The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1865-08-02
AND DESIGNATIONS DU-
ny at.I.


luctant to leave the Union, and which was
.ha frat of those I'M the power of the Onn-i
tederacy to set herself IN im0tlon to return,
will be the last to enjoy the blessings of law,
the supremacy of civil government, and that
| State equality which is tbs essence of Union.
Though insignificant in numbers, and far
| more Insignificant in representative charac-
| ter these unwise and unpatriotic citizens are,
by exciting the fears Of some and pandering
to the prejudices of others, stimulating the
rancor of those who desire to consign US to
perpetual slavery, and paralyzing the brave
arms that in another section, are raised to
strike valiant blows for our restoration to
liberty. -'-' '
The cry of these friends of disorder. is that
Secession is not dead in Virginia If this be
true, the world should know it, the people of
Virginia especially should know it, because
they have given their solemn pledge it should
die. Let US examiHe. II Secession is not
dead, but as these parties allege, llalive and
dominant, it must be either because of the
number of its adherents, or the ability, prom.
nence and power of its leaders. That the
first is not the case seems established
l. By the fact that Secession was never the
creed of the Virginia people as the proper
remedy for political evils In the political
canvass which preceded the war, the fact was
SO well known that the cry of Disunionxwould
be fatal 10 the success of any party, that it
was fully aud Indignantly disclaimed by the
only party against whom it was alleged 10
1860 the square question of Disunion for any
cause then existing, or for the election of an
obnoxious President, would have been beaten
five to one in Virginia.
2. By the fact hat it reqred the most pow-
erful efforts of the most eminent mes of the
Southern States; it required what was es.
teemed the insult of the Congressional rejec-
tion OF compromise it required months of ap-
peal to the ties of sympathy and interest which
bound her to the southern side, and it re-
CURED the official presentation OF the demand
by the President for troops to coerce sister
State, before she could be swayed from her
moorings to that Union for which she had
sacrificed so much. /
By the fact that with almost unanimous |
accord her people have voluntarily taken |
oath after oath of allegiance, and are ready
to take as many more, and have maintained
most orderly and conscientious respect for
the same. .-..
But as it is not true that ssseces sion" ever
was or is now favorite political creed with
the people of Virginia, so is it equally mis-
take to suppose that the secession leaders, as
they are called, hold power in this State or
in any part of it, at this time-and by seces-
sion leaders we mean no affront or offence to
those who differ or heretofore differed from
US on this theme-we only desire to describe
a Glass;
1t is trne that many of the political guides
OF the Virginia people at the beginning Of the
war, and for years before it,, belonged to this
school, but by fatality which is starting,
they are voiceless to-day in Virginia AT
the beginning OF Secession our State had one
representative in the Cabinet at Washington
who was Secessionist-J Ohm B. FLOYD, He
as dead She had two foreign ministers who
were Secessionsts r. X MEADE and
JOHN M. DANIEL Both are dead Both Of
her Senators in Congress were Secessionists
HUNTER and MASON. One is prisoner and
The other an e.rile. She had three newspapers
conspicuously devoted to ssion-the Rich. |
mend Enquirer the Examiner, and the Nors
folk Argus. The journals are estinct and all |
unrevived, and the leading spirits of all =
WISE, DANIEL and LAMB-are dead |
Her Oldest and most persistent and among |
her most influential citizens who supported |
Secession was Edmund Rufin. He Is dead |
The recognized leaders of the Seeessonists in |
the State Convention were George W. RAN
dolph and Ex-President Tyler. Randolph is
dying abroad, Tyler IS dead In word there
are not ten men of conspicuous prominence in |
the movement for separation in January, |
1861, who remain to exercise, if they possess |
the desire, their influence to thwart the move |
ment of the people towards loyalty and re-
union, and yet it suits the purposes of some |
from whom we have the right to expect bet |
ter things, to excite suspicion against us at
the North, and SOW discords among us here, |
by constant repetition of the assertion that dis.
loyalty is still rife in Virginia, and the cold |
Secession leaders are still ruling the State"
The leaders, we repeat are gone, and for the |
people who followed or accompanied them,
we challenge comparison with any, as to the |
conscientious fealty with which they will OBJ |
serve the oath they have almost without ex-
ception taken, to bear true faith and allegiance
to the United States of America.
With what face can we expect harmony. |
Cancellation, justice on the part of our late |
enemies, if we do not set the example of these |
civic virtues among ourselves? How can we |
demand liberty of them when we deny it to
each other? How can we look to them for |
liberality aud magnanimity when we treat
each other with "all uncharitableness''? How
can we expect them to forget the past when |
we are raking from the ashes of dead issues |
and organizations for sparks wbefewith to |
light the flame of domestic discord, and per-
petuate the miseries of political degradation |
and common disfranchisement?
Our enemies clamor for our blood, swift |
destruction yawns before u.s. in this hour of
direct woe and EXTREMIST peril, let US stand
by each other, and stand by the right the
manful, the just, and the happy hail shall yet
sound from tower and gate-All's ..Well.-TP Pc
tersburg Iasder, July 81.
Rev Mr.. Stevens, pastor of the NJ. E. church |
at Hanover, Pa, has resigned on. account of
II health. 0-t
General Joe Johnston, who surrendered to
ha, I'D fa, @or1o
George F. Robinson the soldier who saved
ri, 20 |