The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-10-13
UNDER WHICH FLAG, vIRGINIANs .

UNDER WHICH FLAG, VLRG1N1ANS
''The stars in their courses fought against
Sisera y the Cerberean whelps of hate and
feud fought with him. The same supernal
and internal clemens and agencies are
engaged in the political conflict now wag-
ing in this state, and array themselves
respectively against free government and
for it. The one party desires that freedom
should assume q more winning form, be-
coming humanized by loyalty, ennobled by
an alliance with truth, consecrated by
humanity, and uplifted by religious prin-
ciple; the other desires to see her dragged
down to a level with the slavery that Jabin
would have imposed upon Barak and
Deborah, had not the stars fought against
Sisera. The stars are now fighting against
the same intolerance and hate that the
king Of Hazor bore against the people of
Deborah, that brave prophecies and Joan
dare Of the Bible, who headed the attack
upon Sisera, and afterwards composed that
splendid tliumphal song, in honor of
Barak's victory, now preserved IN Judges.
What the people of Virginia want is a
new set OF political leaders, who have been
taught to prize and honor a spirit ofnation-
atty as the best safeguard of national
independence, and the only sure and abso-
lutte security and basis of popular rights.
The zea!ots and enthusiasts of rebellion,
who flattered the people with the hopes
and promises of the morning rainbow of
secession in 1860, are not the men to be
disciplined by the storms of adversely that
have since followed, nor sobered by the
increase Of years, which have come to
whiten their locks, but not to add wisdom
to their over. much zeal. They may make
excellent law-mongers, of the sycophantic
type, but statesmen Choking before and
after" Ghe real HISTORIAN type,) never.
General Kemper and his associates on the
Conservative ticket, were so blinded by the
dazzling rainbow of secession that not an
inch of the future is opened to their view,
and especially the future which is so full
ofpromise and glory to the great American
Republic. Their eyes are constantly turned
back to the secession rag" that Haunted
itself in defiance to the Union for four
years of bitter strife and feud, when the
Cerberean whelps of hate were on the track
of human freedom but as to the glori-
Gus stripes and stars" which may
be said to have closed the conflict of
Sisera and left Mount Tabor a monu-
ment of Liberty to Israel, they have
no vision wherewith to pierce the future of
our country, or greet the splendors of its
stirry banner.
Shall the future OF the Republic be entrust-
ed then to these men-these blind soldiers
of Jabin-or shall the men of prophetic Wis
ion, and the craftsmanship that looks
before as well as after. be welcomed to the
task Of administering government among
us? We want no blind leaders to lead the
blind in the future of our state nor in the
grander future of the Republic. Nor do
We want any such secession craftsmanship
las that which prides itself upon being one
of the horns OF the second beast in Reyela-
tons, that spahe as a dragon, and gave
power to the first beast Slavery, which had
the claws o. bear wherewith to rend the
beautiful garments Of Liberty. No, no
the people have come TO abhor these char
acteristic traits and principles, and to sigh |
for the influences that lead to national
unanimity, and for the gracious tendencies
that look to peace, reconciliation, and pros /
perity among all our people.
Let it be said of us, as of the soldiers of
Barak: " We fought from heaoen the
stars IN their courses fought against Sisera.',
We have unanimity grounded on
moral sentiments and feelings, with no
equivocal sources Of national pride and
boast, and while the future of Virginia is
no less dear to us than that of the central
power with which her grander destines are
identified, we cannot look upon the one
except as the integral Or supplemental part
of the other, nor regard the fate of either
otherwise thaa as fatally involving that of
both together. 1t is no qualification for us to
say, but rather source Of the profoundest
'egret. that in all the speeches made by
ieneral Kemper which we have heard or
cad, there has been no generous utterance
much less single enthusiastic outburst
f admiraton-for the "stars and
tripes,' our old historic banner; while he
as not failed, in any speech made in the
bscurest corner Of the state, to exhaust ,
10 rnnrf nrh.,hornpf =.