Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1862-02-25
ssWe Must Eight.S

When the prophetic eye Of Patrick Henry saw
the small cloud Of war no larger than mans
hand, which was destined to spread till the whoie
heavens should be enveloped and darkened by 1t
as with pail, his trumpet tones rang through the
building in which he was speaking with the STIR
ring exclamation-ssWE MUST FIGHT, s1R,-I RE-
PEAT IT, WE MUST F1GHT.' Weare now engaged in
no child's play. If we are determined to be free
'swe must fght,' and we must fight with deter
mined courage. We are sufficiently BRAVE, there
can be no doubt Of that. But as reverses will
happen, FoRTITUDE is as necessary to success as
BRAVERY. We must be able to bear reverses
with fortitude, and suffer no misfortune, howev-
er great, to discourage us. Misfortune is the
fiery ordeal which tries the souls Of men. We
endorse and adopt the following remarks of the
Richmond Examiner:
ssDays Of adversely prove the worth of men
and of nations. 1t is easy to shout for success
In the hour OF victory, and be full OF courage,
If there is naught to tear. But when the tide OF
fortune sets strong against the hope, anc when
the stories OF misfortune and disorder thicken,
then the brave man is known, and the brave ma
tion rouses in its strength
We have to encounter one OF those periods
which test the metal Of a people. II we are
weak of mind and body, faint and cowardly OF
spirit, the current will presently overwhelm US
we shall sink under it, be subjugated by Lincoln,
and ruled fOrevermOre by foreigners, after having
been insulted, plundered and reduced to misery
by Yankee generals and soldiers. We shall be
conquered, because we deserve to be conquered
are unit to defend our rights, and property and
liberty, and therefore unfit to have rights, pos
sess property, or to lift up heads in the pres
ence OF superior races.
Ruti ;pbo
real manhood, these reverses will inspire then
with determination. They will cease to paltel
between the laws of peace and the measures O
war; They will enrol their names, and compe
the enrolment Of all over whom they have am
control. TGey will silence traitors with the hal
ter or the pistol, they will force their govern
ment and their generals to energy, their troop
to fght devote to resistance the last man. the
last dollar, the last gun support defeat after de
feat without murmur, ravage their fields and burr
their crops on the advance of the foe; pluck vic
tory from despair; and desereve the future pros
perity and security with which Providence ha
never yet failed to reward downright endeavo
for independence
No powerful nation has ever been lost excep
by its own cowardice. All nations that have
fought for an Independent existence have had tt
sustain terrible defeats, live through deep, tho
temporary distress, and endure hours of pro
found dlscouragement. But no nation was eve
subdued that really determined to fight whil
there was an inch OF ground or solitary solGie
LETT to defend it. Have we not sufficient motiv
to make up our minds to that sort of resolution
Have our own people yet reflected on the certain
condition of this country if the North shoult
succeed in establishing its dominion over us 3
Conflscatlon. brutality, military domination, in
suit, universal poverty, the beggary of millions
the trlumphs of the vilest individuals in ties
communities, the abasement of the honest an
the industrious, the outlawry of the slaves, th
destruction Of agriculture and commerce, the EN-
lgraton of all thriving citizens, farewell to th'
hopes OF future wealth, the scorn of the world
the sullen sense of wrong and infamy-these ar
the consequences of subjugation. Would WI
avoid them? Would we have this rich ant
great country, governed by our own men accord
Ing to our own votes, with an open market fo
our produce, cheap supplies of all our wants
general ease prevailing, and ample fortunes aris
ing on every side? We can have these goods
we can avoid those evils-Dy fighting for them
Let US then rise; let us be soldiers in earnest