Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1864-03-22
sTAUNToN, VIRGINIA, TUESDAY, MARCH o. 1854

Born to an Inheritance Of freedom, you canno
hesitate to choose between slavery orsdeath.-
Submission to an enemy who has exhausted ev
cry iniamy is not endurable even in thonght
but We're ws base enough to desire peace up.
on any terms less than the unqualified recogni
| tion of our independence, selfinterest alon
would teach us the folly of relying upon TIN
| forbeai ance of nation, who have shown ii
every step of the war that their faith is perfidy
and their only policy Is rapine, plunder and op
preston. The whole history of our former as
sociation with the Northern States admonishe
us that in common government they will ney
or fail to employ their power to take away on
property. Their present malice springs chief,
from baff1ed cupid ty. But for this master pas
sion OF their nature, an honorable and speed,
peace would be easy. The war has fully de,
yeloped all their purposes, and you now know
the fate that awaits you in the event ofsubiuga
ton. Your liberties will utterly perish. You
State organization will be blotted out. All YOU
property OF every description will be coGfscated
Tor all OF US have participated in the revolution
our lands will be divided out among the ban,
dlttl from the North and from Europe. who
have invaded our State. A free negro popula.
tion viii be established in your midst, who will
be your social equals and military governors.
Negro guards will, at their pleasure, give YOU
passes and safe conducts or arrest you to be tried
and punished by negro commandants and mag
istrates And to these, yourselves, your wives
and children will bs menial laborets and slaves.
eXcept those OF you whom the malice of your
enemies shall reserve for the dungeon or the
gallows.
Such is the doom denounced for the people of
the ocuth by the wicked race now warning up
on Us. But we know it can never be executed.
an army OF veterans have resolved that their
country shat not be enslaved; and while their
purpose stands, the enemy's designs will contin-
ue 20 De baf11ed. Among you there is one spirit
That OF eager and resOlute determination
The temper of the army has reached the people
at home, and inspired them with fresh cour-
age and more assured confidence Every
where we see multiplied evidences of energy
and enthusiasm. In all the States we find the
resolution to endure every extremity rather than
Submit, and with this spirit our people are in
vinclble. The armies are filling up their ranks,
and the legislation of Congress has added still
further to their numbers and efficiency. Those
citizens who remain at home to carry on the
industrial pursuits essential to the support of the
army, will see to it that you shall not want for
food while you are exposing your lives to pro-
tect their property and homes from rapne.-
The defence of the country has become its busi,
ness, and every citizen is required to contribute
TO 1t In his proper sphere. The General AS
sembly OF the Commonwealth has taken steps
To aid those families of her soldiers who may
be In want, ard it will not fail to do all in its
power to provide for and cherish them. They
have authorized and directed the purchase or
imprsssment of unlimited supplies for their main
tenance; appropriated one million dollars for
the relief ct such as are within the lines of the
enemy, and half a million as hospital fund for
the sick and wounded. An organized agency of
q 6cfrs shnko
OF patriotic citizens. Individually and collec.
lively, in county, city and State organizations,
the people with ons accord ale determined to
feed, clothe, sustain and cherish the army
On the other hand, your enemies are appalled,
by the magnitude of the task before them. The
lo1d boastings which a few weeks since they SO
freely uttered, have been sienced by your unan-
lmous re-enlistments for the war, and the stern
and resolute bearing of the South. Dissensons
exist among them. Eager to possess the spoils
OF their corrupt and profigate government, they
nate each other nearly as much as they do US.
Inc war is no longer popular. The rich are
alIoWed to buy an exemption, and thus cast all
the burden and risk upon the poor. The labor
ing classes have already revolted against the
draft. 10 escape its 0dium, enormous bounties
have been offered to volunteers but all these
expedients have failed, and again heavy draft
has been ordered. The armies of the enemy are
every day diminishing, and it is evident they
cannot recruit them to the numbers with which
tney began the struggle. A large and growing
party are for peace. A still larger party have
discovered that the war has so far only served
to entail upon themselves a despotism which
tramples down every public and private right
They feel and acknowledge that they are the
slaves of one whose character has made him odi-
Gus to the world. Torn by party and personal
STRIFE, and conscious of the impotence of their
scheme of conquest, the ranks of your enemies
f0 Ono mo res
olute effort and the day is ours.
God will strengthen your arms in the hour
of battle, and give his blessings to just cause.
Independence and peace will be conceded by
your enemies, and you, the defenders of the
Commonwealth, may return to your homes to
receive the welcome due to the brave, and TO en-
joy those honors which will grow brighter as
your years shall be prolonged.
And when your ears shall be no1onger startled
by the ssclash of res0unding arms" and hap
py, prosperous and permanent peace shall sue
ceed, returning from the fields of your fame,
you will be greeted with tears OF joy by the loved
ones at home-the heroes of every circle-to
receive the smiles of the fair and become the
theme of gratitude and praise around every
hearthstone protected by your valor.
Then every heart shall rejoice in that quiet
which your courage has secured. Not the quiet
of deserted homes and desolated farms s-of sack
ed cities and rified churches-of villages ashes
farms, when the blue smoke shall curl again
above the ancestral trees, to welcome back the
long exiled refugee to his home. The quiet OF
thriving villages, when the old man on his crutch
and the brave and war-worn veteran with his
srmless sleeve, shall tell of bloody battles and
scenes of privation to smiling children around
him. The quiet of prosperous cities, whose
wharves shall whiten with an oppulent commerce;
whose shops shall hum with busy industry and
whose spires point to that haven of rest which
is far away. Then from Thousand happy hearts
and happy homes shall arise thanksgiving and
praise to the God of battles, as of grace, while
tears of gratitude will embaIm the memories and
bedew the graves of the brave men whose blood
has been shed as a libation to liberty.
A. D. DICKINSON,
Chairman, Senate
- A. j. MARSHALL, Committee.
ANDREW HUNTER,
B. II. .SHACKLEFORD,
Chairman, House
r. w. HUNTER,
+. b. DEANE, COMMITTEE
"A. .C.CUMMINGS,
s. r. I'll. BAKER,
Adopted by Senate,
March 5th, 1864,
SHELTON G. DAVIS, q. S..
Adopted by House of Delegates,
March 9th, 1864.
VIM. +. GORDON, G. FL. D.
YOU'VE RAIDERs.-Brig. Gen. Judson
Fitzpatrick, was born in Sussex county,
New Jersey, on January IA, 1886, and
is bat % years Of age. Brig. Gen.
George A. Custar is a native Of Ohio,