Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-10-16
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RICHMOND WING.
FRIDAY :noRNING, Ger. I6. lsss.
Our Country Gentlemen,

Our Country Gentlemen.
What n snlsndid character is that Of the old Vrg-
~. country gentleman. Unlike "rhe Fine Old English
.r,lsr,s no has never been celebrated in song, but
his fame nevertheless has extended to all parts Of the
earth. His Openhanded hospitality, his detestaon OF
meanness his prObity, his high sense OF honour. have
made him and his State respected in all lads His Ike,
il not TO be found in the North one ever heard o!
the old Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York,
or Indiana" or any other Yankee gentleman"
Democratic institutions have made sad havoc with the
old Virginia gentlemen whether Of the country or the
city, and therefore the few specimens remaining
cherished with much pride and affection When Virgil
MIA loses her gentlemen, particularly her country gen.
tlemen-for the iuundatioa of Yankees in towns
and citis has driven nearly all of them the
try-she will cease to be Virginia my longer. Sooner
or later fear this day Of grief viii come to the good
old Commonwealth, for the fashion of all things earthly
passeth away II should be unceasing aim to post
pone this evil day long possible, and keep alive
our genlty and State reputation 70 the latest moment
Therein alone lies our salvation distinct and high
toned PEOPLE well only hope of that stability
OF society and government which Of the virtue,
tbendspeneeuce the generous Oftheiseomponent
individuals. So long as a'e hemmed in by Yankee
armies, and the country gentlemen Of toe border are
pressed back aud accumulated in the interior counties
there ought surely be difficulty in preserving AID
exhibiting those honorabs characteristics which have
made the Safe 50 renowned Aud when the eXgencies
OF the war the suffering Of the soldiers of widows and
orphans, and of the poor generally, are appealing to
the Warmes aud eGdsrcst hearts Of human nature
talnly the old Virginia country gentleman ought to
shine reeminent the dsphy OF those qualities for
which he was already amou4 before there any Oc-
c4son tor sGcl appeals At5r the war, When, as many
apprehsnd, the Yankses viii OVerrun Virginia in spite
oil all laws enacted dislranchse and dsoAse them
may exOect 10 see Nortnerl sngness aud seleshness
overcome southern generosity and sympathy, but,Lnt
then God Osold the STATE 10y which the rural
districts moi tie towns) shoG.d De dsgraced by any
such triumph, OF extoriOI humaue impulses as
We have witnessed ia ReumOnt sad other Giles, in
tested oy YANKEES and their coSgeners.
We have Already expressed great qualification AZ
the pA.rvLc resyldsOus passed in tue numerous meet
gs OF ihe country gealemsn ~hch have been held in
various counties of sac. This Qualification has
been shared By the good citizens OF all parts of the
Couiederaey, wac awe pointed the splendid example
set by the glorious old no.her ~ States and of
men, and not b. h-r tricky toWusPeope either, but by
her farmers and planners cue Erue gentlemen of tue
country whose word, ali the world knows is good
Is their bond We would b. ashamed repeat toe
lavish ana uubounusd pr. which nave been heaped
upon our rural geny D tn papers every part OF the
South which seem 70 Attn other which shall
say the finest thnss OF the a;Gers OF tue Old Domn-
ion. We are almost inclined hang the head let
after our couatsy gentlemen shall have doae their bes
they will not come up cue hga-~rOugnt expectation
of the people in other States.
What, then, would be the effect If it we're It'd out
side OF Virginia OF the hrss counties TO plsdge
itself 70 the patrioae resolutions which have been 90
much admired, has dOue ess y not Que thing has not
takeneven the very first sIep TO comply WITH its
misesg Nay far than Ihis. The people Of this
county 50 lar from selling Government prices to the
needy, proclaim they have nothing 10 sell to the Gov
eminent itself Further these people refuse to furnish
wood for the winter a. any price whatever One hun
dred dollars eoid have been offered aud they declined
that Further these people have raised enormous guam
titles Of sorghum At merely nominal of produc-
ton many OF them have hand siI, eight, ten,
twelve hundred gallons Of the sorghum moasses, for
which they ask s4 gallon, price even higher than
charged in Richmond What repeat, would be the
effect these and Other stories about the rchSs 81 far
and planters in Virginia were told to people out
side the State who have been recently overwhelmed
with admiration aud respect for the patriotism and noble
generosity of the resolutions aud pledges voluntarily
made by these sslfsAme persons.
Such things have been whispered to US BY persons
whose yeraeity dare not call in question Ga shame,
shame Can it be true that the country gentlemen Of
Virginia act thuss We are oath to believe it. We are
unwilling, too, to tell what particular county is alluded
to- Such county must be far from any seat of learn
ing; for the effect OF education is to enlarge the mind
make liberal the IDEAS and thus expose the coutemp
ble ittleness Of all that mean sordd and selfish Such
county could not contain within its limits great Uni
versity, and boast Of larger population of we-bred
highly educated and wealthy gentlemen than any other
county in the STATE. L. mig.t be almost any county
you could name but it could by any possibility be
Albemarle.