Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-09-05
grand struggle for a government of their oV
cholce.-N. 7. Neacs.
PROUD, BRAVE AND NOBLE.

Proud. brave, noble-without tarnish upor
her banner without bemish upon her fair fame
respected at home and honored abroad for all the
manly qualities that have been developed IN peace
or war, the South rests from her struggle. With
the preiudices of fifty years, and the education oi
q century moving the hearts Of the people, she
dared the perils of revolution, encountered all its
sacrifices, suffered its agony and without stint
gave men who lived great lives and in death are
| not forgotten. She failed, and her sorrows will
become as ssold as kings of grand and peerless
line'' She stands before the world to-day, not
humiiated, but depressed; not conquered but
cast Gown. A new life opens to her view
Brought by force back into Union from which
she had discovered herself as by the,,yoice of one
man, she finds presented to her new conditions of
political existence. The old fabric of society is
undermined and is in ruins. Oldinstitutions that
gave her wealth and power and contributed to the
prosperous greatness of the common country are
gone forever. As nation the South starts "a
fresh. She commences another lease ofexistence );
and under a system with which she is all unac-
quainted, the aggressive, impatient spirit of the
North demands that she shall at once and without
restraint succumb to the new relations that have
been created by the war. We believe that she
will. Before the South there looms up the
forest of mighty future, that will give shade to
those who may reap the harvest But the seed
must be planted now. By the voices of their iv-
ing and their dead, the people are called upon to
work while the day lasts. Great duties are to be
done; tremendous responsibilities are at stake
The men who hereafter represent the thoughts
and interest of the South, must be, and have been
true to her in head and heart and hand They
will come to Congress they will be called upon to
mingle their influence, social and political in the
current of the Union but tb ose influences should
illustrate the South or nothing at all We want
earnestness, truth, and reality; and when brave
man who has fought, be it morally or physically,
through this war in behalf of his cause, and con.
scientiously comes forward, acknowledging his
defeat and pledging himself to future support of
the Constitution and laws of the United States,
we would rather such standing upon the
floor Of Congress to express the will of his peo
pie, or occupying station of honor and trust
than all he so-called 'loyal men of the South, /"
pliantly quick to do their masters work, in
whom God has breathed the breath of life We
say therefore to the people Of the South elect to
your public Offices your best citizens-not those
who have played the hypocrite during the war
and the traitor since, but whom you have
tried in the fire and not found wantng-men
who have sealed their devotion to your cause and
shared your veal and woe. Let no arbitrary pow
Of sword or bayonet, or threat of radical poll
tcians deter you in this, q sovereign right. Go
into the Union and vote. You win come to the
doors Of Congress as q Union party, and you will
be admitted as such !; or, by the grace Of God
there will be schism in the ranks of yonr ene-
mics, that will scatter them to the four winds of
heaven. We want, likewise, new as well as
true. The issues destined to arise in the halls of
national legislation, demand young, fresh thoughts
and vigorous brains. The era is ore of reform,
the spirit of the age is progressive, and foster its
good or combat its evil will require the brightest
and bravest intellects that illuminate the South.
For while they may be suppressed. Obstacles
may be thrown IN the way OF their election, or
acceptance, but let the people persevere. Change,
if absolutely necessary, the object Of your choice.
but yield not one jot or title of the right which
the law of the land confers, and before many
months have elapsed it will be discovered that,
if the South be true to herself the majority Of the
people of the North, whether known by one po-
litical name another, will be equally firm in
the assertion and maintainance ola free govern
ment. With this cooperation secured, the South
win once more feel throbbing within her veins
me of her ancient glory, and rising from the
dust, she will enter the race that is set before
her, and win, perhaps. nobler triumph than
any Of which she now dares to dream.-Nsto York
News.