The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-01-02

W90po0jy pg0etal0ed W the North, Ia debate,
power, and o. such ovsrvode III other coasidesa.
el0ns u 10 wclf known thai this question At that
slne sehOusjy ead1ngeEed the Union. Upon Its
a1lustment ~ agitation cease its cf-
pllshed, aad agitatlpM wal resumed with Increased
activity, In utter dregatd 0f that fSaternal spirit
without which the cry of Unioa was nothing mora
thar IN empty s0und. Il aealn eHlminated in
it50 upon the tessit0fial qnesaloa, and the ualon
oece more tseMblrd 70 ils base. But the wisdom
0f Congress e6ected . truce, and by series Vt
meassses postponed the impendins blow. This
sflassss.sss, eowsvsr, Favs = psses. no rspose.
bied ~ e60rs-it yavs warning On The n0ef Of she
Senate that agitation should never cease nntti it,
designs shsuh le taliy accomplished; Il entered
sage Of persosai liberty lo-laws desouncins cili.
zexs, IN pursuit Of their property, rs gnjliy Of
crime punishable BY confinement in the penitcnr
tlsry-iaws for removing judges who proved too
willard al insended to nalfy clause Of the
Constitution Aad acts passed In pursuance thereof;
II inctted mobs 70 do the work Of death upon &c ;
spectshle citizens In pursuit Of their lawful and
precedent-to that !" spir ef essity' and OF that
ssufk1t 3rcRcs and eonce&ion to which ! have 90
frequently rsfegred-dared to run IN ensireiy
sectional ticket, for the highest Offices OF the coun
try, declaring that Il would no longer be dependent
upon the slsvshosdta1 states N aay extent what
ever. The positlen thus taken and successfully
SaIatainsd BY Northern fannsietsm In the electiOM
q t.s esedlsi.ss a:ed ne 9sssss e ths sostbern
them with the melancholy conviction th6t fIscre
was no longer hope Of living In the Uni0a IN the
enjoyment 0f the rights 1t was designed to secure,
aud that the time had come when the existing
form Of Government having become destructive OF
those ends for which It was Instituted 1t their
right, 1t was their duty In the language of the
Declaration OF Independence, "t0 alter OF to abOl
is it, laying ~ foYndation on such principles. and
near 2 2fHn fnryu m fhosv>
shalt seem most likely u effect their safety and
happiness"
But, Notwithstanding the long continued wrongs
and Injuries which the Snuth had sustained at the
hands of the non slaveholding North. most ofalhe
Southern States stilt chung with fond tenacity 10
the work OF our fathers and essayed In various
ways to readjust the disturbed relations Of the
States. Our dear old Virginia made extraordinary
efforts well beftted her, for readjustaaent and
for peace; but all in vain. The North, stimulated
by her hatred ofihe South and the consciousness Of
her strength, and believing, unhappily, that we
would not dare the last extremity, turned a deaf
ear to every overture and resolved on force. On
the 18th day Of april, 1861 President Lincoln L.
sued his proclamation for Il, 900 men to put down
the insurreciOn, As he was pleased to term IT, ViF-
gina was called upon for her QUOTA to dragO0n her
Southern sisters into submission, and she respond
ed by passing, the 18th Ct April 1861, her ordi
nance of secessicr uniting her fate 10 theirs. Ii
was under this conduct on the cart Of the nOa-
savehoIdin9 States, and after every effort to pre-
serve the Union which our ancestors had formed
had failed, that our Convention felt itself con-
strained TO take this organic and final step (Which
denOunces oar separation, and hold them, as we
hold the rest of mankind, enemies In war, In peace
fJicndsn Tnis ordinance vas slso submitted to a
vote Of the people, who, with a rare and no!.e
unanimity approved it, and In support oft pledged
to each other Sour lives, our fortunes, and our
cred honor"
have thus referred to one of the great causes of
our unhappy difficuities-t0o briefly, perhaps, for
perspicuity; perhaps too mucf5at length for such
fl,,v N va tvnS slf Snc-
ficlent fulness to clearly show that the sentiment
Of the Northern mind has waycd incessant war
upon one OF the grsat compromises of the Consti
tuition, producing thereby the irritation and injus
tlce which have destroyed those pleasant and hap
py relations which it was expected the Union
would establish and assure, and which has culini
mated in this frightful and bloody war! While the
south evinced her love Of Union, and her anx ETY.
to preserve the works Of fathers; in the com
promises she had made, and In the wrongs and in
iuries 10 which sha had subnitted-in the great
faFbearance she had PIT ctced-and, finally, In her
numerous efforts to avoid the dread alternative
which was presented to her of unconditional sub
mission or manly resistance. The war, then,
which is now raging was not sought by us; 1t was
forced upon us, and Is the last and most agrant Of
that series of wrongs which, commencing with
the Government, is to be resisted to the last ex-
trelnity.
