The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-23

ernmenJ ana ltS puahI tool the hrBentlne
Republic
The prestige and influence of the United
States in South America have been sorely
damaged by the unfortunate career of Mr..
Washburn while Minister in Paraguay, by
the withdrawal of our Minister accredited to
President Lopez, and by the present pitiful
attitude of the national administration. With
Congress alone lies the remedy.
THE SPIRIT OF THE NEW VIRGINIA.
From the NJ y. Times.
1t is not difficult to be wickedly virtuous
and thousand contemptuous things are
sooner said than one wise one. Certain
Senators showed this out very fully, in their
rage against the wayward sister Virginia,
seeking to return. They exhausted upon her
all the language of opprobrium her
as still unrepentant, and full of fell designs.
To hear their holy horror was to imagine that
the moment of re-entry into the Capitol
would be attended with the thunders of an
earthquake, falling pillars, moaning victims,
gloom, dismay, and terror, the death-shrieks
of Freedom, and the eternal farewell of Hope!
But the new Representatives walked quietly
in, and took their oaths and their seats.
There was no crisis. The January light
streamed in more blandly than ever. Still
ness reigned within, and gladness without.
ALI around the Capitol was solidity and re-
pose. And so it has continued even until
now.
Virginia herself, which was said to be de-
voted to treasons and stratagems, and forever
given up to all the Furies, remains equally
serene She moves back to her old place
with unexceptionable dignity and grace. Her
high satisfaction and good purpose have been
indicated through every organ of expression.
Enthusiastic popular meetings have hailed
the change. The public journals of every
party shade have all joined heartily in the
chorus-for the first time pervaded with one
common sentiment, since the sweeping rage
of the Rebellion. And lastly, we have the
evidence in an official shape in the language
of the new Governor, Walker, who opened
his recent address with the joyous exclama-
ton, ''The voice of Virginia is again heard
in the national councils :" and closed it in
these patriotic strains:-
care we not admonished by all the love we bear
her, by veneratOn of her past and our hopes for
her future, to stand side by side and shoulder to
shoulder, earnest, and above all, united in a COM
mon effort and a common purpose to reorganize and
rehabitate the State, and to start her out once more
morning starr fu of lie and oy? What we need
in Virginia. what the nation needs to-day, is the in
auguraton and cultivation Of broad and catholic
national spirit unsued by local prejudice or selfish
and sectional interest We must not forget that we
are to-day part anu paTce OF te @ naton
MES. Its growth will he our growth, its advance
ment our advancement, Its glory our glory. | con-
fess to q strong and conscientious belief in what is
popularity styled manifest destiny 1t is manifest
to me that the future destiny of the nation points
unerrlngly to the gradual extension OF Its limits
until the entire continent shall have been embraced
within its boundaries. And believe that upon this
same continent there is to be formed and moulded
| new, distinctive, well-dedned and grand American
nationality"
No one can fail to recognize this as the
spirit of the best days of Virginia-the spirit
which used to animate her before she was
beguiled by modern Democracy into the
downward path of secession. 1t is every way
worthy of the State which had more to do
than any other with the founding of the re-
public, and whose fame was most closely in.
terwoven in other days with all the glories of
| its history No spirit could be more com.
pletely opposed to that which was imputed to
her by the Senators who sought still to keep
her in Punishment Every statement of the
existing feeling in Virginia, and every predic
ton of her future conduct, have been utterly
falsifed Never was malignant speech more
ANONYMOUSLY confounded.
This exempEfcation of the wrong and folly
of harsh distrust ought to serve as a standing
lesson, all through this business of recon
struction, of the good policy of liberal judg
ment and q generous dealing Experience
enough has now been gained to insure al
early and triumphant completion of the entir
work with the exercise of ordinary discern
ment and discretion. Every national interes
and every national sentiment demands tn
speediest return of confidence and unity.