The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-21
what Virginia Needs,

gressive Conservative paper, the Norfolk
Day Book, wisely counsels the people, and
especially the women, of Virginia, to ac-
cept the olive branch of peace which has
been so long held out to them by the peo-
pie of the North. It says:
Our contemporary, the Norfolk Journal
has taken the above subject for a theme.
but fails to hit the mark, to certain ex-
tent. 1t says Virginia needs capital.
This we admit, and without DENYING its
promises exactly, we assert as the founda-
tion of her needs and the ground plan for
her to pursue to get those needs supplied
is for her people to alter their conduct to-
wards the Northern people who are in
vited to come into the State with their CAP
ita, energy and business capabilities.
This requires radical change,-a change
which no legislation can touch,-a change
with which sentiment alone has to do
The mothers of our State have patriotic
duty thrown upon them in this respect
they are the ones that must come forward
and render their services in breaking down
the spirit of social 'ostracism against the
families of the Northern people; for the
men in their business intercourse get along
very amicably together and thereby
throw the onus of social ostracism on our
ladies, whether deservedly or not.
Our people are almost bankrupt u capt. |
tai, and the energy and business capabili- |
ties required for the new emergency that |
is upon us. We invite Northern capital. |
energy and business talent in to help us.
The war has been over six years. These
people come and embark their all in the
venture. They are joyfuly met and well
coined by the male portion of the COM
munity, but their families are not welcom-
ed in the social circles similar to those they
have left behind at their homes. The
males treat them first-rate, and thereby
throw the reflection on our ladies, that they
are the source of the difficulty which is
causing the Northerners to leave. AS for
ourselves, we do not believe the ladies are
solely brameable for this state of affairs.
and we think they owe it to themselves to
prove this 10 be the case.
Virginia needs these Northern men and
their families to help build up her pros
perlfy. The mothers of Virginia have too
often proved themselves heroines for us to
believe that they will now lag in their
efforts to help our noble old State through
her difficulties. Here is humane work
for the true women of Virginia to take
hold of and accomplished work of civili-
zatlon, humanity and Christianity-a work
of fforgetfulness and love. These Northern
families have lost their dear ones by the ,
cruel war as we'll as our own people. We /,
were as much at fault in bringing on the
war as they were. Their hearts have been
made to bleed, as ours have been made to,
bleed, by our mutual faults. 1t is not ,
Christian-like to forever nurture hatred /
Dur children fight around the hearthstoue /
sometimes. How quick are we to en-
leayor to heal the breach, and restore love 9
md friendship.
Then what is our duty here in this case t
That high order of Intelligence and virtue p
We delight to claim for our Virginia moth i
'rs, they need only be reminded of to per, I
ect its accomplishment. The Good Book ,
caches if we bring our gift before the p
Iltar and find we are at enmity with our a
'rother man, lay it away until we have 9
eturned and made peace between us. b
And here is the duty of the mothers Of o
ur State: Let them hasten to make peace c
With their Northern sisters, so that we all, a
ojourning in one land, may be made to
eel that we are as brothers and sisters.
-.-~ss-.-- y