The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-05-25
FILE DIrTy OF THE HOUR.


SAYS that every thoroughly developed in
dividual passes through three mental
stages: First, the religious or fanatical;
second. the theoretical or hypothetical;
third, the matter-of-fact or practical; and
that nations have the same tendency, that
is, growth through substantially cores
ponding phases. Asa state since the war,
we have passed from faith and blind ODE
dience to fanatical mandates, or what may be
called the religious stage, through the
hypothetical or speculative condition,
and are now approaching the " matter-of-
fact" stage, in which there must bea larger,
more comprehensive and thoroughly
philosophical view Of the situation IN
which we are placed. If our youth
has proved to be rebellion against the past'
it is all the more important that our man
hood should make experience its minister
in the future. 1t is time to throw down the
old scaifoldings to the new cditice we have
been called upon to erect, clear away the
rubbish, adorn and beautify the surround
ings. and open wider and clearer prospect
to the view before us. The analogies be-
tween the growth of the race and the states
that it uprears must be preserved. We
cannot go back to mend the broken past,
but must press forward to build institutions
in conformity with the demands Of the hour.
We use the term trace" because the col
lectiye man is but comprehensive alb
stract of the individual man of the race.
What is now demanded of Virginia and
Virginia craftsmanship, is not the incapa'
CITY of change or growth, but the capacity
to apprehend the nature Of change and thu
true law of growth it necessitates. The
cd patriarchal polity is gone with the in
sstution that gave it birth, and we mus
build on the conditions and practical reali'
cations of the new cram era that woult
have made Virginia the first state in thu
Union had it been inaugurated with view
to gradual ameliorations at the close of thu
Revolutionary war. 1t is not too late t.
gather the blessings Of this new era now
but to do it we must discard our old ny
pothetical faith, reject the Illogical deduc
tons built upon it, and resolutely turn t
the work of supplanting it by ne'
stock of possibilities, such as the advances
are must draw out and actualize, if W
would reach the full Interpretation and re
alization Of the faith that underlles thl
new era. That faith must build on ne'
principles, new analoges, new deductions
new attainments, and new laws of devel
opment. The fanatical and hypothetlca
must disappear, and the matter-o
fact or practical take their place.
And the first practical demand upo
Virginia craftsmanship is this: 10 pta
The State at once IN accord aoiM the gree
pa,ty of progress achich has dchieeed u
emancipation Of ohite labor IN VTga'
by yenoring The incubus Of Stare labo
This is the first practical demand mac
upon our craftsmanship. We have every
thing to gain by yielding TO such harmon
of relation-nothing in the world to los
by it. A constant antagonism only assigl
us a place of pretentious Importance whi'
is of no earthly value to us. For we ca
not successfully enter upon the new era
building upon the ruins of the dlsplact
system, nor without some of the accum
lations of power which the new syste
demands. The question which now press
for solution is, whether Virginia will thro
away her electoral vote or give it to Il
party which holds the power of the admi
istration, and is ready to dispense pow
or not dispense it, as our attitude
it shall be friendly or hostile.
Bear in mind that we are precisely
that situation now where the friendly re
tons between the people Of the State a
the legislative and executive branches
the Federal government are of the utmc
Importance to US. There are great a
pressing questions--those vitality affecti
not only the present, but future, well-bei
of the State-which can only be settled
our interests by placing the administrati