The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-01
OoMMoN.sENsE VIEWS.

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sonable being, gives the following good
advice to the people of this State. Hap
Ply they who will be led to see the folly
of their ways and correct their errors
The letter is addressed to the Richmond
Republic:
WASHINGTON, D. c., July 2s, 1865.
1t is beginning to be believed in Wash
ington that Virginia is in an i'll humor,
and shows it; that there are many who
have Joined the church without bit of
religion who have taken the oath of
allegiance without wish or purpose to
cultivate patriotism; that some who
have begged and received special par
dons, speak in terms of adherence of
the Government and of the people
whose clemency and magnanimity they
enjoy; that protested ministers OF peace
avow their purpose to prolong strife by
reunion of the churches, and to pro-
mote discomfort by preaching the obso-
lete dogma of the Divinity of Slavery;
that the women of the South cherish
vindictiveness as female grace, and re-
strain the inclinalions of theirhusbands,
brothers, sons and lovers towards the
establishment of fraternity; that
there are men who indulge hatred of the
poor negro, whose emancipation is
without his procurement; who is not
to blame for aught that has happened;
who remained to the last faithful, affec-
tiOnate and obedient; men who, subju-
gated themselves, seek to wreak VEN
geance for another's deed upon their
former slaves; who refuse to sell or
lease them lands upon any terms what
ever; who sheer ut their attempts to get
education, and try to embarrass the
Government in all its efforts to amelio-
rate and elevate the condition of this
unhappy race in fine, that there are
men who bewail the departing power
and glory of the" Slaveocracy;" of the
gentry by inheritance who have gov
erned the land in their own interest for
sixty years of the generation of Re-
publican Princes, with their command
ing manners and elevated tone, now
sadly passing away, and who desire by
all means in their power to keep alive
the Southern spirit and the Southern
pride, that sectional feeling against
which Washington prophetically warm
ed us, and which has been the cause Of
all our troubles.
THE CONSEQUENCES
of this belief are sad. The President
whose highest ambition is the glory Of
being the instrument of restoring his
own dear native South to the enjoyment
of the blessings of the Union upon the
principles of the Constitution, finds his
wishes disappointed, his plans defeated,
and his hands tied for usefulness. The
vindictive and malevolent rejoice that
we give them excuse and opportunity
for the indulgence of the worst passions.
Our friends bemoan our perverseness
and obstinacy, and say of us sadly,
"Quena Deus Vdalt oerdere priits denaen-
tat" Statesmen whose sagacity is not
warped by passion sigh and regret that
men will not yet consent to be governed
by prudence and wisdom.
THE DEFENCE AND REJoINDER.
In vain does a Southern man reply
that men may change their purposes in
an instant, but that passions and opin-
ions must be left to the soothing influ-
ences of time. The rejoinder is, "Where
there is will there is way" that to
cultivate good feeling men must do good
deeds, and that in this connection words
are deeds.
IL vain do we quote history and phil
osophy to prove that the utterances of
the church are necessarily dogmatical /;
that there is in all the sects trace of
the old doctrine of infallibility; and that
it takes time to reverse the engine and
back the ecclesiastical machine. Our
objector retOrts almost angrily, "DOyOu
not know, sir, that for five years the
clergy have been an offence in the nos
trils of men of sense; that they have de-
serted the service of the Prince OfPeace
and become fomentors and promoters of
discord? Call them as witnesses--the
preachers both North and Southland
each will prove the other totally I'M
worthy of confidence or respect, and l
will believe them both. No, sir, they
are men Of like passions with ourselves,
and must be governed accordingly"
In vain do we say: "Well, you know,
the ladies, God bless them-we cannot
manage them" The answer is, if you
cannot control your own households,
you are not fit to govern this country.
In vain do we refer to the hereditary
and instructive repulsion between the
races. They retort upon us our protract-
ed boast that we entertained for our
slaves patriarchal affection, and politely,
but sarcastically, regret that our affection
ceases with our interest.
In vain do we lament the fate of the
first families of Virginia. We are talk
ing to men who glory in the fact that
their President is tailor, who, If the
within took him, or if he thought it would
accomplish any useful purpose, is capa-
BILE of the eccentricity of setting up
tailor's board in the East room of his
mansion, and making there a suit of
clothes for the Emperor of the French,
and inviting the diplomatic body to a
levee while the work is going on.
THE REMEDY.
When will our people learn wisdom?
How long shall handful of malcontents
be permitted to justify suspicion of the
good faith of the multitude? The heart
of Virginia is right, and public opinion
in our midst must vindicate our integri.
ty by utterly and potentially command
ing the disconnected to hold their peace.
We have no right to yield to lethargy
and desire for rest, even after four horrid
years of suffering and strife. The de-
mands of the hour are not satisfied by sui
len submission and reluctant obedience.
Active patriotism has become a duty.
Loyalty must be demOnstrative. In the
good old times, before the ministersof the
churches ceased to preach the gospel,
they taught us that to cultivate benevo-
ience, wemust give aims thatt to acquire
the greatest of all graces-CHARITY-w
must speak nought butgood of ourneigh-
ITO his faults little blind