Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-03

ATatime like the present, when every lesson
n that can be drawn from the sad experience oil
the past. or from the wise counSels OF men whom
the world acknowledges entitled to reverence
should inspire love Of the Union, it may be well
10 recall some Of the words Of warning and admo-
milton smbaimed ia the memories Of nearly seventy
wears.
A period has lust ended in which passion, preJu-
dice aod vindicive feelings have reignedsupreme.-
They have shut ont the light Of reason. They have
corrupted the heart Of the people. They have
made then forget the admonitions Of the great and
virtuors men 70 whom all Americans once looked
with respect and affection. They have even OBJ
scured the iSdom Of their advice, and have
tempted us to look upon them as "old iogies'--oe-
hind the esprit OF the age and incapable OF ex-
ysriencing its e.ectric vigor.
Thirty wears Of sectional jealousy, hostility and
.feelnE have been followed by -four years OF desc
Iatiou. bloodshed and war. Peace now returns
We nav look back and see behind the dismal gulf
over which we have passed, the serene Prophet
who warned us that this gulf was before rs, and
mo would have taught us to avoid it.
IN 1896 the Father ct his Country thus addressed
. united people e. IL is of infinite moment that
SON sbould properly estimate the immense value
81 your national Union TO your collective and md
,,iual happiness; that you should cherish cor
t,si. babitual and immoyable attachment to it;
...a,tommE Yourselves TO think and speak Of it as
, IN, palladium OF your political safety and pros
.srify watching for it's preservation with jealous
sazisfv d,7countenanciug whatever may suggest
even suspiciou that it can in any event be aban-
aaned and Indignantly frowning upon the first
i9vniae OF every attempt 10 ALLEVIATE any portion
af cur country from tie rest or 10 enIeeble the
.,crei ties W birh nov LUX together the various
parts,
These memorable words nave been repeated so
often thst they are familiar TO rs as household
proverbs. let Hon they come to as with s fresh
ness ana power which Uake u7 doubt whether We
ever real them ust5re. Like messages OF iuspi-
ration. thsy come lighted up with prophetic ra-
dance aud utumiue our hearts and eonscences as
wilma .aperuaI glory Had We needed them in
Ine pat. what unutterable SORROW, what gloomy
-ssnes ot suffering aud agony would we have es-
lpsi
ne cannot recall the past. We cannot shut that
black ami horrible abySs which has eDgulted two
hundred thousand noble lives and covered, as in
q living tomb the happy homes, the once Joyous
and loving hearts now bleeding and desolate.-
But We can hook 20 the future. happily the ma
uou has not persisted in that dread abyss. We
have reached the farther side, wounded, shattered
aui Borrowing, vet. with all Our vital powers un-
harmed and our resources uueXhauSted.
lt becomes o., now to heed the words OF warning
which would have saved rs from untold woe. The
y,rz.nIan who loves his State will remember that
" sshiugtou va, Yirgnian, aud loved her people
..L an earnest and Jar seeing devotion. II there
as suy among us who still indulge spirit Of ha-
rfsi and resistance 20 the national authority. we
would ash them 70 heed the counSel' OF the great
est Virsiaau. aud cherish ioye instead OF aui-
mostly
We feel strong assurance that an oyerwhelm-
M majority Of our people do really and al heart
rejoice that the Union has been preserved. Even
in the stormy scenes OF lSJO-6I, Virginia mani
tested her loyal feeling, and sought earnestly to
preserve the Union. Our people nave not forgot
Ten their old attachment to their country, and will
prove il now that the veil o passion aud sectional
interest is removed from their eyes.