Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-02-26
Dan Vindice.

| Commonwealth shall be swept away by the ac-
cursed food of madness and malignity that now
surges against her, the historian who records
her fate will reserve his loftiest flight for the
chapter which shall close the eventful story
Not in the annals of that wild adventure, which
on the 18th of May two hundred and sixty years
ago, planted within her borders the first Eng
lish settlement on the continent; not in the
long and chequered record of her colonial his
tory; not in her exalted devotion to civil liber-
ty; not in her unequaed contributions to the
independence of the colonies; not In her unap-
preached labors in founding the government !;
not In her unmatched share in its glorious ad-
ministration; not in her unselish heroism on
distant border when peace was first broken ;
not In her self-sacrifcing labors to prevent the
disruption of the Union; not in the knightly
gallantry with which she barred her breast to
receive the shaft launched at her weaker SIS
ters not In the wreath of honor won on every
field in the late war; not in the memory of her
matchless heroes dead, and the illustrious but
unfortunate living in none of these pages, rich
with the immortal glory Of her children, will he
find SO grand theme for eulogium, as in the
record OF the sublime majesty with which to-
day she receives the stabs of her assassins-
those assossins her chizdrenF
For, let us remember that it was through
the benevolence Of Virginia." as a Kentucky
convention affirmed on the 18th of December
1889, that that great State arose from the in
significance and dependence of Virginia colo
ny. Let us remember that it was, likewise
through the benevolence- royal munifcence
of Virginia that, eight years before, she made
a free gift to the Union of that vast empire now
containing eight millions of souls-the North
western Territory y-reserving to her selfno rights
or privileges that she did not in terms stipulate
should be as freely and fully enjoyed by all );
and yet with generous forethought making one
condition for posterity chow it reads in these
days ~:
Provided that the States so formed (out of
the Northwestern Territory shall be distinct
Republican States, AND ADMITTED MEMBERS
OF THE FEDERAL UNION, HAVING THE SAME
RIGHTS OF SOVEREIGNTY (?) FREE
OTHER STATES"
Thus it was that Virginia guarded the rights
of another generation, and secured in the very
gray dawn Of the Union, equality for the COM
ing people of Ohio Indiana, Illinois and their
sister Commonwealths. And yet, Kentucky
will stand idly by while her beneUolent mother
is stricken to the earth, and the WADEs and
AsHLEYs, and WENTWoRTHs, and JULIANs,
and CoLFAxEs, and HowARDs-representa-
tives of that vast domain which Virginia yielded
to make the Union great-are running helllsh
race Of infamy to determine which shall strike
the fercest blow, and wound in the most vital
part.
Almost everything that she loves and prizes,
whether Of person or of right, has been torn
from her. Her territory has been parted among
her executioners, every sentiment has been
shocked, every sensibility wounded, and she,
who gave more to the Union, did more for the
Union, more advanced the Union, more hon.
ored the Union, than any-almost than all
her sisters, is delivered, for the crime of fight
| ing as her WASHINGTON did, for the right
which her HENRY asserted and her JEFFERSON
| recorded, of self-government, to rabble mad
| with blood and rapine, to be outraged and de-
stroyed at their pleasure.
| And yet, the world hears no weak repining.
Even Of her physical suffering, the absolute
want Of her people, she has SO little to say that
In dispensing charity, In the distribution of food
to the needy, the benefcent hand passes over
Virginia, ignorant of necessities which she
proudly conceals, to scatter the blessing on sis
ter States, whose needs are no greater than hel
own.
And if she makes no claim on the world fol
| sympathy, as little does she attempt by servii
ty to propitiate her assassin Exhausted with
blows, trampled under brutal feet, the knife en-
tering her heart, her murderers offer her life
and liberty if she will dishonor her children
anu Her reply Is IOnuer embrace ana urlnel
defiance.
Nor does she forget in these, perhaps hel
dying hours, the least of her duties To-day
while her executioners are divided only by dis
putes as the speediest and surest method O.
destroying her, her representatives are bending
their energies in this Capital to devise some
method, at whatever of endurable cost to he
people, by which to discharge her obligations
to those who, in the day of her prosperity
placed their means at her disposal. Groun(
down by taxation, imposed exclusively for th'
benefit Of those who are attempting her de
struction, selling her heir-looms to pay the i'm
posts of her oppressors, and standing on tn
edge Of her political grave, she is canvassin,
and accepting any sacrifice that can be borne
in order that she may leave to history an hon
orable name-the repute Of duty fully dis
chaxged. If one generous impulse, or nobl
sentiment, or exalted emotion pervaded tn
breast Of the Northern people, this spectacle
would abash them into at least the affectatiol
Of justice, but they are mad-as mad and will
the same madness that inspired the demon
who slaughtered, with beastly indignity, tn
lovely LOUISE DE LAMBALLE, because, as th
historian tells us, 'she refused to take tn
oath the madness Of unbridled passion, o
unchecked success. In this, the hour of he
|
row some consolation from the future, in con
templating the certain verdict of history, whcl
will record her prosecutors as it commemorate
those who rioted in the best blood of France
only with amazement and execration; ant
which will mark her grave with monumen
to Constitutional Liberty in America-libert.
which was born of her strength and died witt
her extinction. -Richn.ond Ecaminer.
The Recent Earthquake in Oregon.
The San Francisco Bulletin states that th
following letter was written from Fort Klamath
under date Of January Sth, 1867, 10 o'clock A
NJ, and is reliable:
This morning, at daylight, we were starteC
from our sleep by the precipitate shock of al
earthquake, Immediately followed by noise a
of distant thunder But in little while quie
reigned, and every one was conversing ant
laughing heartily at the singular phenomenon
: but our countenances soon underwent a serlou
change, for it began to grow dark; the Who'll
heavens were full Of very black smoke o
cloud; the air had sulphurous smell, and ashe
of brownish color fell as fast as [ ever saw
snow. We had to use candles in the mess-room
The most of us went in to breakfast, but ha
only got fairly into our seats when, horror upo
horror the earth seemed rolling like waves up
on the ocean every one was thrown to the floor
only, on regainng their feet, to be placed i
the same position again, accompanied with tn
rafting Of dishes, the crashing of window glass
cracking of timbers ofbuildings, and the scream
of the frightened You could not imagine
more perfect chaos Some Of us gained tn
door, and such sight met our gaze as was
| L II 1 L l. Ill