Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-09
THE SECESSION oFVIRGINIA
THE RESTORED GOVERNMENT.

We subioin several extracts from the
speech of Hon. Lucius H. Chandler, OF
Virginia, in the House Of Representatives
of the United States, May 18th, 1864, in de-
fence of his claim to a seat in that body for
the Thirty Eighth Congress:
In eastern Virginia the vote in favor of
secession, in favor OF breaking up the foun-
dations OF that Government which had been
cemented by the tolls, the tears, and the
blood Of our fathers, was very large. 1t is
true that that unanimity did not indicate the
real state Of public opinion. Thousands OF
Union men did not vote at all other thou.
sands Of Union men voted for the ordinance.
The questions may be asked, ''what became
Of the Union men who did not vote l''-
UHov happened 10 that Union men could IL
more their sentiments and vote for seeeS-
ion p' IL is difficult 10 give to those resid-
ing in free States satisfactory answers to
these questions. Ii does, however, seem to
me that there is nothing so very strange in
the state Of things that TRANSFERRED. Go into
any community, north or south, east or
vest, and what IS the proportion OF men who
have a genuine article Of moral or physical
backbone In ordinary times, the ''piping
times Of peace" when sailing on the smooth
surface of a summer sea, with the sweet
South making soft dalliance with the sails,
we get along well enough. The gutta-per-
cha, cartilaginouS substance that composes
the spinal column Of so many OF us answers
a very good purpose. But when the Grains
descend, and the floods come, and the winds
blow" there is a collapse.
One of the great evils of modern civili-
4
ali.y Of character Men not only move
and are easily led away by novelty
and excitement. In revolutions the lead
ers are bold aud reckless. Many a ccnser-
vatiye Joins them through fear, and then, to
avoid the suspicion OF lukewarmneSs, goes
further, aud becomes more ardent than the
original agitators. All French historians
tell Us that in the first French Revolution,
when the lamp posts bore such fearful fruit
in Paris, and the cutters literally bubbled
with blood, the mob was always in the minor
ity, could there have been fair expression
OF opinion.
New converts make up in zeal what they
lack in experience. IL is one of the settled
principles of human nature. This may be
illustrated in thousand ways. An Orful
Gardner will be more Jealous in PRAYERS and
exhortations than an old Christian. The
members of the peace societies of twenty.
five years since are much fuller of fight than
the veterans Of dozen battle-helds. A
Wing, whether he rated from honest con-
victions or because his nostrils quiyered and
expanded at the sayory fumes from the flesh
pots, as a Democrat generally scout Heroded
Herod." IT called upon to select an aboli-
zionist Of the first water, you would take
neither Garrison nor Phillips, but would
hunt up some one who was a pro-slayery
Democrat at the last Presidential election.
Add to all this, Mr.. Speaker, the long time
my district was in the hands of the Conted.
crates, the money every wealthy man was
compelled to invest in tue Confederate cause,
the fathers, brothers, sons, that were Sc
duced or forced into the Confederate army,
the sympathies that naturally clustered
about them, aud the difficulty of discrimi-
mating between them and the cause for which
they were in arms, and we can understand,
think, why some portion Of Unionism was
rooted out.
l must crave your indulgence, Mr..
Speaker, in deyoting some little time to the
presentation Of the peculiar position of Vir-
ginia, and the different ground she occupies
nom any other of the States which entered
into the confederacy.
approach the subject with feelings such