The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-08-21
THE RICHMOND WIG.

IHlS SCerlln2 ana nl9n COncu JOURNAL
the organ par excellence of the country
gentlemen of Virginia, has passed intc
the hands of Messrs. ALEX. MosELY ant
JoHN G.. SHIELDS. The former editor
Mr.. JAMES MCDONALD, and his assistant
Major MAURICE SMITH, remain at theil
posts, The editorial corps being strength
ened by the accession of Mr.. MosELY
who announces his resumption of the
pen in an article which is instinct with
the spirit of the old essayists and the
educated editors of the time of Pleas
ANTS and RITcHIE. MosELY has touched
hands with the generation of men who
framed the Constitution and who drew
their inspiration from the historians of
Greece aud Rome, and from the British
classics of the age of Addison.and Steele:
TO powers OF Sarcasm rarely eqaalled.
he adds humor peculiarly Virginia.;
and of this last he gives us refreshing
glimpse in his late article on "Blac-k
berries and Huckleberrles." For many
years he was a farmer on 1 large scale,
and hence he knows better perhaps than
any other editor in the State, the wants
and tastes of the country people.
MIR. MCDONALD is a man of singularly
pure and elevated character, refined
and discriminating, a judge of whatever
is good, and withal most ardent Vlr-
ginian. He has been long in the pro-
1ession. OF late years, he has devoted
himself almost wholly to the material
development of his native State. With
out repining over the past, in which he
feels pride greater than many noisier
men, he nevertheless yearns to see Vir-
ginia once more elevated to her rightful
place, as the foremost State in all the
Iand.
Major SMITH is the most indefatigably
industrious editor in the Common
wealth. He gives himself soul and body
to the calling of his choice, and has no
ambition but to make his paper all that
a Virginia paper can possibly be--for
he too loves his State with the strong
love of thoughtful manhood.
Major SHIELDS, the business member
of the firm, has grown gray in the SER
vice of the Wig. To keep the paper |
afloat during the severe stress of wealth
er through which we have all passed. he
has sacrificed himself as few men would |
or could have done. IN truth it may be |
said that he has given the best years o.
his life to the Wing. To make it and
keep tia first rate paper seems the sole
object Of his existence. Such devotion
and labor so arduous deserve reward
The country gentlemen of Virginia are
not what we take them to be, if they do
not see that he receives that reward.
lie has long enjoyed the reputation of
being one of the best newspaper men in
the entire South, and now that he has,
so to speak, carte blanche, we are very
sure that he will make good his reputa-
ton by restoring the Wing to its former
position--that OF the best dividend-pay-
ing paper in the State.
Under the new regime, agriculture will
be the object Of primary Importance
with the Wing; next education, and
next the development OF internal inn
provements and material resources
Commerce, general news, politics, liter
ature-in word, every great interest
will receive due attention. Thus, with
Il full team of VirgiLians, from which
we must not omit the inimitable Gill
MAN, this good old Virginia newspaper
takes fresh start, and every true Vir-
ginian, we are confident. will bid it
God speed, for Virginia would hardly
be Virginia without the Wing. 1t is as
much part ofthe State as the Natural
bridge or the Peaks of Otter.