Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-11-27
Some Considerations Cor VirgininnS

Df Uulh dl d Nuilhclu lnau grew up
and Was educated in community where hon
cst labor Was considered honorable, but office.
seeking d!sreputablc; where the boast of ped
igree was INDUCED IN by only silly upstairs,
and where mans worth, nobility, aud good
name depended solely upon his own conduct.
a few years previous to our civil war came
to seek D ew home within the invitug border
Of Virginia. Here remained until compelled
to choose between taking up arms against the
government founded by Washington, Jef1er-
sou, and their wise compatrlots and t1sclug
IRON the home had adopted. chose the
latter, volunteered soldier in the U1un
army. served through the unfortunate Conflict,
and tnally, as captive, suffered the seventies
Of five different prisons IN the South
The strife over, returned to Virginia, and
again commenced the peaceful pursuits Of agr-
culture. Durlug all the succeeding years |
have been It ably striving, 10 an humble way,
to perform my part i'll the work Of developing
the rcsout ces aud approving the condition Of
affairs III the old CnmmunWealth [ have
sour lit 10 office III the gift OF the pcol le nor
do L now WISH any such position, especially
when We have so many hungry politicians ready
| 10 serve aud MAKE sacrifices for their noble
State. | have ever abstaiOcd III my inter
course with native Nirgluiaus from any ex
prrSsinns OF Opinions calculated to arouse their
prrjudices, anI have always avoided uupeas-
ant alluSious TO the old system of slavery and
ITS cons, qucnt issues Ga the other hand, |
have euueavorcd TO maintain with them 10 all
business aud social relations the most friendly
aud cordial feelings, always extending 10 every
one OF them who was ready to cooperate 10 the
work ct improvement the right hand of fellow
ship and sympathy. | am ready to do 50 still,
aud ter all the future, regardless of the many
bitter expert noes Of the pat; but as an
| adopted cltiz3n vi near score ut years, aud
with all my interests efforts aud hopes enlisted
FIR the prosperity OF Virginia as faithfully and
| earnestly ~ any native can claim, | RESPECT
fully submit To Vlrguians the question: if
many of the evils of which they ar continually
complaining are MT IN great measure the re.
suit of their own tolcs?
With unsurpassed ma ural resources of every
description all around item, requiring oay
| thorough development u make great wealth
aud prosperity w,tAin their borders, they 60 on
| X umnilng irom day To day aud year 10 y,:ar
about "hald times" loudly curslug the iates
aud valnIy looking far relief to CONF without
any cn!lccmcut Of their own efforts and labor.
1t seems to me that We have too many droncs
III thc public hive who are waiting IN Dreathlrs,
| suspchse Tor 'Som,thiug t. turn up without
| ever putting forth suglc movement to hell,
turn II up; too nauy who iaucying that they
are cmlncntty fitted for legislators aud states.
men, always hold themselves in readiness 10
announcc, just before every election, that. at
the earnest solicitation of many VOTERS they
have consented {, hccome candidates for the
various offices OF trust and profit 10 the gift of
| n ~ lnust mi,
is preferable t, the harder earnings of the
farmer or the n ,chanlc With tho former
calling Is associated honor and ease; with either
OF the latter Degradation aud hardship.
just before the last fall elections the candi-
dates ior half dozen places 10 our Senatorial
district might have been numbered by the
/ hundrcd and recently for Two vacancies ia the
City Council in Alexandria, [ am told that the
honor OF belonging to that noble body was
eagerly cravcd by great plumber of asplrauts;
and even for the poor position of clerk of the
market there was quite Il scramble; and it is
said that for the dzan appointments TO be
made at the orgaulz ton OF our uext State
Legislature there are already in the field more
imam twenty times the humber of applicants
pressing their respective claims upon the
members
All this is lameaabe. The great and grow
among Us. whether on the part of Conscrva-
tives or pu licans, look upon as great
public caanily, which all good and sensible
men canuot too severely relrobate. No won
der the times are "haru' when so many men
arc SO ambitious to serve their State in the
capacity Of utficehodcr.
What Virginia needs most now to raise her
| to her proper place among TIC States, aud give
| her prestige, credit and au honorable name at
home aud abroad, is, | most respectfully sub
nit, not great multitude of hungry aspirauts
for public places-not vast army Of droucs
contributing nothing to the general wealth and
happiness, while continually bewailing the
Hardness Of the times" Noue such as these
will ever give her succor or profit lu this trying
hour of her need. Much idle Iumcntation viii!
not help her; much law making will not give
her relief We have had by far too much of
thaI--tuo much Of making and repeating in
qnlck succession, until no one but lawyer can
| tell What enac! mGt> are III force.
10 the people generally our statute books
are but little better than collection of riddles
What she wants is iudustry-,he industry that
will overcome great difficulties and achieve
great results-urt of the spasmodic kind, but
OF the kind which will continue aud endure.
She wants every man to achieve something
good and usefu for himself aud for those
around him. She wants skilled and intelligent
farmers tn reclaim her broad plains and valleys
from the impress Of neglec and mournul DIES.
olation, and bring them back t, tner ancient
| fertility, to checker them with splendid home
steads, all beautiful and smug with fields of
waving grain, rich pastures, fruitful orchards
| aud vineyards to proclaim the skill OF the bus.
baudman aud the glory Of the Lord She
wants miners and manufacturers to dig out her
great mineral treasures aud prepare them for
market. She wants skilled a tlsans to build
machinery, construct her engines, looms and
mllls: her Wag ans, mowers, repcrs, shoVes and
all the Various implements and tools within
her hnrders in every department of labor with
out being compelled, as she now is, and has
been, to buy tn, N trnm abroad at vast and
lmpoVerlShng outlay OF mouey that should be
kcrt-eVery dollar OF it-at home. More toll
erS are what arc Waited more producers.
The authors Of all of Vlrgiuia's woes have
been Of her own household. All her classics