The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-01-28
The New Movement.

We have received the following comnluni-
cation from gentleman living in Maryland,
which shows with what interest the movement
is looked upon by others outside Of Virginia,
and we commend it to the careful consideration
of our readers
EAsToN, Md, Jan. 18th, 1869. 3
EDITOR VALLEY VInGINIAN The War
renton ,Ssntinai visits the action Of the Hon.
A. Ill. ID. Stuart, Col Baldwin, and their com
peers with some very severe structures. 1t
charges them with assuming to speak for the
people Of Virginia without authority, solely
with view to open to themselves access to
office, aud, sorest charge of all, with dragging
the honor Of Virginia in the mire.
These are heavy anmadversions upon gcn-
tlemen whom Virginians have been taught to
love and honor as Cavaliers t:without fear and
without reproaeh.' And who will believe
them &! Men do rot become villains all at
once. We know it is sad the descent into hell
is rapid but who will believe that these gen
tlcnlsn who arc engaged in the movement 50
much reprobated bv the Sentinel sons Of Vir-
SInla, true sons, will turn upon their loved,
then veneratcd mother In the hour Of her
dire distress AID rend her ? No! we would
cry IN thunder tones. they are not vipers to
sting the breast that warmed them. They are
peerless gentlemen, wise statesmen, true sons
Of the Mother of States and of Statesmen.
But while defending them we shall careful
y abstrain from harsh utterances against our
brother We would not array Virginian
against Virgnian in acr:d contlo9crsy or
passionate denunciatioa. We write more in
sorrow, than in anger But none the less
firmly do we tell our contemporary that the
gentlemen so violently assailel are actuated by
no such motives as he ascrlbes tothem Their
motives are pure and disinterestcd, their OBJ
ect vitality important one to the highest in
tcrests Of Virginia, their measurs sagacious
and practicable, the result, whether in accord
ance with their hopes, or with the hopes OF
those who oppose their action, can only, re-
down to their honor and tho good Of The
people Of their State Their efforts, if crown
cd with success, will effect great good--if de-
icated in their main object they will at least
have convinced the people Of the North that
Virginia is not stubbornly bent on having her
own way, but is willing to adapt herself to cir
cumstances and to do the best she may,
sand that does The best that circumstance allows
Docs well, acts nobly, angels could no more"
When the editor of the tSentnel expresses
his disgust at the idea Of going to the polls
with negro he should recoleet that that has
been the hard fate of every Southern State
and that we cannot hope to escape. The idea
is hateful; bat though as good, we are no bet
ter than our sister Suites who have all had to
pass under the yoke The cup is bitter but
we must swallow it; if we will not take it our
selves, it will be forced upon us as medicine
is given to reiuc ant children. The question
presented isshal we take the poison straight"
or shall we take it with an antidote in the
other hand that will render the poison innoc-
cious. The latter is the policy OF Messrs.
Stuart, Baldwin and their colleagues represent
ing every quarter of the State.
When the Sentinel quotes Che memorable
dispatch Of Francis I. after the battle of
Pavia, "all is lost save honor" he invits us to
follow the example Of that hero. And if we
recur TO the history Of that event we shall find
little to support his argument. Francis [. by
the result Of that batsle WAS forced to treat
with his conquerors, and Was ready to accept
terms quite as humliating as any that We pro
pose to accept. lie did not say ''no, [ will
not voluntarily give up anything, you have
conquered me and may take what you will !;
treat with you [ will not" But he at once
like wise Monarch proceeded to get The best
terms he could, and, in consequence, was, in
a f;w years, as hard as were those terms; as
powerful as ever he had been.
AS to Diessrs, Stuart, Baldwin, and the rest
arrogating to themselves authority, they do
not possess, VIC have to say, they do not claim
to have any authority They tell Congress
IF you will do so and SO, If is cur opinion
the people Of Virginia will assent to it. We
may be mistaken; We are not authorized, as
you know, to commit them to any prescribed
cause Of action, but it is our decided opinion
that such is the feeling of our people"
In conclusion we would ask, how it will ad-
vance the cause Of the Sentinel, or how it will
advance the peace and welfare of the people
Of the State of Virginia to hurl such fierce
philippics or cast such foul assersions upon a
body Of gentlemen 50 high in the esteem of
the wise and good as these engaged in the
.s'Virginia Movement" whose sublime work is
the preservation Of the shattered affairs Of the
household Gods Of mourning Virginia.