New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-07-19
Chc Future OF Virginia as seen by an Elnl,
nfent Virafntnn.



Hon. A, Il. H. Stuart, of Virginia, who was
secretary of the interior under Fillmore, mem
1 ber Of Congress for some time, and one ct tne
| prominent leaders and advisers of the old wing
councils, lately delivered the annual address
before The literary societies of the University OF
| Virginia. After running over the events Oh the
past he proceeds TO draw the following picture OF
/ Virginias future
| English model. fondness for country life has
been its distinguishing characteristics Protes,
sional men merchants aud mechanics, all looked
forward with hope to the day when they could
i leave their offices stores and shops, and become
landed proprietoTs, This was the object for
4 which they abored, and when success crowned
the efforts of thrift and industry, the fortunate
| possessors of wealth bought estates and, sur
| rounding themselves with their families and
| friends and servants, lived in patriarchicai sim
plicity, in the exercise of generous hospitality
! and the enjoyment of all the pleasures OF rural
iite. All this must now pass away. Large estates
will be subdivided and sold A hardy race oil.
yeomanry, who will till the soil with their own
strong arms. will supplant the large landed pro
pretoTs. Lands will be improved IN productive
ness and value. The material wealth OF the
country will be augmented. Thrift and rigid
economy will be substituted for the lavish expend
iture and wastefHl profasion of the ancient pro
pretors. Baronial mansions will gosto decay, OF
furnish material for dwellings better adapted to
divided estates Refinement, cultivation and ele
CANT tastes will be constrained as in the North to
seek refuge in cities and towns. In word, old
things will pass away, and all things become
new.
'Under the new system towns and cities will
grow and prosper. The intellect of the country
will be concentrated in and around them. The
habits and modes of thought of our people will be
changed; inventive genius will be stimulated to
action; manufactures will spring into existence
new avenues for industry will be opened, and the
pursuits of the people diversified Dreamy alb
staetions must give way to more practical phi.
iosophy; our system OF education must be SO
U1OdiHaH q ta the npy aT1er Of Thipus
Natural and mechanical science, and the useful
arts, must receive a larger share OF attention.
Chemistry geology, mineralogy, engineering, and
all the branches of knowledge which tend to a
larger development of our physical resources and
the increase of human comfort must have more
prominent position in our course Of instruction"
Mr. Stuart dlsGourages his countTymen from en-
tertaining the most remote idea that human bond
age will ever be restored. He himself would not
if he could, restore it.
"The institution Of slavery is dead. It has been
forever eradicated from our social, industrial and
political system; and whatever opinions we may,
the past have had in regard to it, there are now
few, ii any, who would desire to revive it. Pos
siblF, an ail-wse Providence may have ordained
the change for our advantage. The future mnsi
supply the answer TO that question / hesitate not
70 say that is our duty to eHdeavor to thiuk SO
and TO conform our conduct to that belief. We
have consented to il, and honor, no less than
just regard for the general welfare, requires that
we shall keep in good faith the covenants We have
entered into.
4 The whole number of negroes now in the
South is probably 100000. The ratio of their
increase, as slaves, has sheretofore BEEN as stated
"a per cent. in each decade. Assuming this ratio
TO ba compounded at the close of each decade,
and to continue for one hundred years, their |
number would be augmented to about 30, 100000 |
The 100000 can now be easily managed |
without serious danger of conflict of races. But
suppose 30,000,000 crowded together, mainly in |
the planting States bordering on the gulf, who |
would then answer forthe eonsequenees2 What |
assurance have we that such mass of human
beings could be held in peaceful subjection Is it
not more probable that contest for the ascen- |
lency of race would ensue that the scenes Of
ST. Domingo would be re-enaeted, and that those
States would either lapse into barbaFism or be
in blood
e 1t is wiser, therefore, for Us to believe that
lavery, having filed its appropriate mission Of
lpening the country, clearing the forests, draining
he swamps and preparing the soil for the occu
llDcy of the white race, was destined to extinc
ion. IN this aspect its overthrow may be re-
iarded not as calamity, but as a blessing in dis
Iuise. Let us then indulge in no vain regrets Let
Is bury the dead past out of our sight. Let US
'ultiyate spirit of cheerful hopefuness, and
ook with confidence to the future. "
He then calls upon his countrymen to ''lend
leping hand y to the blacks q in their hour of
Ieed, and to guide their feeble steps in the paths
If virtue and knowledge. They should be re-
ieived kindly and encouraged in ell.doing, and
Fe should spare no pains to improve their condi-
ION and qualify them, as far as may be praeti.
able, for usefulness in our community