Invoking the Divine VIII to enlighten my under
standing, and to guide me to that system Of meas
urcs best calculated 10 provide for the exigcncy
which is upon U.s. and to promote the true interests
oil our country, proceed to suggest what duty,
in my Judgment, requires of US, and what gen
erous patriotism will cheerfuIiy accord.
First, then, II Is of the greatest moment that our
minds Should be trained to allow that the en-
tire manhood and property Of the country, for the
purpose of this war belongs to the State. The
men who are called into the field to join In battle
with our enemies, the taxes which are levied and
the assessments which are made for their support,
arc but modes of apprOpTatlng the resources of tile
country, and should neither excite murMurs nor
discomfort. The man who by tricks, evasions or
subefuges, seeks to avoid the taxes intended 10 be
collected from lin, Is In heart both knave and trail
tor Itis the duty of the law maker TO provide the
ampIest punishment fOr such malefactiOns, and of
every good citizen TO bring them to Justice, and to
hold them up to public scorn and contempt. And
what should be thought of those who gru,nble
about the prices paid for articles impressed, 10
feed and ctothe the aTmy-that army which stands
between them aHd ruin-that army, composed as
II il of their own sons, and of their own kill, and
kin. ana which may be disbanded for want Of the
necessary supplies, while they are higgilng with
the Government agents for higher prices than those
established by the Commissioners, chosen equally
by the State and Confederate authorities, End
actually appealing TO the Courts Of Justice for
protection against the alleged wrong und in
jury of which they complain They are not
content with prices fixed by citizen farmers,
chosen for each State, uf sound judgment aud
lofty patriotism; they must have Il. jury OF the
.yicinage, composed Of men like themselves, all
anxious-I will not say willing, but anxiOns-t0
last dollar which can be obtained do not lie 81
tate to say that such mode of assessment would
within six~mOnths drive our armies from the field
and utterly aDnihilate the public credit, unless we
established most enormous system of taxation
or the Confederate Government should proclaim
martial law. The country must not bp ruined by
the sapacity of the people, and the Government
will not hesitate, am sure, to exercise all their
constitutional powers when necessary for our safe-
". am pleased to say that the people Of Virginia
have, with some exceptions, cheerfnliy accepted
the maximum, while not one has been hardy enough
to brave public opinion Dy demanding any Osner
rule of assessment.
While, however, the people of the State have
ac0uIesced In the prices fixed By the public com
missiOners, others have been unwilling to accept
them, In consequence Of higher prices being offered
hy eneculatOrs aud others. This very naturally
Produces discomfort on the part OF the more Iihe-
raj and patriotic portion Of the people, while Oth
crs resort 70 boarding, hiding, aud other disrepu-
table shifts and evasons, TO avoid their contrIos
tio 20 the support or our gallant army This state
Of things il very dcm0falizing, and may, | think,
be easily corrected by the establishment Of State
maximum, which, taking the Confederate maxi
mum as basis, shall be extended to all the pro
ductiOns Of human Industry.
I know that this proposition has always nei
with the most determined opposition, and yet 4
has always prevailed In times vi public trouble.
know Il IL said France tried and France gave uF
this policy. And yet she first tried II upon corn,
then enlarged H. but never made II general, and I'd
hrred tt through ali tine dark hours of her revo
luii0n when she was reat BY intestine dlssensioni
and engaged In war with the whole OF Europe, and
never abandoned Il until she had resumed specie
currency, composed her iptessfne fcnds, anl
bfousht continental Europe to her feet. What oc
casiOu had France 10 adhere TO this policy wher
She fed her armies from the stores Of f0ther nations
and replenshsd her treasury BY contributions apoa
thenf
Hut Il 10 the duty Of wisdom to comprehend thu
force Of circumstances. What u our situation =
We are cut on ffOm the world by Qua enemies, In
-. anf~ II