The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-09-04
E VALLEY VIRGINIAN.
S 7 a U NTON, VA.
Thursday, Sept, 4, 1873.
Jefferson Davis Speech, and the Virginia
Contest

tho occasion of the meeting of the Souther
r Historical Association at Montgomery Whit
Sulphur Springs, last week, and the no ,e;
lmprudent applause given it by the distir
gulshed Virginia gentlemen present W
would forbear further allusion to it. in defe,
ence to the honest sentiments of the gres
mass of the people Of Virginia, we're not tn
attendant circumstances significant of tb
hidden thought of some of the controllin
leaders Of the party now waging a war il
Virginia against the spirit of the Constitu
ton and Laws of the country. Mr.. Davi
said in his speech:
He had hope in the future founded o,
the fact that he had never seen recon
structed Southern woman, and while th,
men OF the present day might yield the prin
clples for which they struggled, yet he hoped
the children who succeeded them would
grow up to maintain and perpetuate then
and redeem all that we had lost.
He thanked the audience for their kind
ly expressions of good will. and as to the
members of the Association, he hoped that
their steps might always be onward to pros
perltyy, and following in the steps of that
grand old Early, who never faltered during
the war and never failed since our flag went
down, they were sure to accomplish their
object"
a tall synopsis Of the speech was publish
ed under the editorial head of the Tudsco-
tor, of the 9th ult., without one word of com.
ment either approving or dissenting, All
the Richmond papers inserted the speech
without accompanying it with a dissenting
remark, and only two Of them, the Whig
and Dispatch, published mild reprocfs of it,
taken from Northern journals some days
alter the remarks of Mr.. Davis appeared
This betrayed hesitancy in condemnation of
the seditious and rebellious clause we have
quoted, only broken by the conviction that
it would operate harm in the present politi-
cal campaign.
But let US look more infinitely at the eir-
cumstances atten ding this deliverance of Mr..
Davis. Gems. Early and Fitzhugh Lee were
present. They had been but few days pre-
vlous, prominent actors liz the State Con-
SENTATIVE Convention that nominated Kemper
and Withers. It is said that their influence
placed upon the ticket Col. Withers for
LIT. Governor. These gentleman, in con-
mon with other prominent Southern Gen
erals, are reported as having applauded the
sentences we have quoted. Those sentences
clearly state that the doctrine of the peacea-
BILE secession Of State from the Union and
the disruption and destruction of this Re
public, is yet to triumph, and the rising
generations will be educated to the fulfill
ment Of that prediction.
Taking all these facts into connection with
the hostile attitude of the Conservative party
of Virginia and their candidates., to the spir-
it OF the Constitution as it now exists, give
pertinent assurance. that beneath the false
issues that are now being forced upon the peo-
pie to excite race. prejudice, the feeling and
sentiment Of 1860, are still the controlling
influences, and that the energy with which
the present canvass is to be waged, is only
measured by the hatred that lies deep down
and ineradicable 10 their hearts, to the gov
eminent and the fundamental law of the coun-
try. We know the people have no sym pa
thy with this midsummer mad ness " of these
eaders-that they honestly accept the ad-
justment CT the difficulties incident to the
war, and are ouly anxious to witness the pro-
gressive prosperity and consummated great
ness which lies throbbing in the womb Of the
future for the whole people of our common
country
But what must be the result Of the tri-
umph of party headed by such men as hold
sympathy with the insane sentiment uttered
by Mr.. Davis A case in point will illus
trate. A distinguished Northern gentle
man. republican of great State North Of
the Potomac, was on his way to Virginia to
examine and report upon the practibility of
an important railroad that will traverse our
great Valley and make Staunton point
Upon his opinion rests the determination of
the negotiations now pending for the means
to complete the enterprise to this point
When he reached Harper's Ferry, he was
met by Mr. Davis speech, and after hearing
| it read, he raised up both hands with the ex-
clamation-" My God, will the Southern
| people never learn to forget Will tney
ever keep agitatipg the questions settled by
| the var, and thus keep capital and enterprise
| from their borders 2" He saw the names of
| the Southern Generals who were present
he had seen that some Of these same gentle
men were in the recent Richmond Conveu-
t ion that nominated Kemper and Withers,
and could not help but being impressed with
the sectional spirit that controlled it, and
| the disastrous results to the material pros
perity Of Virginia that must follow its sue.
cess.
tits in DO spirit Of partizan feeling nor
with view to any party fnesse that we make
this allusion. 1t is with serious conviction
that the true sentiment Of the people of Vir-