Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-01-04
LETTER. FROM JOIN d. @GiLWER, TO a
IL MEMBER Of HE;;vIRGIN1A SENATE;
~ ~ ,ox. TIE Il - ;. r.
''POsapn nqd Duties Of .gbga'it he ,Eeisti,5Sai,
I -. IF Poftlcdl Wttets. r.. &; H..
-: - !. :RicaMoSD, Dee. %, 1854

jpOsaiSr nqdb,!ies u ,TGgiea,it he Eeis,ia5s,qie
lpE Iirn s,rsprrs Esq., : hIcAAGSO' Rs''.28' iSe4
/ OF the irginia State Senate :. =, ~. :. i
DHAR SIR lin conversations upon the topics which
now engrss public attention, you have asked me 10 ext
press my reEsas TO the ine Of policy which the Legisla
lure should paise at this called session. u aws the
privilege ofihe most humble citizen ectfalyto address
the representative body on questions Involving tbeget
eraLinteiess and calculated to exercise permgnen H.
uence over the destines of his country 10 be silent
when to peak!Ogt IS duty s in the highest sense 96a
70 conpia.ad depecate approaching:evils, asa mere
speculation is indeed, needless ayocatOg:; 10 tesure
and condeph adyersites thicken around us is in.
cdGnt poor human nature To bluster and claim Under
severe calamte is neither the part OF wisdom the Fu
DIGESTION OF prudent patriotism But is lwaySsafe and
neyefwrong to sppeai in the light OF candid truth from
tie present TO the past "Angy friendship issomemes
as bail as calm enuity But times and OccsOns and
proyocatlons teach ther own lessons" b., -
TieJuties whichnow dtyOve upon the Legislature of
Virginia paramount to all ollT Obligations ri hub;
lie nature Those dulles are derived rOlu The nlleJi Its
relations which subsst between tc representatives. tho
constituency Influenced: by your request gave leayei
approach Though SOU to ySnr aShOr9sS $pf!
nfGshed gentleman who holds tGo seat Imay plead
tlis;as additional reason Whfh induces ms 10 sd'
= am aware ibtl have hlready incurred the serious
lspeasure Ola certain class Of politicians whottf that
to tensule THEIR bnders and cftcsetheir official acts 10
oppostda thg Sicred cause in which engaged
~ ~ nnner vheib.r assumed or riLsfni s *
their ntrrn;ve ,beure 10 opude the grand objects OF
this revo,uQi have a. little: inclination 10 wrph
With sch parties Us have to amuse myself with the
Inf Ss T kiepbeni or 10 sl,cnla,o on'the m Olives oI
Mardt History teens with inch cast On mis- ,lie They
areLoweyer istigl raheras warnings than agreeable as
fhas ever been The pf i1ce o arh men 10 seek phyer
that4hey might alusp T. ID the degmeat of The public
needles. of all bnttht pTCsecUiOn Of they IheoTel and
LIE nratGcatoo of their lsatiahle thirst or power And
when any one however giitedo humble RESPECTFULLY slg
pc.s tat some Amendment in th,r general line 81 ad
poIcy-or some jGd relaxation III The
bsnecial the bodyp0ltc; They straiehtwGY coy out
slEIs Az Es,EAY TpTHE fAi4; lit drEks 70 GIVE AID
l ASDiCOMFORT 40 EnE: MAO. RirEh TIiE whT Or
HAREAs CoRfCs THAT ne MAf FEEL TIE WEIGHT OF our
cULhISA TSG WRATH They even go farther IN the sub
lime scope Of their oncai disp'ease They counsel paS
syeobedenee and non:reshance by way G friendly adj
inoRiti5n They seem uncGnsiopsly, 10 have adopted,
that burning exposnacR OF Burkei when he ndsna nty
exclaimed against just sueipace men in ms tine--Let
the lady bepassiye, lest che raThe shouldbe driven to
f6Ice Resistance will hui Increase his desie' Such
doctrines wllpeyer receive my apprOpaon-aqd reply,
ia the language q Bsrfeiss unlE resisie-c is
siution ale not wittols They viii drive scn.
