Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-09-15

When Daniel Webster said that bitterer tears
would be shed over the destruction OF the
temple of American liberty, than were ever shed
over the ruins of Greece or of Rome, he utter
ed a sentiment, says the Petersburg Index, to
which the heart of Virginia responded.
The most solemn hour, continues that journal,
which any deliberative body were ever called
upon to face, was that hour in which the Con
vention of Virginia were called upon to decide
whether they would adhere to the North or the
South, that hour in which Virginia was called
upon to decide between coercion and secession
between new Declaration Of independence
and an old love for the Union of our Fathers.
Right or wrong, Virginia had ever been ac-
customed to look upon the Union as her own
offspring. She felt for it all that is combined
of strength and constancy in parental affection,
Joined with parental pride Hers was no selfish
love: she had demonstrated it by the free gift
to the government which she had founded of
domain, itself capable of becoming an empire
in wealth. power and population, the most
royal gift that ever yet one State has bestowed
unon another. The love of the Union and our
common country, was with her high, noble
and exalted sentiment. She stripped herself
like the noble Lear of royalty, and wealth and
power, to bestow them upon her children Like
Lear, too she gave up all, all, save the one re-
servation-her independence. Alas, that the
parallel should hold good in this, that beggared
and outcast, she sues in vain for admission into
the household of her ungrateful daughters. while
Jubal Early, who loved her as the noble kent
loved his unhappy master, and who with others
wept like child when the ordinance OF seces-
sion was passed, wanders an exile in foreign
land. Tell us not, wretched Radical, that you
loved the Union as Virginia loved it. Give
not, you miserable fanatic, the name of love to
your rancorous hate-,to love such as Virginia
felt in her generous, noble and unselfish SOUL
You never knew-you can never know it. Had
you been capable of one magnanimous senti-
ment you would never have canonized the mis-
creant John Brown, who brought fire and
slaughter to her peaceful homes. Had you
loved your country as Virginia loved it, as
Clay, and Webster, and Wright, and Jackson
loved it, as Horatio Seymour loves it, Virginia
had never been driven to the cruel necessity of
secession 1t was you who forced the war up
on her. 1t was you who forced upon her the
dire choice between adherence to the govern
ment which she first established and which she
loved-and degradation and embruing herhands
in kindred blood
With twenty thousand old muskets, with half
pound of powder and t,0o caps to each musket,
she went out in the face of the cannon, and she
said to the Union as Lovelace said to his
weeping wife while he armed for battle, II
could not love you dear, so much, loved [ not
honor more" You men Of the North, if Vir-
ginia come to you to-day beggar, it is to beg
the patrimony of which she has been robbed
is is to beg the restitution Of the rights (which
the has been deprived-the restitution of the
Old Constitution. We anticipate your answer,
and in November, with the tide ola great patriot
ism rising in your souls, you will dash aside the
Radical and the Fanatic who deny them, and
you will say, 'the mother of States asks for her
rights under the Constitution, and SHE
SHALL HAVE THEM"