Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-05-16
PARTISAN LEADER
A Tale of the Future,
EDWARD WILLIAM SIDNEY.

EDWARD WILLIAM SlbAEf'
Sic Semper Tgrannis.-The motto Of Virginia.
PDs Fd -VTgl.
Printed tor the Publishers by James Caxton.
1880.
The existence Of the wosk aud ts character have been
known to politicians for years IL discussed IN 'he
columns Of Tie National lnteGeLcer ii 1901, AID has
been more than once alluded Congress; but cofcs
have been extremely The one om which the pre-
sent edition is printed touni in an old library at
Washington AID is undoubtedly authentic.
TIE novel !. perfectly marvellous in Is provisions or
prophecies OF important political eveat5 oi cur Day
aud nation. It describe rebellion in Virginia Gg4lnst
the t. s. Government and details the cir.unstan q
that rebellion with extreme miaueness the ou.b;oak
said have begun IN 80 and 20 have followed upon
the secession Of the Southern States, End the formation
OF new cOnlederacy, which the NltOnal G0yerCnent
esdrayored suppress by South Carolina, il
said led the way secession and Virginia Sa3 one OF
the last TO follow, many oi her Onzels remaining
loyal to the Ulijn. !udced, nearly every important
point of the present crisis Is distinctly sbadow.d forth
The arguments used by the ssccssionss aud their
opponents Iut iuto the mouths OF the various
acers the skill of the author which great very gfaph-
csly pOrtrAys tie conflict OF emotions at present gong
on in many Vrgni4ns bosom the struggle between
love Of country and regard for what are called State
rghts-aud in the OF the CiicCrs OF the army, be-
tween the obligation Of oath aud the strength Of hat
al ties The absolute dissolution Of the Union is Ge-
soribed IN these words:
"Unjer these circumstances, the Southern States had
been a. length forced that the day Tor decisive
ton had arrived They therefore, determined 10 long
to ABIDE the Obligations OF COnstiiGon the form Cf
which alone remained, and having By movement near
y Simultaneous seeded from tie Union they had um
dlt ly formed Southern Conf deIacy. The sHdnHesS
Of these pds tess remarkable than the yyidcDce
NTH wh;ch they had bGsa conducted Jhs i'9D hgsthr
Iet Guie dsujt that there hdi hea p,eeOnc,rt among
the ciegdng of the serfTqt Siai,s arranging yToU,
sionaiiy ~hat shoG ts done, wh.ney,? crcumsttuc.s
should throw power ato the hands Of tbo'', whom az
the bidding OF the u'urpeT, the psOpo hal once driven
rom heir councils II IS knovn that There A,eh
concert. Nor IL confined to the sscedHg States oDe.
Ia FUq'mi0, also, there wre men uh" aztTed INTO The
same Diecs."
TIE following rsmafEab passage occurs shortly after
the ABOVE
Tho more Southern States ,cere encouraged to hope
far Me ultimate accession of Virginia to hsp C'tsde-
racy. Thsy had hrere determined to wdit Jr ter no
longer bGt To pr,ceedo the erscMio Of their p!G, te0s-
ina her to fo(oU.p
The process Of injecting the minds Of the young, ard
especially OF officers with reasonable sentiments Is de-
scbed at length aud the aim of the volume, seems to
have undoubtedly been, famiaiise the people with
the idea OF secession and the means Of its accomplish
meat.
Tho novel Ia very able, considered simply literary
production is written in chaste style and the story
is extremely interesting The writer looks at eVerytetg
from the secession point of view, and represents the
cd GUS doctrine that Allegiance to the State pGramount
70 nat o"ed 10 me country at large, III us most
aspect. TIE extracts have given are taken at ran.
DON, bu. there might be made huaded equally peril
en but tbese sufficiently indicate the yondera!
with Wnlch the novelist or tAe poAtclaD Preucted
planned events For The haok capno; fail TO leave
the impression kat intended to ncuclte as w,
ss to DISORDER forshadow what would and ought 10 &C
cur to def nd beforehand acons which 10 mus. people
i. then seemed utterly impossible should ever occur IL
settles beyond question, the fact that there existed
the South nearly thirty years ago, class OF men, wto
not only wished for tho dissolution OF this Union, but
abored to accomplish it. to whom all it's details were the
Gusect OF careful conspiracy and profound preparation