The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-02-03
CROAKERS AND CR0AKING. :

=: CR0AKERS AND CR0AKING.
There are in every community, set of
men who may be called the Ravens of socie-
ty. They are aixays discontinued. They
see every object through dark medium -
They never look at the bright side of things.
To them, everything wears sombre aspect.
They predict the failure of every enterprise,
and seem unhappy if their prophesies are
not fulfilled. With such men money is al
ways scarce, and going to be scarce-a fl
uancial crisis is always at hand, and certain
ruin just little way ahead. In their view,
property has attained a fictitious value, and
is destined, very soon, to suffer serious de-
cline. Growing crops are always unpromis-
ing and the price of the grain on hand is
steadily falling! Iftheir counscls were heed
ed, no new enterprise would be undertaken
no new houses built, no new stores opened,
no new factories set on foot
Two weeks ago they were ready to prove
to you, by irresistible logic, that Virginia
would not be admitted into the Union with
out the iron clad-and now they are equally
confident that the Federal government is 60
ing, with railroad speed, to tho bad
and that nobody will get their ice houses fill
cd this winter. 49,
We might fill column, with details Of
the subjects of croaking, and another with
"a description Of the manner in which: they
.croak! But in mercy to our readers we for
bear. -
Ne beg to say to our readers that mid
wigter lis the carnival Of croakcrs. The
weather has almost as much influence on men
of this>stamp as it has on trees and flowers.
Amidst the frosts and ice Of winter the spir
its of the masses become depressed. The
sap goes down in men, as it does in the vege
table world, and animation is, to some ex
tent, suspended, in both. During this season.
men take gloomy views of things. They
sympathise with the dreary scenes by which
they are surrounded. They see everything
stagnant, locked up in icy letters: and their
hearts become chilled within them. APP
proach some classes of men, at this season,
with proposition for new venture in bust
ness, which promises most bountiful return,
and they see in it nothing but failure and dis
aster !
But wait until the winter breaks Wal
until the mantle of snow melts from the earth,
under the soft breath of Spring Wait until
yerdure clothes the hills, and the birds be-
gin to chirp among the budding trees, and the
flowers to spring up in the sunny wales,
and you will find corresponding change in
the sad and responding man who had looked
so distrustfully on all your propositions =
You will find that the sap has risen in him
as we'll as in the trees and shrubs He too
begins to bud and blossom, under the genial
influence Of the vernal sun All things
now wear new aspect in his eyes-cheer-
fulness has taken the place Of dependency.
Hope like rainbow spans and paints with
it's brilliant hues, the murky clouds that had
oyershadowed his horizon! Confidence
that plant, which is ordinarily, Of such slow
growth springs full grown, like Minerva
from the brain of Joye-in his breast!-
He is ready to enter with'vigor and alacrity
upon any new enterprise which presents a
reasonable prospect Of success.
We are led to make these remarks because
we often hear people croaking on our streets
They say money is scarce-tfade is dull, the
value of property is declining is
overdone-too many houses have been built
too much money has been wasted in bricks
and mortar-ruin is imminent-thc staylaw
is about to expire and we are all bound
to-Deny Jones
My dear friend 1t is the frost and the
snow and the ice that speak through your
lips! Just wait till the spring opens, and
you will see things in very different light.
When the genuine frogs begin to croak,
their human compecrs will cease their dolor
oas notes
In surveying "the situation We must ac-
knowledge We sec little to eroak about
Every thing soems to promise to Virginia
and Virginians bright and cheering future
The State has now been restored to her po-
sition in the Union. We are relieved from
military rule, and we have every reason to
expect a fair and stable government, admins
tered by officers Of our own choice. True,
the terms on which we have been received,
have not been such as would have been most
acceptable to us. But although they are dis
tasteful they are not, practically, very hurt
full. They amount to very little, and we
can almost afford to laugh at the impotent
malice Of Sumner, Drake & Co., which i'm
posed them on us.
The restoration of the State will be fol-
lowed by restoration of confidence and
revival of credit. A new impulse will be
given to business. Immigrants will flock to
Virginia to occupy and improve our exhaust
ed lands. Intelligent and thrifty white la
Dor will take the place of the slovenly and
spiritless operators who are daily vending