The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-18

| gress, Will recuperate and renovate the
| Old Dominion, retrieve her shattered
fortunes, and open upon her brighter div
aud a SUMMER destiny. | think / see the
dawning beams of the mdgnus ordo Sec
aao'atm which is to cast over her whole do
main a radiance whose broad, bright efful-
gence shall exhibit her the proud posses.
sor OF a brilliant commerce, Of thriving
| manufactures, and Of all the industries that
minister to the eminence and renown Of
nation, and the prosperity and happiness
Of people.
How shall we arrive at the grand con-
| summation?
My impression is that we must work
under new auspices altogether. From the
foundation of the government to the pres
ent hour nothing whatever has been
| done for Virginia by any OF
the old political organizations.
Hundreds of millions of acres of the pub
lie lands of which Virginia contributed an
empire have been given to railroads in
other states, but not one acre TO Virginia
ior the IKE object, nor a dollar for improv-
| ing harbor or river, until she had Re-
publican representatives in congress. The
Old Democratic party, the strongest of the
ancient organizations, and that is STRUGGLING
committed-the Virginia portion of It at
least against progress. While | was in
the legislature, | submitted a resolution
calling ON congress for an appropriation
to aid our national public works.
but it was defeated by large majority
every Democrat voting against it. Re-
| peatedly, the land fund lying to her credit
IN the United States treasury subject to her
| calls, was refused And in 1852, while
was still member, a resolution was sub
| United, directing the officers of elections
to open polls to ascertain the popular
wll'' on the propositions first, to receive
the land fund, "the annual income 20 be
appropriated to the education Of the
INDECENT children of the commonwealth :"
and secondly, in the further proposition
that "the senators and representatives of
this state in the Congress Of the United
States be requested and instructed to use
their best efforts to secure the passage of
law setting apart to Virginia 10000
600 acres of the public territory
to be applied TO purposes of common
school education in this commonwealth
(see Doc. 30, l1o. Del. 1852, and vet by a
Democratic Virginia legislature this reso.
luton was voted down. They would not
even allow the people TO express ain
opinion in behalf of common schools, or
to ask congress to give back to Virginia
for popular education small piltance of
the vast domain Of which she was at a
Crisis OF extreme embarrassment, the
matchmaking donor to the Federal govern
ment. The Resolutions Of 1913 stood in their
way.
Now, while do not propose to question
the sincerity of present Democratic pro-
LESSONS IN favor of tie James
River and kanawha canal, and
OF popular education, | see no
necessity OF leaning on party which, if
1t chooses to shift It's position, may refer
us back to its old record for Justification,
when we can have to stand by us one whose
committal to internal improvements and
general education and to liberal policy gem
orally, is beyond dispute.
We must take fresh start--a new lati-
tude and departmental under a new re-
gime altogether.
expressed my views on this point as far
back as July, 1867, in speech delivered
at my home in Hampton, Virginia, in
which | earnestly urged the full accep-
lance of the situation, and uncomplair-
ing acquieseence in each and every
one OF the reconstruction measures
of congress. May Iquote to you what 1
| al % A RI :.
.nen sala Ailer insisting mat IN our con-
sleslohar eiee.lons we should receive the
issue r .. ieeeral appropriations Tor our
srea. 'i i;,, u Improvement, especially the
"a'er-i'iies ! s''o
NOW what we want to bring on new
era for Virginia, is political organization
OF more liberal and broader craftsmanship,
that will help us in our new career Of de-
velopment and progress. We want a live
constitution, a hive party, a live representa-
ton IN congress, q live policy--l policy
that will make the south live section,
and Virginia live state. Such a policy
we have no reason to expect from any of the
parties that have heretofore held dominion
IN the south.
lin my judgment, fellow citizens, new
political organization call it by what name
yon willis not only demanded by the
interests of the entire country, but
especially Of the south. The parties that
have figured and controlled since the adop-
ton of the federal constitution, have been
the very bane. and ruin of the south. I'm
medately after General Washington's
accessloh 10 we PRESIDENCY, party COM
l.enceu a s'rugge ioI power whose
,no eHeinpihed IN the Resolutions OF
0Os tcnuGu 10 GmaSculate The national