Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-01-04
LEXANDREA.
FRIDAY EVENING, NUARY
FIN DAT VIRGINIA QUARThM SIC SEMPER
go" TyRANNIS

Il
knights clad in armour unfolding q Shield on
which we're quartcred cmbcms OF England,
Scotland, Ireland and France underlying the
shield was the first motto at the head OF this
article, and over it was the statue % Pocha-
hontas. This seal was superseded in l77G by
the figure of Virtue erect and triumphant,
with a sword in one hand and spear in the
other, trcading on Q Tyrant, whose crown has
fallen from his head, and in whose iclt hand Is
4 broken chain and in the right Il Scourgc, with
tic second motto at the head Of this article.
The two great cras Of Virginian history
the Royal and the RGpublican-arc condensed
in these hieroglyphical and yet suggestive arms
and notices. We do not propose to interpret
them; all the world knows the story. Itwould
suffice to call the roll of the Revolution IRA
tors who fired the popular heart to rebellion,
and moved the Declaration Of Independence
Warriors who led the embattlel hosts to veto.
Businessmen who reared the fabrics Of GOV
eminent which had no model on the face of the
globe and set copy for all the States
Of Bill of Rights-Jurists whose judy
ments are precedents and authorities in the
Supreme Court-Executives who administered
the Federal government for nearly half u cen
tury and conducted the country to an uneXam-
pied state of power and prospcrity-all these
and more would answer to the call Of the roll.
This is the State that they talk of stripping
Of her crown of Sovereignty, and degrading
to territory, because she resisted the CO.
ercion of her sisters, believing it to be uncon-
stitutional. "Ths is the head and front Of
her offending
Let US see how it will look by the light of
history, past and 10 come In the first charter,
the territory granted to Virginia extended from
sea to sea, and from Cape Cod to Capo Hat
teras
Colonies were cut ofi'trom her. north ami south,
which ultimately became great States-and
even when she became an independent State
herself, her limits extended indefinitely west
ward. One Of her first acts after she attained
her majority vas to endow her daughter, Ken
lucky, with her splendid domain. Then, for
the sake OF conciliating her si>t, Is ly an act of
unparalleled generosity and sclf-sacrlice, she
threw into the common stock her magnificent
Northwest territory, out Of which has been
carved the great States beyond the Ohio
And now these ribs which We're taken OH. Of
her sides, and animated by her breath, turn
and rend her They have already cut her in
two, and been blan1shing their knives, and
threatening to disnembcr her further by taking
another pound Of flesh (Aexandriuj near her
heart.
And now rs the last ACT of the tragedy they
propose to take her life and throw icr diSjecta
mc,ilbra into scethlng cauldron around which
black spirits aud white will dance, aud sing the
song OF the witches in Macbeth
Double, double, toll and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble
But it is impossible. The magnaions Of
nan are worse than his deeds The hand
sometimes refuses to execute what the head
conccivcS. The viper that was warmed into life
and stung his bcnetacior is Il laE,lc--thc story
Of Acteon, who was devourcd by his own dogs,
after being turned into stag, ami OF Saturn,
who devourcd his own children, are mythologi-
Cal drcaunS; but for children t" dnvour their
own mothers SURPRISES the widest dreams OF
tho poets and mytllulngsts.