The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1868-01-10
a Tribute to Virginia by Il.
M. II. Hunter.


After the adjournment of the con-
servative convention ut Richmond
last week, loud calls were made for
cx-spesker Hunter who came for
ward and spoke with the eloquence
which Characterised him in PALMER
days of Virginia. He said
I believe that there is great and
glorious destiny yet in store for Vir-
ginia. l have given, l think rea-
son for the faith that is in mo. But,
Mr.. President / confess that I, too,
have my moments of dependency.
When l think Of what Virginia has
been, of al that she has done for
the Union, her sister states, and for
mankind, and then reflect upon her
present condition, I may say in the
eloquent words of another, that
thoughts. feelings and emotions
crowd npon my mind which l cannot
altogether reprcss, and yet which in
humble submission to divine Provi-
dencc I dare not express. But /
thank God this is not my permanent
state of mind. l do not despair.
The present hours Of darkness and
dcsponden,y will soon pass away,
and Virginia, if not 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 contribution Of freight
and passengers; and who shall say
that the trumpet of leadership may
not be placed once more in her
hands. Mr.. President, every man
has sometimes belief for which he
cannot account, and which seems to
come to him more from intuition than
reason. Such, perhaps, is in fact
the foundation of my faith in the fu-
ture greatness and prosperity Of Vir-
ginia. I believe, sir, that the seed
Of Anglo-Amcrican civilization was
6rst sown on the banks Of the James
for some divine purpose. It is now
nearly three centuries since the Au-
glo Saxon came, the master builder
Of forms Of governments, with his
compass and his square, to lay the
foundations Of the immense social
fabric wich We now see around us,
embracing almost every variety of
climate and race which are known
upon earth. From that seed sprang
the "Old Dominion" the mother Of
states and Of statesmen. The
"mo ther Of states" for every state
south of the isothcrmal line Of the
northcrA line is numerously stored
with the descendants of Virginia
sircs, Kentucky was her eldest
and under her great pion-
eer, George Roger Clark, acquired
the territories which Eow comprise
most of the northwestern states, al
ready the seat of empire, freely bes-
towed by Virginia upon the confed-
eracy for purposes ofpeace and bar.
mony. The mother of statesmen
all acknowledge her to have been.
It was she who gave to the revolu-
tion the leader Of its armies, and to
the Union the man wbe, more than
any other, may be considered it's
founder and the preserver Of it in
its infancy. It was she who gave
the author Of tho declaration Of inde-
pendence, and the long line Of Vir-
ginia presidents under whose guild
ancc the beginning Of the empire
was laid. (which are the most pain
full steps in nations progress
Her great mission seems to have
been to promote individual liberty
as far as was consistent with the
existence Of democratic republican
government. We appeal to history
to sustain the assertion that when
ever the federal government was un-
der the influence of Virginia princi-
pies the people were harmonious,
and happy; and as soon
as that government departed from
those principles, trials and discon.
tent have arisen. The old state of
things has passed away; concentra-
tion and consolidation are now the
order Of the day. Time will make
up the issue between tho old state
of things and tho new; history will
record the issue, and impartial pos
terity will pronounce the verdict.