The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-12-18

and placed it at the head Of the, European
powers. Nv no shall say that the present period
may not prove a new seed of progress and
new germ Of growth in the career Of: Y irggin-
ia2 Isthink already seeits effects IN the rl-
sing generation The times are teaching them
habits Of selfdenial and sefreliance, which
contributes SO much to give strength OF char
acter and-selfrespect The feeling Of patrlo-
tism is intensified by the present condition OF
the good Commonwealth, and every true son
feels a redoubled desire to redeem. her from her
present depression and to reconstruct her
morally and nationally. Mr. President, they
will do it 1.-THE young men OF Virginia will
do it. Let them meet their present difficulties
with manly fortitude, a noble constancy. The
State has been dismembered, it is true, but
she is still great State, large in territory and
Astounding in resources. speak in no Ian
guage Of compliment, when [ say that be-
lieve we have the people who will develop
these resources, 70 speak the language OF
aattery in these times would be vain and wick
ed. But the past justifes my confidence III
my felloW.citizens they have been equal to
all emergencies in the past, they will meet
the difficulties Of the present in proper splr-
it. We are poor, very poor, it is true, but
our hands, ] trust will be endured with pa
tent fortitude and manly constaney. s
! There is wealth in the earth---let us plough,
dig and mine for it. There is wealth in our
falling waters and running streams. They
will turn the mill and build up manufactures.
There is wealth, too-stores of wealth-ln
our.black diamonds they will make the steam
which. drives the car, propels the boat and
turns the wheel. We have streams to bear
away the fleets of commerce as far as the tide
NAV flow and we have forests to build those
fleets. It is for the people Of Virginia to say
whether we have not the men to develop those
resources. Isbelieye that we have. have
confidence in my fellow-citizens. ! believe
that there is great and glorious destiny yet
in store for Virginia. I have given, / think,
q reason for the faith that is in me. But,
Mr.. President, ] confess that /, too, have my
moments Of dependency. When l think Of
what Virginia has been, of all that she done
for the Union, her sister States and for man
kind, and then reflect upon her present condi-
ton, may say, in the eloquent words Of an
other, that thoughts, feelings and emotions
crowd upon my mind which connot alto
gether repress, and yet which in humble sub
mission to divine Providence dare not ex-
press But I thank God that this is not nay
permanent state Of mind. / do not despair.
The present hours Of darkness and despon-
denoy will soon pass away, and Virginia. if
mot exactly her old self, will be great State
again The time must come when she will
hitch on to the Federal train as great as any
in her constitution Of freight and passengers;
and who shall say chat the trumpet Of leader
ship may not be placed once more in her
hands. Mr.. President, every man has some
times belief for which he cannot exactly ac-
count and which seems to come to him more.
from intuition than reason. Such, perhaps,
is in fact the foundation Of my faith in the
future greatness and prosperity Of, Virginia.
I believe, sir; that the seed of Anglo Ameri-
can civilization was first sown on the silent
banks Of the James for some divine purpose.
It is now nearly three centuries since the
Anglo Saxon came, the master builder of
forms Of government, with his compass and
square to lay the foundations Of the immense
social fabric which we now see around us, en-
bracing almost every variety ofclimate and
IUCC NiliCA tlC huOWuz utJUu CdIGu. lUiu
that seed sprang the cold Dominion" the
mother Of States and Of statesmen. The MO
Their of States" for every State south of the
isothermal line Of the northern line is numer-
ously stored with the descendants of Virginia
sires. Kentucky was her eldest daughter,
and under her great pioneer, George Roger
Clarke acquired the territories which now
comprises most Of the Northeastern States,
already the seat of empire freely bestowed by
Virginia upon the Confederacy for purposes
Of peace and harmony. The mother Of states
men, all acknowledge her to have been. It
was she who gave to the Revolution the lea
der of its armies and to the Union the man
more than any other who may be considered
its founder and the preseryer oft in infancy.
It was sheswho gave the author Of the De-
sclaration Of Independence, and the long line
Of Virginia Presidents under whose guidance
the beginnings of empire were laid which are
the most painful steps in a nation s progress
Her great missions seems to have been to
promote individual liberty as far as was consis-
stentswith the existence of democratic repub-
lican government. We appeal to history to
sustain the assertion that whenever the FEEDER
al Government was under the influence Of
Virginia principles the people weresharmoni-
Gus, prosperous and happy, and so soon as
that government departed from those princi-
Piles trials and discomfort have ariseps The
old state of things has passed away; concen-
tration and consolidation are now the order
of the day. Time will make upgthe issue be-
tween the old state Of things and the new
history will record that issue, and impartial
postelity viii pronounce the verdict / will
not undertake to predict what it Will be, but,
as a Virgiaian, | do not fear the result.
. Mr.. President, I hope for better things,
but still I will look to the future in its worst
aspect Suppose that temporary supremacy
Of the black race should be forced upon u.s.
We must meet it with manly fortitude, a
patient endurance we must do nothing in
consistent with our self respect or wound
the honor of our people, which to nations is
the pearl Of greatest prices Patiently we will
bide our time until the reaction comes, as a
suredlyit must The interests of the North
will not endure the waste of SO much Of the
sources Of It's wealth and prosperity, and may
not hope that its feelings will also forbid our
subsection to such, domination. Such state
of things cannot last. We could not even be
threatened with such a danger if the passions
and bitterness Of the contest had not obscur-
aeso h., si,,<,,.,