Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-10-30

her life; her Alleghanies are vet back homes
of strength; her Western hills are vet beef.
stalls of fairness and plenty her mighty rfiv-
ers still roll on to old ocean; and to adneducts
no less than the mighty Mississippi,; and the
change that has come over her is but the har
binger of the higher and holier hope of En-
pre- and, Progress! Her mines are full of
coal and iron; richer than gold ami diamonds
She IS still Virginia, stripped, oppressed, over
whelmed, overcome for moment, but uncon-
quered and unconquerable. She is not with
out means. resources and power, and her pride
and pre-eminence over all, states. and State
of States. shall keep her head higher. and
finally far up above her invaders and enemies |,
God bless her! God guard her! God guide
her! No land upon earth now opens such a
held for industry, skill and enterprise. profit
and profusion, as she now spreads out with a
woe welcome to the youth of master minds
like that Of Stonewall Jackson Her very
| poverty is now capital for her noble sons to
count upon for wealth beyond the baronies
that once made lords of her gentlemen. Her
weaknesses are over and past ;-her deyelon-
ment Is now just about to begin. Her woe is
wooing her to her brightest days her priya
ton is about to be her wealth, and Providence
will guard and guide her in higher and ho-
lier destiny than that of the g old Dominion.
1t her sons will indeed serve her and save
her, she shall be indeed all over one and indi-
visible new Virginia, greater, stronger, and
| grander than was ever old Virginia.
In this connection the General referred to
the foreign embassy of the late lamented
BALLARD PRESTON, to the commercial men
| OF France, and the letters of credence which
he as Governor gave him, in which he traced
the causes which made Virginia both unman-
ufacturIng aud uncommercinl FOREIGNERS
and strangers could not UNDERSTANDING slow
progress of Virginia in material resources as
compared with other States of less natural
resources.
Virginia was not more populous, CONNER
cial, mining aud manufacturiDg-he public
| works Jagged and the mechanic arts were not
encouraged, because her first settlers were all
planters and the earlieat interest of our peo-
pie was plantation interest as contradistin-
| guished from Turning interest proper.
he cultivation of few staple crops by
slave operatives was opposed to the conceu.
tratlon OF capital and population necessary to
gene ate commerce and build up large cities.
AT one "fell sWoop" the whole labor system
has been changed. The plantation interest
IS gone, and farming proper, embracing the
cultivation OF every variety of products has
been substituted.
This is not "a matter of theory, but it is
stubborn fact, stern necessity. which we
1A1A0S AOOA SbCdulIJ TIE IGce, Win feSOlu-
ton. Industry aud perseverance to conform to
the changes. 1t is repulsiYe to our habits.
awkward and burdensome at first, and we were
wholly unprepared for it. But we have no
alternative and must abide the result How
ABIDE 1t /! Fold our arms and try not p
"What can we do 2" I'VE have no capitaln'
No. There is blessing beyond measure in the
change. Nothing but fire aud blood could
| have driven u to 1T, and it has shown what a
I0c0hneSS to our people African slavery was.
Its weakness was SO great that itself amounted
to wlckedness. Nothing but negrOdum ever
could have conquered such a people as the
masters of Virginia slaves. The Faith of
jackson foresaw this the war was ineyita-
bic. 1T was PrOvidential
Nothing but war could have shocked us
/ out OF this weakness into new strength and
vIgor. We had to fight. had to surrender too.
put 1t was t. be noble, great, and incalcu-
liable victory. ltwas to build anew thousands
of cottages, hamlets, and towns, and cities
where heretofore stood lone mansions of mas
tiers, whose broad spread acres were scourged
hy slaves.
1t was to improve labor by price laid
upon 1t, it was to bring an eve over every inch
OF soil, and to fructiiy it by watchful interest,
and active attention of its own proprietor; and
1t was to increase the white population that
would be numerous aud strong, aud to give
the laud its proudest pride, a solid Caucasian
yeomanry instead OF being filed by ignorant,
lazy slaves of degraded race do YOU saw
that this will overdo farming? l reply that
farming, the production of breadstuf. fruit
andgrapes can't be overdone. The more farm
ing, less will labor and living cost, and peo
pie could be but strong that can aud will pro-
duce Its own bread and meat, and clothing
cheap, and the more plentiful the cheaper
The lands will pay all the labOrers worthy of
their hire, and that you can put upon them.
and the old problem :-" Ii ow little labor and
how much land z" will be more than solved
by Its opposing promblem How much labor
and how little land z" Like Agricolo. of
Rome, and on one tenth after his division
to his nine sons you shall realize more
than was made before on the whole Don't
call out for Hercules-don' t cry to the North
nor to the money changers for capital-a
curse OF the times that sells conscience and
soils honor, and betrays comrades and courts
but put your own shoulders to the WHEEL
-oh young men who have fathers with
naught now left but negro scourged tobacco
fields, burthened with old debts enough tn
break the hearts of honest men and make
them bow in want with sorrow to the grave
pull off your brOadcloth-bare your arms
blister your hands until blisters become cal
lous, to reap the plenty which your earnest
labor will surely bring home to pay debts and
provide comfort and make the aged and weak
happy again You have no longer the host
OF siavery's idle ones to feed and clothe your
expenses now are comparatively small Only
be selfdenying, determined and ,cors. You
need not fear that there will be too many of
yon in the field. Mining, Manufacturing.
Commerce, Mechanic, Arts. will now open
avenues for skill and enterprise, and improve
ments IN all these will soon paw professional
ayncatinns hirher tees and 100 a.. -