Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1866-09-25

a
the Union as anybody-Bnt." 1T
was here that Mr. Virgin seriously
contemplated retreat at one time.
But he took fresh courage, knocked
and was taken in on trial, and after
due trial was counted among the re
4 deemed.
Mr. Virgins departure from the
4 Republican party and his final resting
4 place with the conservative clements
Of all the old parties was incvitable.
Though not a bigoted man nor en-
/ piric, lie prizes his own opinions ms
/ almost sacred-thosc opinions form-
cd in early life and many Of them
fastened to the very heart by tAc
cement ofprciuoli e. On the negro
question he is rather one idcacd than
bisoted perhaps We should say he Re,
tains the several one ideas that he got
30 yrs ago and ofcourse these IDEAS arc
part Of the man, rs be can forget moth
ing and learn nothing upon matters
bred in the bone Mr.. Virgin there
fore really believes in the black man.
normal condition as it was, under the
constitution as it was and in South
Carolina as she was-mistress over
the ring, and in presidents and poo
pies to play the puppct for old Viz
ginia. But he never believed in Sc
cession nor treason because such
were not in the wing creed He be
lieves now in compromises because
these were once whig measures. he
would still believe in banks and tar
ifs if such were issues, because once
these were in the wing party. We
should not go so far as TO say that
Mr.. Virgin opposes reaping and
threshing machines, grain drills, cul,
tivators, sewing machines, &c, but
on Y that had any of the old whig
platforms spoken against these things
not one of them could evcrenter upon
his premises.
Mr.. Virgin looks upon progress as
innovation, and upon natural consc-
quences as dangerous to accept He
would accept Of nothing but would
20 back to where we started twenty
years ago, and begin just there. His
faith in men and things as they were
accounts for his present position in
the company of men who dispute
every movement that is made to re-
store peace and quiet, on the basis Of
reason, security and common sense.
If there were only precedents OF the
last century 10 guide us, Mr. Virgin
would hunt them up and apply them
whether they tit or not lie would
rotate things the other way aud set
back the hour hands Of public dcsti-
NY full fifty years. He would set
back the negro on the cotton farm,
and restore the overseer, and would
enact a law to prevent otfcnsc to those
who believe in doing things the old
way-especially down South. lie
belives the southern people are all
loyal and true to the constitution as
it was, and sympathises wiki their
opposition TO any nmcndla ents. He
believes also that the Southcrncrs late
in arms against the union are now
true and loyal, that the southern
radicals are disloyal, that the north
crn ID lcals are disloyaI and all union
soldiers disloyal unless they prompt
ly accept the Johnson policy of 1T
once admitting the southern people
to equal fare and usage at Uncle
Sam dinner table. As to The north
orn union party, he thinks they too
are disloyal for not admitting the
rebel states ut once back into the
union, without the least, holding to
security for good behavior. Accord
ingly, such Of M Virgin old debtors
who ran away and in going flung
rocks at him, may have returned !;
and, without paying the old debts Or
even apo logising for the rock business
are asking for more credit at his mill.
And he is bound to sell thcm more
-four on credit according to his no
tons, and not speak to thcm OF old
claims or bad taith-tor,thc recon
structon must be upon the basis Of
equality and goodwill.
We have now cot through writing
out what we believe to BE- faithful
political portrait Of Mr. Virgin, man
whom we have always esteemed for
his personal eXceIlnncies, u d toward
whom we always expect to feel and
act as to Il friend We ,lo not hold
that he has been unfaithlul to tile
union party, or that he has sought to
do the party any harm. on the con
trary, we hold that he is d man above
ordinary faithful to friends and prir-
iplcs-however inconsistent it may
seem for him to have taken to runs
ming in company with Goppcrheads
during the war, and now with John-
sons fusion OF doubtful unionists, re-
constructed scces9onist8, rebel army
men and all shades Of northern iag
ends of creation. We do,not believe
that Mr.. Virgin is much Of a copper
head. He cannot entertain any par
ty spite against the union parity
therefore, would not destroy his coun
try to parish them as would the COP.
lpcrheads The union party, however
ut times he varied from them in
soundness. supported bin often and
wcl!-they certainly standing by him
more faithfully than lee stood by
them lii> true, he aspired to places
for which they believed HIM disquah-
fled in business calturo and aptness.
lie believed himselfqualiliad for Bank