The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-06-25
TO THE PEOPLE OF ORANGE.

|
prepare an address on the absorbing
topics OF the day, and especially IN ref
erence to the pending registration and
approaching election, beg leave to re-
port as follows:
They would announce as the result
of their deliberations that they consider
it the urgent and imperious duty OF ev-
er ygood citizen, not prevented by law,
to have his name registered as voter
to lend his cordial support to the
ConscrvatiN e cause and the ticket head
ed by Walker, Lewis aud Taylor, and
to vote for the expurgated constitution.
Their reasons for this advice they pro-
coed to give as briefly as is consistent
with accuracy:
After four years of almost incessant |
warfare, the mighty conflict between |
the North and South ceased, and out |
ward peace once more visited our coun- |
try. The South Frustrated and sub
dued by overwhelming force listened
eagerly for some authoritative an
nouncement OF the manner in which
the Union was to be fully restored, for
it could not doubt for an instant that
this object under which the North had
fought and conquered would engage
every mind and enlist every heart
Two plans, and bot two seemed to be
possiblc-either to follow the example
of Russia in her treatment of Poland,
and by a harsh, vigorous and unfeeling
system of pains, penalties and contisca-
| ton, to make terrible and memorable
warning against future revolutions, or
elselto initiate the example of England
| in the revolutions OF 1858 and 1745: to
smake persuasion do the work of fear"
to call together in spirit of renewed
affection all the children Of America,
and rouse them to noble emulation in
restoring the shattered, but not ruined,
arch of our mighty empire. Prudence
and patriotism, stern though 1t might
be. dictated that whatever course was
adopted, 1t should at least be prompt
Our losses as a nation, though heavy,
were still repafable; our wounds, though
prieyous, were still medicable. It was
once the noble privilege Of those in
power to have exhibited to the world
the sublime spectacle Of mighty ma
ton, sobered and instructed by calami-
ty. but still imbued with mora. ener-
gy and the might of magnanimity
Showing itself equal to its glorious des-
tiny and duty, binding up its own
wounds, repairing It's own errors, and
, by the light OF a sad, yet convincing ex-
, perience, reproducing for the benefit Of
mankind the noblest OF all human max
inns, political evils should be reinedied nol
reUenJed. .
Unfortunately, as we all know, the
marty which had the monopoly of pow
err refused to take either of the courses
: indicated, and fell upon that middle
/ teasing system, as though it had in view
, to break the spirit as well as ruin thu
! fortunes OF the Southern people. The
very existence of the Union has recent
ly been the object OF judicial investiga
ton. Under the guidance OF mai
who allowed his private and persona
griefs to become the motives and meas
IRE of his public Notwithstanding t.
6 the malignant fancies of another, wht
seemed to have studied the classics will
no other motive than to make the con
? stitution of his own country blurre'
I and blotted PalinpseSt, whereon day b.
= day he might lnscribe the progress o
n his folly or the increase of his hate
swayed in large measure by the vindic
. tiyeness of third who, in every posi-
S ton, had acted "rather like thief VIII
{ had gotten possession of house thai
a as one of the conquerors of a nation,
', the so-called Congress of the Unite
u States have subjected their suiferin
d brethren to series of fortunes and a
d agony of suspense utterly unworthy
Christian people and OF civilize
age, AS q final act of humiliation,
e has assumed the doubly difficult tas
j. of "maklng freemen OF slaves, an
n slaves of freemen"- is willing that tn
;, white men of the South shall ne place
= under the rule of their former servants
n and shows a cruel and indecent anxiet
IN | e Al al nf n fr0VprhC
l. of Virginia who, by his tortuous course
. has obliged MS TO doubt the sincerity {
. every statesment he may make, eXceI
the single one-that he hates us. The
have torn competent and honored put
lie servants from office only to besto
il on those who were alien to our pee
IL pie and our interests; they have allow
d John Doc to become the security
" Richard Roe--and, generally, estima
- ed the responsibility OF sureties in II
"a inverse ratio to the amount at stake.
y They have systematically sought to in
he press upon us the idea that though
10 the country, we are not of it.
- This brief and imperfect statemel
. of our grievances has not been made
ct increase that sense of injustice whit
m we already feel so keenly, nor with Il
r vain hope of touching the feelings
men who have shown themselves ute
% lv insensible to the sorrows and SUITE
rs ings of the Southern States, but rath'
ID to arouse our swn people to percel
ton of the dangers in the future,
which the evils of the past were bl
. faint foreshadowingS.
Id The counsels of calamity, it has bee
it said, are not often wise-but fortunate
b. ly tor us the path of interest, OF dut.
- and of honor lies plain before us. Att
IT four years Of uncertainty, disquietud
i'd and mortification-a period which in i
il shifting tides Of anxiety and despair,
+u the recklessness and apathy induced
" the different parts of our country, h
done more, probably, to unsettle Il
public mind and to impair the morali
and progress of the nation than Il
> preceding four years of actual warfar
. an opportunity is apparently offered
Il the entire restoration of the Union, al
J. of making a commencement at lea
towards the return Of that equilibrium
: which is the only certain guarantee f
u the repose, prosperity and happiness
e, our great but distracted country. III
OF most casual observer,must note the evi
r. of entrusting the entire legislation
one section. In every country, but e
's pecially in one of such diversified III
= frequently discordant interests as our
c. there is an imperious necessity that 9
a these wide spread interests should
y considered, compared, reconciled,
90 possible. 1t is not alone that as long
ir we aresout of the Union we shall be e
is snort and play thing of the visionary
o. the malignant. Until our relations a
= restored, we shall WOO in vain the cal
10 tai so absolutely necessary for the !
he storation of our exhausted region. II
in proyerbial timidity of the money-len
er ever makes him crouch beneath {
shield of assured power, and hence it