The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-12-11
Admission Not All.

It'll
ho. res,oration to equality among the STATES
and the enfranchising Of her people sl'ou'u
be continued, TO promote her growth anu
woslth. This policy was based entirely upon
nnhl;c devotion. and was governed by prae-
tic,I wisdom. 1t ignored partisanry ana
mast political differences. Every oplisatioh
nf nublic and social nature imposes upon
ms tho duty Of continuing to act III 1h's
manner at least until the State Is sharer 10
. liberal extent in the practical dement's Oh
the Union. Her opportunities to enjoy this
participation should not be marreo oy any
inaiscretions and personal ambitions. No
man who properly appreciates his relations
TO the State and to society would be parry
"a such indiscretion, and the man "no
would permit his own personal aspirations
to mar the general interest OF his ielio".
citizens cannot be too severely condemned
or too generally dctestcd. =,
The policv of which we speak above VIII
re hest at all times. 1t Is not inconsistent
with integrity. Indeed, a just view OF IN
tecri.y and honor is its foundation. Inc
highest duty we owe in worldly affairs is tc
promote the prosperity and welfare OF tht
State. and no other policy but that to whict
sallude can sllcnned IN t''A- ''''''
Then, our policy is now to continue TO bt
sensible and fditlfu!-to avoid nationa
party politics-to arouse no ne" preJu
dices-but to cultivate good feeling and re-
ciprocal respect. so that no obstacle such q
malice or revenge may obstruct the way o.
Virginia to Il full and fair participation IL
al the advantages which grow out OF thai
general government placed over all the
States and firmly fixed over them by the re-
suit of the late civil strife.
The result of that war settled the ques.
ton of the right Of the Federal Government
to dlshuse money for public Improvement:
within the States. Virginia formerly op'
posed that authority, and never got-nay,
would never take-a cent from the Treasury
for such objects within her borders. She
now submits, as in duty bound, to the new
condition and it is both her interest and
duty to get all the means that are necessary
10 complete the works within her territory
having sufficient dignity and national int.
rest to make their construction promotvc
Of the general welfare" Of the country.
1t is to this great object that the attcn-
ton of our representatives, in Congress
should be directed with the greatest posi-
bic energy and discretion. And to cripple
them by foles ut home would be a crime
against the State and nation. We want no
Federal politics now. We want union OF
the practical and sensible people who are
not aspirantS for Office, and who think moro
Of the prosperity Of the State and the hap
children, than they DO Of the office-hunters.
A union of such men will he strong sup
port to our representatives, and will, to an
incalculable degree, promote the success Of
their patriotic efforts.
The age is changed. The heroic. senti-
mental, snd ornamental, age has been so
far ended rs that courage becomes COM
hincd with energy, sentiment with utility.
and hcrOism with practical resolution and
that unfaggine fortitude which triumphs in
.ha-cract undertakings of peona that ar t"
swell the power Of the nation and give en-
Dloymcnt and suStenancc to the rapidly in
creasing population Of the State.
We greatly admired the stateliness Of the
times that are Conceive almost worshipped
II : but let us not be blind to the fact that
that sentiment of selfintercst which Chi
yalrv Is too prone TO condemn was certainly
not well concealed in the days that are
gone. Ambition, form Of sclfishncss
10 8 10
shapes it takes. cast its bright hues quite
profnsely over society. Men went far to
crafty their love Of distinction. A mission
to the Court Of st. james or that of St.
Cloud was an object of untiring exertion.
We believe that Qeaye out the late venerable
JOSEPH c. CABELL) more hard labor and
undying perseverance have been expended
by our statesmen upon scheme to get q
foreign mission than was ever spent by
them upon the water-line to connect the
Chesapeake and the Ohio, now conceded
10 be the greatest project in the United
States. And yet these men would not take
dollar in the way of appropriation to a
work within the borders Of the State be-
cause that was unconstitutional That was
virtuous, and ambition for official distinc-
ton was-what? Well, it matters not. We
have now, we trust, new ambition. We
are ambitious to make Virginia great, and
we are, as community, anxious that she
should have her share of the disbursements
and care of the common government OF all
the States. flour people can only screw them
selves up to that noble self-denial that willin
duce them to subordinate their personal as
ptrations to the welfare of the State we shall
have sign of a kind of nobleness of spirit
that certainly might inspire feeling OF re-
spect; and if we may show after time that
sort or vigilance, perseverance, and tortl-
tude, that are proportional to the dignity
Of the great objects of promoting the wealth
and prosperity of the whole State, we may
console ourselves that If we have passed
away somewhat from the day of personal
nomp and stately personal ambition, we
have incentives and phases OF human actloh
which will fully compensate us for what we
have lost, and will give far more power and
political weight to the State we call ours in
q day when we have been brought very near
to the rule that might makes right"
Let us, then, be practical. Let us not
think that we have gone back into the
Union only to carve out offices for aspirants;
but to make great State through the i'm
provement of her solid interests, and thus
not only to promote our own security and
well-bcing, but to add to the grandeur and
power Of that Federal Government which
will be ours, and whose dignity and force it
will be as much our interest to support and
advance as that of any people within the