ffdm The lus p the t appearance Of their ioye etre
anu offered assgnat9ps" - :
Gar ms, ss 10 s; ~ ~
10 he influenced bT Ggestions of nidI or ntInstops
Of dcsi dspllasurG From such unworthy nteflocntors
HneaI;to an enlightened nuLic sentiment aal.a
PP; 5csv To te I tgi,att r, .or Vircn;o a.; 30
I}ei 70 the sSveterttv Of thg Satt Snd the shbboets
III this grand revolution. And would sey 10 each menu
- t ye ratler the last Of YrgInia freemtn than the
Gr:t Of Virginia. slaves =. :. -
j have said 1T "a aways safe and never wrong appeal
Snb "a INV Object in this letter lie il blr, te bsfsr
% oman ,yboseeEs 10 create civil libc,t from ,Ga
'l"h y ea. ~. al t,o;,,tS, - taVt ~
on ihe,tv ami institutional iesdom by Saray;gy ne
Isa, ~ ng,nIien,s iicr,y and osirI
i - ,ssgca IN the rdma os ,i6or i,, "a Co.
,L S,osos nf notcal sleyert L. indeed d mers rnoc
@ d eas Correction ir IL. tendencies DIR an arr, IN
-; ,nrhgrst Rata war cOnduceiasft ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
as means Of civil and political eedom-basel On the
.oyeragniy Of the States wdginC IL Should never he
Jdonei No free man will ever Weld his btbrbyit ia
ILL., mi nowr as long as resistance Ii bractcabie md
20 "a long "a II can lie main
ins on An orranaad basis But when by accident or
J;, The onpSsinE fofce sso far weakghed a. 10 endhS
& e rcrrss Of he cHuse Il is the duty "a the povern
49, aef n. nplicy and thu; seou At least In nsc,
men ~ III r Il ci litoicly ,sfsstc In I'll rnuic &c.
d bl0ndrs il is the dnty of Tho Stat"s
So nanrratd this war toexerfise tho proper constit
an IIna ,Snrent nin,at dss, -
Ne - cl5 in yihv. ia lose the coisa Io.onss y
isgn.G 2sli policy or to cripple It's uItIat mco
n icsl resnits 6y Sacrificing rs G,ye powSr Is moi
- ~ ioed TLe States as States inaUrurated tbs y
~ III ensRt NJ n fails they ull and Grase IN Xsf &
20 me- H., nI;o,t Il feir eyisence -
~ -; - ncres 4 uoIt4a Iss,I 49,
"isE S ; 1eefh x confeeracv cnnsoii,atS "a ,
ga llG ~ St,ts ari,ncr frdsyI rnnsoiiJstl M
wy ovsco rivil and social isIts 81 W.
go" Sasr, se her stems husband her ipsom,cs and
eSpend her last eprg energy before she yel' her SOY:
20 % IN ~ XII Inv these b5beas s,nns bo,os
u maN0s wen Dc tOlu Y e.G h"ge's 80 pus hateisf
these eruns secret sSn , ..'e niStslal an
volal% lSr ~ sDaiv soer h To "a
s9nu pony H. os 70 anu ism; Ws S ~ nv
nns - .oc id;rying tIrir :ioIyrr NJ ,si,a ~"
Sles D! way % ,n6r Shin I'M Of mem Than ,s ,
II by and waTtd for en-, State If sn hen tii
states. as such should see 10 a. ia 1,t aSon9res are
hot sporting ali"Is l', 'n"' ~,
hops lnuee9 ai sur ma ~ YUM nae, ile "
The Union by oire IN S.st SosHs snay no ule virgin:
IAN Ht ever coSeh 10 poh s'aSr que rather prefer
death AS dman ehhss 70 ne 70 should state TO Ms
sovereignty; and people 20 lhsir hpeFt!, ..
Ills wen That virginia saoua nov pause anu cOnlelns
plate her vantage: ~ ls Stac eonies rendered.