Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1863-02-27
To the People Of North Western Vir-
giRia.


The present war has now reach
ed stage at which every candid
mind must be convinced that it will
soon result in the complete establish
ment Of the separate independence o.
| the Confederate States. After two
years of war in which the North has
lost several hundred thousand men and
spent more than thousand million
dollars, the Confederacy remains I'M
conquered It is now more able to re-
sist than it was in the beginning, COM
pairing It's strength with the power Of
the enemy. It has larger and better
armies with more copious materials OF
war than it had year ago. It still
repulses nearly every advance Of the
enormous levies Of the North. It has
already displayed more strength and
acquired more glory than other coun-
tries which have been independent for
ages. If it's achievements have been
attended with large expenditures Of
blood and treasure, yet the capacity Of
such a people as ours to carry on wal
can never be exhausted while the war
is to resist subjugation. On the con-
trary, the North, which fights for.con-
quest, must find it's warlike resources
practically exhausted whenever it be-
comes clear that conquest is impossi-
bic. In war waged by the North for
the subiugation of the South, the fail
ure of the North is the complete tri-
1lmph of the South. That triumph is
at hand.
That result appears certain to US who
know the spirit and resources of the
Confederacy. Even you, who have
been separated from the South and
have learned the events Of the war
mainly from Northern sources, must
have corrected their boastful bulletins
of victories by the confessed results Of
campaigns. You know, for example,
how many "grand armies" have been
sent to take Richmond and how many
victories they have claimed but you
have seen the same armies always re-
turn shattered, decimated, disgraced.
You know that Richmond remains I'M
defled by the foot Of conqueror.
We have met with some disasters
Others may befal us. They would not
discourage us. Even if Richmond, OF
Charleston, or Y icksburg, OF any other
city were to fall, there would still re-
main to us between the Atlantic and
the Rio Grandc a vast country and an
unconquerable people. Partial sue
cesses Of the enemy, wherever obtain
ed, must at length be abandoned by
the remnants of invading armies, glad
to escape from q country which they
may ravage but cannot subdue.
The North can never conquer the
South. Neither will the South ever
consent to restoration Of the Union.
An inhuman attempt to subjugate q
brave, free, enlightened and Christian
people can never be forgiven or forgot
ten. The atrocities of the North in
prosecuting the var and a desperate
attempt to invoke selvile instruction
hare placed a fiery gulf of hatred be-
tween the two countries. Thesepara
ton which was forced by fanaticism has
been confirmed by ferocions folly. 1t
is not the South which will have to re-
greet the consequences.
AS certainly as the atrocious schemes
Of subjugation is destined to fail, just
so certainly will every inch Of the soil
Of Virginia remain under her jurisdic-
ton. The entire South will be con-
quered or all Virginia will be free. BY
solemn resolves the Confederate and
State governments stand pledged new
cr to surrender any part of the State.
They will be prompted by every mo-
tive Of interest and of honor to redeem
the pledge at all hazards.
During this war Our new govern
ment could not hitherto keep large az
mics constantly in North Western Vir-
ginia without neglecting vital points
OF defence Ve1atious raids have usu-
ally been avoided. But our battles
have been fought as well for the ulti-
mate liberation Of the PAN Handle as
fos the independence Of all the Confed-
crate States. Events may yet take
different course even in this war
Hereafter such preparations will be
made that, in future wars, the brave
and hardy men of North Western IL
ginia, backed by the most warlike ma
ton on the globe, will more probably
become Invaders than victims Of inva-
sion. They would be in greater dan
ger on the Northern than they will be
on the Southern side Of the boundary.
We congratulate you upon the Ger
tainty that our section Of the State will
remain with Virginia and with the
Confederacy. A large majority, we
believe, will rejoice in this assurance.
Your interests are with the South. In
the Confedcracy OH. section Of Virgin
la, so full Of all natural clements Of
wealth, will become one Of the most
prosperous regions of the continent
With the North it would dwinale I'M
der the shadow Of rival and strange
sections.
In the South we have maintained
free institutions throughout this tre-
mendous struggle while the govern
ment has needed the largestpowers and
the people would have acquiesced in