The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-09-14
How It Came About.

,;on Her great men were the chief artl-
6cers of that instrument of government.
Its main object. as understood by Virginia
and designed by its authors, was the pre-
servation Of the simplicity and economy OF
the Government by restricting it to defined
powers and limited action. The fathers OF
the Republic knew that virtue and ioer'y
were only to be preserved by simplci'y
and economy in the administration OF the
Federal authority. They knew that extra
vagance in that administration would be-
get corruption, and swell the power Oh the
Government and its tendencies to usurpa-
ton and absorption Of the rights of the
States. The Government was no sooner
under weigh than the war of parties began
on this very point. There was the party Of
extravaganza, favoring the concentration of
power in the hands of the National Co.
yernment, favoring the increase of its pa
tronage and means Of corrupting the people
and dwarfng the dignity and consideration
of the States; and there was the party OF
State rights and simple government, who
knew the fatal consequences to our form
OF government of making the creature at
Washington superior to its creators-the
States-by charging its resources, increas-
ing its patronage, and swelling all the lists
Of men in its civil and military service.
In this war, so earnestly waged during
the whole existence of the Republic, Vlr-
ginia was the champion of the Constitution
and of restricted government al Washington.
She braveiy and ably resisted the Wasteiul
and improper expenditures Of the national
treasure, and opposed every instance OF
appropriation Of money to any purpose but
the simple objects of carrying on the 60
vernment in the most economical manner.
But the power and brides Of the Govern
ment were too great for her. Those VINO
hungered after the money Of the treasury
combined to plumber it for purposes never
dreamed of by the fathers Of the Republic
and while they filled their own pockets
they co0perated with Virginia not only IN
tying up the money-bags to herself, but to
all her followers. So that, while other com
munities enjoy the benefits of improvements
made out of the Federal treasury, and the
expenditure amongst them of millions OF
public money, Virginia and most OF the
southern States have profited nothing in the
scramble; and when the late rupture came,
we found northern States made powerful by
Federal appropriations, and Virginia and
the South comparatively weak in means and
numbers-in great degree from the sig
nally partial hand with which the benefits
of the Federal Government had been dis
tributed, and from the protection afforded
the North and the burthcns imposed Oh the
South in the system of imposts upon foreign
importations.
Thus has it come about that while her
sister northern States have tourished be-
yond example, Virginia was at the begin
ming of the war comparatively poor, and
her public works but half completed. Not
withstanding she had the best line for its
easy grades for both railway and canal
from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, her
works intended to traverse it had but just,
as it were, been begun.
In her history it will be written in words
of gold that she proved loyal to her princi-
pies, and rejected the brides in the form of
appropriations, which she looked upon as IL
legal, and remained poor, while other States
fattered upon the spoliations of the trea-
sury, which she ard those who acted with
her were unable to prevent. She who gave
to the nation a domain sufficient to carve
out several empires was left poor, while
her northern sisters Haunted in the superb
displays of wealth robbed from the common
treasure of the nation.
But the war has ended the strife between
the parties Of virtue and corruption-the
advocates of simple and just rule and the
partisans Of centralized, powerful, and
extravagant national government, and,
therefore, corrupt one. The former have
suffered defeat, and we learn sad lesson,
which should not be lost. "Might is right "
now, and we must so act as to increase our
means Of protection under the new dispen-
sation. Virginia must look now to her re-
sources. She must try to increase her
means and numbers as rapidly as possible,
convinced that only in proportion to her
force of wealth and men will her voice De
heard and respected.
In pursuance of this policy our whole
people should more than ever be lnspireu
with devotion to the public Interests OF
their State. With all their own means and
energies they should endeavor to promote
the Industry, increase the population, the
commerce and the manufactures of the
State. and, as additional aid in these OBJ
iects, accept every help from the national
treasury that can be obtained from tina,
Quarter. The State is entitled to her share
of the public treasure, and should endeavor
to get it. She has sacrificed enough and
given enough to the nation to make her de-
mand the first in rank.
Nor is this desirable for Virginia alone.
Her position makes her prosperity and
growth matter of ineStimable Importance
to the nation. In no way can the Republic
be made so lasting-in no way can the ex-
tremes be held together SO tenaciously and
harmonioucly as by strengthening the GEN.
\ tre-the country of the middle latitudes,
p embracing mainly Virginia, Kentucky, and
lissouri. This is desideratum more i'm