Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-09-10
MIR. sHEFFEY'S ADDRESS.

MR. SHEFFEY'S ADDRESS
Hugh W. Sh,ffy, Eq., of Augusta county, Was
elected Speaker OF the House of Deegaes Of Virginia
or Monday last After being conducted TO the chair,
Nr. Sn,f,y addressed the House as follows
Gs@tieO,e,, Of Tie House Of Delegates:
accept The trust you have repOs, i Inc with nit
grd emotions of gratitude aud gratitude
the honOr aud apprehension ia view Of the grave
responsibilities Of the office
know enough VII, duties TO understand the diff.
cultes in dischargirg them pe tact aud prO0 1tuess
The good judgment and even temper the uniform
lesy aud imp Irtiaiy, well the unyeldng frmnss
and the guilty required Of him who presdes the
House Del, gates Of this ancient Commonwealth.
shah rely, however, with confidence your x nerCI
tOI bear nee towards NY errors aud your kindly
operation, With the earnest effort shall make TO guide
atight your important deliberations aud uphold the
elevated character which the House of Delegates vi
ygil has always borne for good order, courtesy ald
high-IOned decorum in the conduct Of its business
Gentlemen: VHgiLiI has agaiu b e called into
counsel consult Tor the welfare the republic Stree
pronounced the adjournment order TO the last Hyu
OF Delegates, ca country has been passing uGder
clouds bg with pOren,Ous national calLmites and per
.Onal Amid the eXultIn shouts the vic
tory at Char cellosVe Was heard the deep-oned aud
,OrOWiul val swell ing in melancholy import as il vi
brated through the land, aud told the startled peOpe
that Jackson that the Sun of popular con
sdeuce aud trust had in its meridian speudur
''the silver cord lOOsed and the godi bon
broken even at the fountain Of victory aud nIs Onsl
JOyl Ard we look up towards his dep irng spirit
We could but cry with the prophet OF Cd "te chariot
OF Israel and the horsemau thereof" Bu., al where
shall find, whose shou deIs shall We dicover the
mantle Of the ascended hero aud Christian Our hu-
man cor solutions il s death are that the world mouths
With usmOurns over tue noble type OF humanity blot
Ted from he-and that the G;es of Lis deatLless pa
trio.ism lie smOulderiDg III his ashes " give warmth
and good cheer 10 lis cOuatrymen.
From Gettysburg came back with stricken hearts
aud anxious forebodog'. Many, ali! how many OF the
best SOILS OF the COnederacy met by he death
shafts Oh that fual field And lone Of her sstel 5
poured out there Ieh lbaaon OF blood than Virgil
nia but while her telr' still flow for her len sons,
the fght Of p oud, yet melancholy pleasure renders
those tears brilliant as she thinks OF the heroes Of
PicketI's command.
Well may she rejoice that they were her sons-all
hers; be proud OF their unsurp,ssng hcroism, aud
cherish them. dead and lining, among her brightes
Jewels WagraIn made McDousli famous Gettysburg
has IN lde IL heroes Of Virginia led on by the indol!.
table Pickett, immortal! Aud the inspiring moral of
that grand charge is that tie mother Of such men was
not made By God TO be the handnaiden OF a de- pot
Am the bog OF The tempest, setting in against u.s.
We heard in quick succession the crashing sounds Of
Vcksburg ana Pore Hudson Ealing b,fore the storul
add the people have stood appalled, as il God were
NtIul uchunb WIN u5 III JuuBhtiA-iue iiulu nave
covered down in fear and. weak have crUuched in
despair. And nov, with Sum.er apparently erumbng
into ruins and Charleston boNiHg her head before IN
hail Of fire. aye internal i,e, poured upon IT, the in
qpr"g heart OF the people, having rec ,nty, with one
,onseut bowed down before God ia soeun devotion
snd prayer, reverently asks What t:id next Oh
Lord! what:
It is al such time this gentlemen, that you, as
the representatives OF great people, have met to con
suit for the common veal. You are the k,nsmeu Of
those who led tie fIro;n hope at Gettysburg you are
therefore neither alarmed by the dangers hat besct
YOU nor disposed 10 fold your trns aud let thS swf,
currents hurry events as they will Dangers! yes
Their. are dangers in such conflict Ours-ao TO dis
he's rteu dsmly; but just such dang steady the
nerves Of brave mar and make his eye glisten with
the tire of sriCr resolve 10 grapple with and disa
Ihemi Your aim will be, trust become masters Of
your circumstances and controllers Of your destipes
aud bravely if need be- row yourselves into the tor
rent and guide the bark that bears you all safely through
the rapids Virginia has work TO doto do non; she
il called upon now to put forth her full strength end
ire the world that she VW be Free and confidently
pect that under yoGr guidance she will STEP forth
boldly end fearessy TO tits work; and that her sons
catching inspiration from your acts, will re5ew
cir VOWS never 10 lay down their arms until they hear
Virginia again pressing her foe to the ground with her
heel on hs neck and her spear 10 his breast once more
eIclaiu, " Sic Sempsr fyrann'S"
Again, gentlemen, you the descendants of long
line Of honor loving and ia hkeeppg ancestors, whose
lghtest word when given in pledge, firm as band
OF STEEL You will therefore, be true aud loyal to the
troth plighted 10 the sistAr ST. re AvJt
nv YOU with chivarc honor. Let others doubt or hei
tate or question Virgniss motto snail be, "Ntd peS.
fi,ja retrorslina-I tread no step backward" Her
bToV 81 all be ever bathed with the sunlight OF honor
and the sisters Of the Confedercy shall look TO u
beacon light of safety! The people you represent,
gentlemen und4unted by easter. and true to the
esuss as when victory smiled and selfish nations looked
favoruelS upon us require you to turn bold mont 10
danger aad TO meet with courage and prompt action
10 proyde foe the defence OF their property and their
homes TO cheer the sold er at his bivouac on his
march, by the assurance that his wife and his little Ones
in their far of home shall be protected from sudden IN
road OF robbers aud murderer aud that their wants
sbalI b, cared aud provided for cost what h may and
that the government shall be cheered aud susa ned IN
he arduOns efforts not bindly With siaVish scrviy
lint with cordial and charitable construction
now reserving the reckoning with the public servant FL
calmer epoch in the future And woe to that servant
Who sh IA abuse VfginiAs generous iobeaFance and I'M
stintVd trust in the hour Of the countrys PERIL
Gentlemen, to sSme the hour may seem dark On the
por,ents gloomy; but TO me, who have not lost faith
that a that is connected with our contest rs full oil
Blessings" and that God will be the aVenger OF our
Iybteo1s cause the light of better day appears burst
inc through the clouds No brave, hardy and united
,eone with dences and like ours yeArning
Tor liberty and sterny resolved to be free, ever YET
was CONQUERED Nor shall We. The pressure OF d sas
ter ia bringing us closer together; and terrible i the
strength Of brave people thus brought to bay What
though Jackson has fallen and Gettysburg has irowned
though Vicksburg and Port Hudson have yielded, ant
Charleston s sOrey pTesssd-a Is not lost Calmly sur