayer is, that
we may yet heal the breach; that some Ar
arat will swell above the food or some dove
will bear the olive branch of peace;
"And all the clouds that lowered upon our house,
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried
and that the bow of promise, Of peace, OF
prosperity, of happiness, of unity and love,
once more span our political heavens.
But, when all efforts at compromise fail,
and all be lost; and when the wickedness Of
men has destroyed the best Government on
earth, and plunged nation into blood;
when the American eagle shall drop the
olive branch of peace, and "grasp only the
arrows of war;" when brother shall rise a
gainst brother, and father against son, and
anarchy and confusion worse confounded'
shall reign supreme; when, from an limos
cent and outraged people. the sound will
ring in the ears of the guilty, rye knew
your duty, but ye did it not" and when,
from thousand guilty tongues, it will be
echoed back, in the language of the MUIR
dered Macbeth, "Thou canst not say did
ito let us trust in Him who holds the des-
TIMES of men and the destinies of nations in
His hand; in HIM who creates the storm
and directs the whirlwind; for it is sweet to
know,
"There's divinity that shapes our ends,
Rough hew them how we WILL"
Heaven and earth will witness, if my coun.
try must fall, am innocent.