The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-11-15
The Virginia Convention.

The contrast between the last Convention
which assembled in Virginia and the coming one
IS thus drawn by the Petersburg Index
In 1861 there met in the capitol of the State a
convention chosen by the people of Virginia to
make such changes in their laws and federal re-
lations MS to them seemed hest. There were pre-
sent when the roll was called q grand array of
brilliant names. There was John Jannev still
one OF The brightest jewels in his mothers coro-
net; Wise, the old man of tender chivalry, of
high-'oned courage, Of wizard speech Flour
noy, the foremost standard-bearer of u party,
powerful and respected Thornton, the mper-
sona'on of honor and eoquence ; Jutal Early,
incorruntible, earnest and able and last flor
why call over here the list when it will stand
forever as part of Virpilias proudest history y
the nohlest Roman of them MI, he who has since
lain OF his unstained armour for the cerements of
DEATH whose eyes were closed and whose tongue
was silence9 by merciful fate, ere the one had
heheld or the other had been called upon TO la
ment the departure Of glory from the old Com
monwealth he had so loved-John TYLER:
| Gathered there beneath the dome which never
echoed words of higher purpose or of purer patri-
otlsm, these men and such as they, were the ora
| cles upon which hung expectant the country's
EAR. From Florida 10 Maine was it known that
10 them belonged 1t, rs to Virginia thrice before,
TO mark out the nations future. And Virginia
snheied nothing ut their hands in honor or in
ihme. What they did is known and has cen
blamed, but none have ever said that the Con-
vention of 1861 did not present spectacle of
mental and moral grandeur worthy of The task it
had in trust, and of the power with which it was
endowed
And now into those seats, since vacant, will
pour another conconrse of legislators. And for
the third time we ennnciate our unqualified pleas
IRE mat the mantles of our former representa-
tivrs should have found no unworthy inheritors,
and that now as heretofore Virginia has no need
to blush for her guardians.
For whom have we now2 Yes, whom |? For
COOS sake, who can tell, except in answering
Nobody ~ In Janney's seat Judge Under
wood, ny virtue of desposm and his own I'M
Cleanliness, presiding officer of Il District Court
an Official whose ermine has been polluted by
fraud, by falsehood and malignity until the sack
en- cloth and sodden ashes of sordd hermit we're
robes Of dazzling whiteness thereto, a man with
out pretence to honor, to ability, to informa-
tion, to common decency, or to ordinary breed
ing; without the heart to imagine good deed,
without the honesty to perform it if strange i'm
pulse should suggest one without the brain to
originate an idea, or the lunguarge to express it
II some stray freak of nature should startle him
with one.
A creature of vile nature and viler habit, a
slanderer, despoiler Of other mems goods,
man who could be convicted before his own court
of a hundred violations of the common law. AS
Secretary we shall probably secure the services
OF some competent accomplish of this person
Next on the roll for standing in and influence
over the body may be named The Rev. Hunnicutt
Of Richmond, to write fittiug eulogy upon
whose transcendent evil qualities we frankly
confess our vocabulary to be totally inadequate
A swndler in business, cloaked wolf in rei-
gion, charatan and inciter of strife in politics
a former trader in human tesh a seducer of wo-
men, domestic tyrant, q low, inscriptions, ig-
norant, and unhanged enemy to society. Then
Hawxhurst, of Alexandria, a fitting spirit for
communion with these, OF any picture of whom it
would surely be said in reverse of familiar re-
mark about his Satanic majesty, at cannot be
printed rs black as he is" Then half dozen
others of the same stripe and calible, people un-
known and lliterate, without interest in the vel
are OF the State, or brains to contribute to it and
then others less violent but none the less incompe
tent or gerous-hecause they will follow their
leaders unquestionngly. Their photographs
must al be given in negative tints. They will
aggrnvate the evil unless bought up, and we sim
cerely trust that money may he so expended,
Next CONS a dark array of faces, ns yet all
statesmen 'to fortune and to fame unknown :"
who having recently become lords of themselves
what heritage Of woe have sought this
opportunity of demonstrating their entire ode-
qnacy to the task of spending the Inheritance
OF them individually, we must acknowledge to
the most supreme un-acquaintance. There may
he many an undeveloped Hampden, an incipient
Cromwell, the germs of future Presidents and
the founders Of future Hnytien empires among
them-for all we know Suffice It to say that
to the best of our knowledge and belief they will
prove quite as intelligent, three times MS well
behaved, and four times as orderly rs their white
associates. But from the facte in our possession
We do not look for their importing confagratop
to the noble James by any display of a knowl-
edge of political sc.ence.
And sprinkled here and there, little feeble rays
in an immensely of inky space, VIII be discover
ed Il .w persons recognizable rs men who, hav-
ing fortune and position at stake, and the veal
of Virginia at heart have also the ability to
know the means of securing safety. But they
will be poweress, and in our opinion had best
TO use an 1rishcsm-retire from before they
take their seats.
Greeley looked on this picture and then on
that, and exclaimed, "All hail, Virginia re-
generate and disenthralled."
Let all the people say, Amen" ..