The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-16

Old age is proverbially obstinate. The
Iynchburg Tirgin1an tells us that the late
Judge John Robertson, "being too old to
Gnlearn his carly lessons in politics, never
accepted the situation, and died true to his
convictions, an unrepcntant rebel" The
most significant part OF this statement is that
Judge John Robertson is dead. If we do not
praise him for sticking to his cOlors, we do
not think it worth our while to blame him.
We are sorry that he had not the grace to
repent. but then we know how unreasonable
it would have been to expect repentance.
Our hope is in the rising generation, which
will be practically uDcontaminated by the
political heresieS of the lmst, and which will
ste neither safety, nor prosperity, nor happi-
Hess for the southern States outside the Fed
eral Union. We have faith in il new South,
aud we trust that we have also patience con-
siderately to wait for the normal develop
Iment there Of healthy and general loyalty
BASED at once upon principle and upon pru-
denCe. In the ranks Uf great Common
Wcalths TO come we are sure that Virginia
will take the place which naturally belongs
10 hcr.-Nelo York Tribune.
Our northern friends are amazingly dull of
comprehension concerning southern men.
The Tribune, even, understood to be above
the average OF northern Journals in liberality
towards the South, does not comprehend the
principles and motives which.govern us.
LIST. The late JOHN ROBERTSON was an
honest man, and loyal American citizen.
Loyal to the principles of the Constitution
q. e., he believed ttat the powers not granted
to the Federal Government by the Constitu-
ton, and not prohibited by it to the States,
were reserved TO the States. This is exactly
what the Constitution says. He believed,
therefore, that the Federal Government had
10 right to exercise authority in the States
not thus granted by the Constitution. He
lived and died in this political faith. He had
his ideas about remedies against infractions
of the Constitution. They were in some
sort ultra, or, rather, impracticable; but
whatever may be said of them, he was I'M
questionably right in his ideas Of the limita-
tons put upon the powers OF the Federal
Government. He lived to see those powers
transcribed many times, and the rights OF
the States outraged just as often. This fact
did not diminish his devotion to the princi.
r!es of our foretathers, but inspired. him
with warmer admiration Of those great
men, while it filled him with disgust for the
Government we live under.
I'd. ave are sorry" says the Tribune,
She had not the grace to repent" 1t is the
pride of the friends Of the lamented Judge
ROBERTSON that he had the grace to be firm
aud unalterable in his just principles, while
some yielded to the seductive dVurements of
place and em0lument. He died q consistent
and honest man-a fact that may occasion
some surprise in some sections Of this
country.
Sd. He had not been thief; he had not
been corrupt partisan, robbing the trea-
snry +; nor had he ever been concerned in
salary grabs or dit-Mobilier transactions.
What had he us a public man to repent of!
and where is there an absence of "grace' .
in his dying without repentenceI LIZ it The
failure in q cause he deemed justS Is q man
TO repent supply because he thus fails? That
is the device OF the thief who fails in an at
tempted robbery. The moral question Of
his crime only presents itself when he fails.
Men like Judge ROBERTSON are net made OF
such elastic consciences. Appreciation Of
the wrong cannot be extorted from them by
its success. Nor can they be driven into de-
.nouncing tie right by their defeat in sup
porting it. What sort Of people ara they
was sspsss Suau to fsssWssT his principles