Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1862-11-17

Of Virginia as "old," "senile," "worn out, y
and exhausted" and to contrast the present
age of her small politicians with the more glo.
rious epoch, when she produced so large share
Of the generals and statesmen who achieved our
national independence, and who made It perma-
nent and fruitful by the institution and success
ful working of a wise form of government.
The comparison of the Floyds, the Wises, and
the Extra Billy Smiths, with the Washingtons,
Jeficrsons, and Madisons, of the olden times,
has pointed many familiar antithesis. Nir-
ginia, once the leading State of free Republic,
and now draggled In the mirc as the tail of the
mongrel region on the Gulf, marks descent too
obvious and TOO painful to escape observation
and reproach.
But while IL Is undoubtedly true that Virginia
has retrograded In material point ofyiew with
in two generations, not positively, hut by COM
parison with that growth and expansion all
about her, which she lacked no physical adj
vantage to have enabled her, not only to parti-
cipate in, but to have outstripped; and while
the moral declension is beyond guage and mea-
sure from the ancient high and free tone of her
political principle to her latter days Of devo-
tion to the single idea of so directing public af-
fairs as to increase the profits OF that Infinitely
base occupation, the breeding oil negro slaves
for sale; 1t is certainly also true that the Nir-
ginians of the present day have vindicated their
descent from good stock, by high displays of
Intellectual and physical vigor, and by unsha-
ken courage and constancy, political and mill
tary in this the most tremendous civil war in
history, and Of which she has been forced to
bear the brunt by her geographical position.
If there has been any decadence OF the manly
virtues in the Old Dominion, 1t Is not because
the present generation has proved itself either
weak or cowardly, or unequal to the greatest
emergencies. No people, with 50 few numbers.
ever put into the field, and kept there so long,
troops more numerous, brave, or more efficient,
or produced generals OF more merit, in all the
kinds and grades of military talent II is not
worn out and effete race which has produced
Lee, johnson, jackson, Ashby, and Stuart. 1t
is not q worn out and effete race which for eigh.
teen months has defended its capital against
the approach of an enemy close upon their Dor
ders, and outnumbering them thirty TO one. Ii
is not worn out and effete race which has pre-
served substantial popular unity under all
the strain and pressure and sacrifices Of
this unprecedented war. "Let history, ~
as was said of another race, (which re.
cords their unhappy fate as people, do jus.
tice to their rude virtues as men, They are
lighting madly in bad cause, but they are
fighting brsvely. They have few towards and
M traitnra The III ards hips Of " ~ Iare pndurad
without murmur by all classes, and the dan.
gers Of war without finching, by the newest
conscripts, while their gentry, the offshoot OF
their peculiar social system, have thrown them
selves into the camp and field with all the dash
and high spirit of the European ao5lcsSo of tie
middle ages, risking, without apparent concern
upon a desperate adventure, all that meu value
and after a generation of peace, and rcpose, and
security, which had not emasculated them, pre-
senting TO their enemies trained and intrcpit
front, as of men born and bred to war.
twill be the reproach in history against The
wisdom of the statesmen of Virginia, that thel
permitted their Commonwealth TO he dragge,
into the vortex Of a war which they deprecated
and certainly did not originate. The error va.
grievous one and has been most grievousl,
punished but if the statesmen Of Virginia. al
distinguished from the people, are specially re
sponsble for il, 1t is not in any matter Of recen
conduct, but for their participation in that long
training of public sentiment, ofwhich the present
position of Virginia is an inevitable result The
people of that State Eve refer of course to that
geographical division Of il which is rebellious
we're not poatled into this w,r Inv their noli,i