Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-01-08

upon which any Federal leg;sl:.fion or
intervention whatever migat be invok
ed to the inevitable disturbance Of
internal tranquility. Non residents, /
whatever their claims to eminerce,
ability OF philanthropy, can never
understand the character and circnm
stances or wisely administer to the
wants OF our colcred population. =
Ourselves end no others are qualified
to perform the task assigned us BY
| providen, If not restrained and
tllwarted by superior power, we viii
perform it resoiutely and etfectu Il by
promoting the best interests Of both
! races. Ne intend to perform it by
scsupulonsly guarding the newly
acquired rights Of the, colored man;
by affordng him liberal facilities for
education and melting him to Use them
by developing his best qualities and
capacities, aud interesting him in the
preservation Of order and the enforce
meut OF Justice; by shielding him
against devices Of the vicious and
ttlriitless; BY habitually according him
the Kindness, torbearanoe, and sym
! pathy which his comparative depen-
dence and weakness invite, and by
cnltivatlng such relations OF aotive
cls,9peratitn and mutual trust and
( common interest between the races as
will combine both in recovering, the
generallro5perity and make each an
/ Indispensable instIumentality for that
esd.
1MHIeRArIoN AID RECONSTRUCTION.
The two great material wants OF
Virginia are immigration and capital.
and the influx of both has been
retarded by extraordinary misconstruc
| ton abroad as to the sentiments and
situation Of our people. A leading
desire with US, and necessary condition
precedent to our material recovery, is a
lasting reconciliation and the return OF
complete normal relat ons between
ourselves on the one hand, and the
| poople Of all the other States and the
| Government of the United States Oh
the other. We earnestly seek to
secure those relations upon the only
steadfast and sure basis of equality of
rights and benefits and mlltualty OF
confidence and respect between all the
members of the Union. The highest
interests of the whole country demand
for us the speedy establishment of such
relations; for rs our welfare for the
future is bound Tip in that of the
United States, so the prosperity Of the
whole depends upon the well beng Of
each OF its constituent parts. The
body OF the Union cannot have health
so long as any member suffers As the
revival OF our material interests
| concerns the whole Union, SO do the
recognition, and preservation, in the
future, of the just pride, self respect,
and integrity Of our people; for States
decay and men degenerate with the loss
Of independence OF thought and pride
Of character.
Whether postelity shall adjndge us to
have been right or wrong i'll the opin
ions which engaged US in war, yet if,
as history teaches the noble virtues OF
fortitpde and courage belong to no
people capable of Discrimination and
treachery; if the voluntary en3uran c.
OF a four years ordeal Of heroic sufi, /
ing and sacrifice be proof Of devotion
aud spirit Of honor, then the record
OF Virginia entities her to the respect
Of mankind. Reluctant and slow To
draw the sword, Virginia furnished for
four years the chief theatre for tie
most sanguinary ard devastating civil
war which the modern history Of the
world records, and her bosom bore the
deepest wounds its blows inflicted.
V 18th the dismen berment of her terri
tory, the vast destruction OF Public and
private property, and other greater
losses within her borders, her heredi
tary system Of labor, her social polity.
her banking capital ard circulating
medium were annihilated at a blow.
AS the conflict OF arms closed, her sons
returned to the ruins which were once
their homes, and then and since have
applied themselves to the pursuits Of
peace with prudence, and order, such
as are not parallel in any history OF
periods next succeeding similar wars.
In no instance has turbulence or com
motion OF any combination against
public authority had organized exis
tence among our people. Neither cher
ishlng resentmcnts nor repining over
the irrevocable past, abating no jot Of
selfrespect, yielding to no act of self
abasement, recognizing the indissolu-
bic boud by which the destinies OF
Virginia are bound up with those Of
the Republic, they have with true and
brave hearts and with uplifted brows
sworn their fidelity to the restored Tn
ion; they have sternly accommodated
themselves to their altered political re-
lation, and have striyen to bring order
out of chaos and veal out of ruin by
the faithful performance of every obi
gation. It is with the confidence
which conscious self respect inspires,
it is in the spirit that becomes men,
that we boldly claim reciprocity of re
spect and respectful good will between
our fellow citizens Of the North and
ourselves What we want is peace
| with honor: not the name and forms,
but the living realities OF peace. 1t is
cause for congratulation that in every
section Of the country she passions en-
gendered by war have seemed to be
| passing away; and it is not to be doubt
ed that; sooner o. later, heroic deeds
and qualities, on whatever side of the
conflict or by whomsoever achieved
and Illustrated, will be preserved by
The whole Republic as memorials Of a
common glory.
With a government Of equal laws
and with order and tranquility firmly
established within ont borders, with
.,a:.l..a.. $1,000. e.. :........l