American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-04-13
Army correspondence.
ELEVENTH RaG'T., PA. RESERVES,
BRIsTo VA, April |, 1864.
Virginia.
WORTH.

Virginia.
MEssRs. EDITORs Who does not re
member the imc when the name Virginia
was spoken w.rh reverence? The :Old
Dominion the " Mo,hero of Patriots the
" Mother VI Presidents these, and 9TH
er appellat5ns induced US to believe that
hers was indeed " sacred soil"-that with
in her borders were to be found true no
bility, patriotism greatness, and all that
exalts and enn,Jles the human race
And above all She was halowed over eve
ry other State in the Union by having
within her limits that sacred spot-Mt.
Vernon, where repose the mortal remains
of the immortal Washington. What a
noble spectacle did She then present to the
world. = Encircled by the respect of her
sister States she sat as a stately Queen
amongst them.
But alas how changed the spectacle
now! What Il woful picture does she
present to the world to-day? Where now
is the prestige of the name Virginia P
Her territory resounds with the tread of
hostile armies her farms and gardens are
waste; her houses and villages are de-
serted and desolate blackcned ruins mark
the spot of many a habitation and where
once the thriving village stood, there is
none to tell you even Illium fuit.' The
stamping of the Cavaliers horse is heard
in the palaces of the once lordly Virgin
ian, and the hoarse braying of the mule
resounds through the halls Of her courts,
Her rivers are reddened with the blood of
patriots, slain by the hands of her own
degenerate sons and on every mountain
top, plain, hill side, and valley, may be
seen the lowly mound--the soldiers grave.
Who can contemplate her present'fallen
position without a feeling of sorrow; yes,
who can look upon the noble motto adopt
ed in the war of the Revolution. Young
Freedom treading upon the neck of a
PROSTATE tyrant-the fallen crown-the
broken chain--the noble "Sic Semper
Tyrannis." | ask who can gaze upon this
motto, and not feel throb of pity for the
abasement of our sister State? But yes
terday her name was a prestige of strength;
now, "none so poor as to do her rever-
ence." Dark indeed was the day she cast
her fortunes with the mad advocates of
Secession; bitter was the cup she that
day took to her lips, the dregs of which
she is now draining.
But as we look backward through the
gloom and darkness that now enshroud
her, we sec the brightness Of day gone
by, and SO may We not hope that beyond
the gloom and darkness of the present,
there is brighter day for Virginia That
she will again array herself in loyal robes,
and seat herself---a repen.ant sister-in
the great sis,erhood of States; that she
will return purified by the great tribula-
ton through which she has passed, and
again make herself worthy to contain the
sacred ashes that slumber in her soil ?
But whatever may be the future of
Virginia, she can never erase the present
dark spot from the page Of her history
She-may eclipse her former splendor in
the greatness of her sons-but that one
dark spot! Oh that page written in ma
tions best blood will forever remain. Ages
hence, the traveller on Bull Runs event
ful field, will be told by the lips of lisp
ing youth of the fearful struggle between
patriotism and treason; long as the Rap
pahapnock rolls its waters to the Bay, on
its banks will be told the tale of Freder-
icksburg and Charlottesville and white
the Peninsula is laved by the waters of
the York and James, those terrible "sev-
en- days" will not be forgotten. Until ira
dition fails the human race or history be-
come a lie, this period viii be remember
ed, aud for sges and ages to come, Virgin