The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-09
VIRGINIA NEWS.

UNITED STATES SENAToRsHrp.--One Of the
| most important duties which win devo1ve
on our present Legislature will be the cleo
ton of United States Senator. We sim
cerely trust that the. recipient Of this dis
tingnishcd honor will represent fully the
virtue, the intelligence, and the patriotism
of the great body of our people. Such a
position should be the well-deservcd re-
| wards Of arduous and valuable services rem
dcrcd to the country. The citizen who can
not point to some such service, either civil
| or military, IN his record, and yet has the
unblushing ciirontery to manmuvre for the
Senatorial robes, il at heart political trick
ster, and cannot he trusted. There was
time in the history Of the republic, when
the United States Senate presented an array
of the most splendid and brilliant abilities.
1t was unsurpassed by any legislative as
sembly upon earth. All of its delihera-
tons were characterized by the most ex-
allied wisdom, the most stainless integrity
of purpose, and the sublimcst patriotism.
and the illustrious statesmen of that pc
Rod, Clay, Webster, Calhoun, and host
Of Others, felt, that in attaining the Sena-
tnrial dignity, there was nothing beyond to
which the eratitied ambition of an Ameri-
can citizen could aspire. Shall the halls OF
the capital, which once resoundcd with the
immortal eloquence of such men become
the loating place for the intellectual imhe-
Gle. or the ample theatre for the low in
trlgues of The cunning demago que? God
forbid! The eyes Of this whole Common
wealth are now fastened upon the Virginia
Legislature. One great blunder has AREA
dy been committed. That body must
shoulder the responsibility of having cle-
waited John Lewis to the Senate. They
have only now, in order to complete the
tragedy, to orst Senator Johnston from his
seat. and substitute in his stead some
clustering demagoglle or cunning plot
ter OF mischief. 1t cannot be said that
there is not abundant material in Virginia
from which to select q Senator. The test
oath is no longer q pre-. requisite to elgi-
bility. If it should appear desirable that
both Senators should hail from the Valley,
there is scarcely county From Frederick
TO Smyth which cannot furnish ut least one
distinguished name. If it should appear
desirable that both Senator's should be
taken from adjoining countieS-as, for
instance, Rockingham and Augusta
1t Is not necessary to rake the rubbish
of the lower strata, when the names of such
men rs Alex. II. IL. Stuart, Thos. }. Niche,
John Echols, John B. Baldwin, Hugh w.
Shelley, and others, at once present them
selves To the mind-all OF them gentle
lucll VI uiSH cHaldctei, NHoSe lives hive
been illustrated by their labors, and who
have rendered important civil and mill
taly services to the country. But we do
not suppose for moment that such Il
thing will he deemed either desirable or
necessary. We believe that the people Of
Virginia are satisfied that Mr., Johnston
shall continue for While longer III the
Senate. If our General Assembly do not
see tit TO return him, then the people OF
East Virginia will demand that that vast
breadth OF territory y ing between the At
lantic ocean and the Blue Ridge, with all
Of its varied and multiplied interests,
shall he represented on the floor of the SEN
ate in the person Of one Of her own citizens,
to the manOr born; some one thoroughly
Identified in interest, education, association.
and affection, with the people and &C
quaintcd with their wants. nor will it be
either wise or eXpedient for the Legislature
TO confne themselves in making choice to
the few names which have thus far been
mentioned through the columns of the
newspapers. In this matter they should
exercise the broadcast Observation-Disclosures
charlottesville intelHgsncer,