The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-08-14
vIRGINIANS OF THE PAST AND PRES
EMIT DAY.

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1t was but natural for the Yankee.
BANCROFT, to fall into the error which
Mr.. MURDOCH exposes so ably and con-
vincingly in the article copied from
"The Round Table" on the first page
of te-day's paper. A much stronger and
more just, but still prejudiced mind
that of DE. TocoUEvILLE-was led into
the same error by ST1TH and BEVERLEY,
whom he quotes as authorities for his
animadversions against the Vrginian
"adventurers," forgetting or being ig-
norant of the fact that only in modern
times has the term been used in an OPP
probrious sense. Originally it had no
such meaning. Sir Walter Raleigh was
an 'sadventurer."
The name of Cavalier will forever be
offensive not only to the Roundhead Of
New England but to certain class OF
Virginians as well, and even to some OF
the blooded stock, who, in our day, have
been so bitten by democracy as to dcs-
pise their ancestors, and for ne better
reason than because they wore pow
dered hair. They would rebe. against
Queen Victoria more quickly than their
fathers rebelled against George ILL.,
The late war has taught them literally
nothing; they do not all discern the
signs of the times; and, what is worse,
their number is increasing.
1t pleases us beyond measure to have
the assurance of Mr.. MURDOCH that "Vir-
ginis will remain for century to come
powerfully and immutably Cavalier"
Our faith, we own, is weak. We live
in Virginia; Mr.. MURDOCH does not
Every day, we see with indispensable
pain the ancient order and the ancient
habits of Thought crumbling into very
dust. Free society and republican IN
stitutions are doing their wontcd and
accurscd work with shameful swiftness.
Men do not regard their word, they are
nothing like SO jealous of the point of
honor as they we're up to the very close
of the war. Women, quite as virtuous
as ever, we are glad to say are yet frecr,
holder, plainer-spoken than they used
to be. Young gentlemen are not near
ly SO deferential to young ladies as was
their won't in.;former times. Parents
behold with well-grounded alarm the
almost universal decay of good man
ners. Exceeding delicacy in converse
ton and in demeanor is already thing
of the dead past. Social distinctions
are well-nigh abolished, and hourly the
commercial rises above the aristocratic
standard. For our part, we are sick at
heart over these things, and, individu-
ally, find no hope at all of cure in
even the "return to the Constitution. ="
TIE Yankee axe has been laid at the
root of Cavalier society, and the ''re-
dress of grievances discoverable in the
election of this or that candidate, under
the existing order of things, can be but
of the briefest and most incomplete
character.
five see no longer those stately men
and women of the colonial period, whose
very presence inspired awe and whole
some sense of superiority; il the hust-
iucs are no longer adorned by aristo-
Gratis who could afford tc be statesmen
instead of politicians, and whose bear
ing on the Court-green was, to use the
expression Of commoner who remem-
hers them well, that of gods, compared
with the half-educated, wholly-selfish
marty hacks of the hour, the fact is
scarcely less to be deplored than the
general acquiescence OF the better class
OF Yirginians in social and political
condition of affairs which must OF ne
cessity be ephemeral. The overthrow
of the ancient order is accepted without
even a protest. Immersed in business
and held head-downward to the i'm.
perative but not noble duty Of winning
bread, our leaders, or rather those wh'