The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-11-12
A Letter from a Virginia lady

to the Boston Globe. From the date of tn,
article and the style OF the composition, We
take it to be from the pen of Mrs. Ora Lang
horne, daughter of Col. A. S. Gray, of Harris
onbcrg. If will amply repay per,,sal:
To the Editor oftbe Globe:
SIR: Your letter of September &c was duly
received, and highly appreciate your kind
ness in taking time to write me. You say you
''hopa we appreciate your efforts for reconcili-
alton and peace" The remark at first puzzled
me 4 little; us to The GLOBE, we consider its
tone very mild and Elpreiudiced-the article
on Louisiana affairs exceedingly dispassionatc.
1t regard to the attitude OF the North towards
the South, speaking from a Republican stand
point, we consider the action OF Congress and
| the party i'll the North since the war wllat~MaS
necessary to be done, and only the inevitable
work of progress. Ii your remark had been
made to Il Democrat, 10 doubt the answer
would be, 1.-The Northern people are the OPP
pressors Of the South they invaded and ruili-
ed our country, liberated our slaves, and hay
ing freed 4, O00,0 OF negroes and ciIfranchisou
them, then ensaved all the whites of the
South Grant is a tyrlllt; everything done
since the war has been system OF p ,rsecution;
and now comes the browning act OF despetism,
| the infamous civil rights bill, to complete the
| degradation and humiliation of the people
| But as II Republican, and expressing the SEN
| timent Of the Intelligent men OF that party i'll
| the State, the only thing we blame our North
ern brethren for is the attempt to force the sys
tenn of mixed schools in the South. Never
having been south OF Virginia, l only speak Of
my native State, with manly portions OF which
| am familiar, as also with many OF the leaders
and prominent men OF both parties. If the
people of the North could understand the eX-
trcme difficulty Which has attended the crganl-
cation OF our school system because it was con-
and
tion,' and could realize the great good the
public schools are doing among us, L am sure
thew would think it uuWist To Interfere with
them The agitation of the question at this
time has been tilfortla.e for the State, as, up
to the opening OF the present canvass, there
has been for some time Il growing feeling OF
cal1nnass and satisfaction With public affairs,
to an eNttnt that has been noticed by many
Journals out OF the State Us well as those al
home. Conservative papers claim all the cred-
it for this desirable condition OF affairs, OH ac-
count of the large majority Of their party and
the absence OF - st,lical rule +" among us; All
assumption Which we are by no means dis
posed TO admit, us Democrats, OF "Conserva-
lives - us they are always called here, are just
our idea OF men who ''have done what they
ought not to have done, and left undone what
they ought to have DONE" TIE advantages
which Virginia has over her Southern sisters
being, in truth, the result OF her central
position. the greater enlightenment of her pop
ulaton. the fact that her people go out into the
world and outside people come here to much
greater extent then in many other pt rtlons OF
the South; and also because i'll many parts OF
the State slave labor was too Improbable to
admit OF their being held to any great degree,
ana consequently there was much greater
liber,llity OF feeling i'll regard to the peculiar
Institution. and mtny OF our people We're pre-
pared for the great changes i'll our labor sys-
TEN and domestic affairs, wrought by the war
and emancipation, Compared with New Eng
land, Virginia may seem anti-prOSresSlVe, her
people prtjudiced narroW-nlnded and 1lllberal;
but compared with other States south OF u.s. She
is the reverse of all this. Our statistics slow
that Virginia has more youth in her colleges,
in proportion, thln any State in the Union.
Dr. Northrop of Connecticut said, lately, in :.
public address, that Dr.. Rutfner had done
more to perfect the system OF public schools i'll
Virginia (tilat system which, by the way, the
Yankees are now trying to upset iii four years
than many Northern States have accomplished
in all the time s'nce free schools came into
fashion, The superiority OF Virginians i'll
point of education over most Of the Southern
troops was constantly talked OF during the war,
and could give manly amusing proofs OF it.
One, | remember, OF a negro servant, whose
master, q friend OF ours commanded II regi-
ment in the famous 'StoneWall brigade, who
came to the Colonei's wife during his masters
iDSOlCC, itilu Shcu LII IL pttoS u ~ u
ing expedition; and as the lady hesitateu
about giving it, he said: You know, mistis,
any piece OF writin' will do; one of dem Sud-
dern regiments is on guard Tonight, an dey
can't read, any hoW.' 1t was a common re-
mark among our girls that such or such an off-
Ger WAS nice fellow and had fine manners,
if ne did talk tie Georgia or Tennessee gram
mar and MANY specimens Of chirography came
to us in those days, the style Of spelling where
of was not to be learned Of Webster, and tho
style OF composition did 'not answer to the
rules OF rlietoric- | remember one such e1tu-
sion from 4 young surgeon, beginning NO,
| mercer shall [ erUer forget YOU" s
| You say that all will be well if there is
| patriotism on both Sides but there is the
trouble with us. Though Virginia is not in
clined to open revolt, thsre is much OF the Dit
ter feeling of the war lett among our people,
and sad lack of loyal feeling among us.
Outside the Republican party there are Few
men of national feeling in the State, and our
public speakers seem to strive to widen the
breach instead Of healing it, Mr.. Anlas't
Walker said, last winter, "Congress seldom
goes i'll advance OF the people i'll its action,
| and this Is true OF our orators and statesmen
generally, who know the bitter feeling rank
ling i'll the breasts of the old shareholders and
seek popularity by appealing to it, though they
often make very different speeches to their
constituents from those they deliver in Con-
greSs. Their speeches remind one OF WnaL
| Mr.. De Long tells rs OF the dreary music at
| his first reception by the Emperor OF Japan>
which seemed to him like the solemn protest
| OF ages of seclusion against the progress OF the
nineteenth century, The South has been
isolated like China and Japan by its pecuiar
institution, and like the Inhabitants OF those
Oriental lands, its people are governed by the
traditions of the past, but like those distant
countries, our gates are now flung open to the
world, and we bid the people OF all natiors
welcome. The star spangled banner floats
over Virginia, now no longer the home ct tho
slave, and with rush Of imnli. grafton we will
build up our common country. You will hear
no Republican predict ruin and destruction to
the Union; you hear from linn no ''War OF
rae, So but OF welcome to the stranger, Of hope
and elevation to the down-trodden negro. The
Democratic politicians are prophesying
disaster, but the people Of Virginia have begun
the work Of rebuilding the State, and we call
upon our friends i'll the North to come ard
| help ia.
| May | close my letter like Mr.. Llncoln-.
with q little story" During the war, Gen.
Stonewall Jackson, in one Of his forced march,
es, came to the banks of a stream he had eX-
pected to ford, but which he found. uneXpect-
ediy. swollen; mitch disappointed; he ordered Il
| halt for the army and sent the engineer corps
to arrange for building a bridge. The Gems
| Chief QHartermaster was Mr.. Mason, well
known throughout the State forhis energy and
int gritty, though, being a self-,ilaCe man, he
| u