The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1863-01-29
From the Missouri Democrat.
Old Virginia.

The telegraph lutorms us that the
President has put his official signature
to the bill erecting West Virginia into
free and sovereign Stale, so far as a State
under the Constitution and within the
bonds of the Union can bO said to DO
free and sovereign, Tho Old Domiulon
is consequently shOru Of a fair share Of
her dimensions, ard with the curtailment
other territorial greatness, sinks into a
position of prospective insigni6eanee,
from which nothing now loie Shadowcd
by passing events seems likely to rescue
her. Her glory has departed, and pretty
much oil that now remains to her is a
namo which has been badge Of honor,
but Is now n badge of shame. Little
would it have been supposed few years
ago that, in less than one century from
the birth Of our nation, any potion of it
would show signs of age or dccrepitude,
snd be marked by the same fatal proofs
OF degenerOcy which arc written all over
the nations of the East in the Old
World; and yet we have in Virginia to.
day the evidences Of decline, as patent as
in the empire of the Turk, or the classic
fields of the Greek and Roman.
Tho moral OF Virginia's history is so
transparent that il is certainly to ba ho,
ped the other States Of the Union will not
fail to profit by her example in refusing
10 tolIowil, Mover was clearer iluStra'
lion given Of tie truth Of the declaration
made in Holy Writ, that "Prido gooth
before q FALL" than in the career Of this
once powerful and naughty, but now dis.
membrrod and falling State, Occupying
a central and commanding position in the
country, and possessed originally of an
unusual number OF eminent and excel
lent men, she was at first enabled to
yield an influence in tho nation which in
time turnedthe heads OF hor people; and
led them 10 trust to their prestige rather
than to their virtues for continuation
of State power On this they relied
while the elements Of real strength were
gradually passing away from them, until
spend thrift like, before they became
aware Of their condition, thoy found
themselves bankrupt. For years past
Virginia reminded us of an ancient and
ruined family, which retained all oil its
pride after il had lost all Of its possess.
ions. As in social life, such display Of
preteniion is ridiculous, in political life
on the part Of State it is equally obnox
ious aud foolish. and when tho hour Of
humiljation comes, as Ia either case 500.
ner or later is inevitable, it finds few in
clined to mourn or sympalhize. Tho
fale of Virginia will cause but little re.
gret out side Of her own boundaries.
The cause of Yirginia's decline is ca
silly traceablo. The social life of State
may be as ruinous as that of an indiyid
nal. Hero is to be found the secret Of
Virginias fall, Her internal habits if
we may be indulgOj the expression were
no! correct. She cherished certain fatal
vices which preyed upon her strength
and neulralizld her virtues, until her
constitution gave way. There was no
inherent weakness in her organzation..-
Other States as old and originally much
less favored, living under different re-
gimonl and practising different political
code, as for instance New York and
Massachusetts,, have constantly grown
more vigorous and healthy. They show
no sign Of decay. The same policy of
conduct pursued by them, for uughl we
can now see to the contrary, might be
followed for ten thousand years, and
each period would be more prosperous
than its predecessor. Slavery has been
corrosive in the one "a system Of free
institutions has been the nutiment in the
other. The one encouraged exrava.
gance aud idleness--lhc other industry
and economy; and the States VIC have
mentioned Virginia on the one hand,
and New York and Massachusetts on
the other, are The fields where the results
Of their operations can be seen To the
best advantage. The whole story Of Vir.
ginio's decline and fall can be written in
the one word, Slavery.