The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-02-21

and all agrees in scenting the idea thai
Col Terrill furnished the brains for Gov
Le,cher's administration, but, each one
ret.res with the modest lnsinustion tha
whatever extra brains the Governor may
have had need OF, that he (deponent) wal
the individual who afforded the supply
will take back part of that last state
ment. The modest ins!nuation was maoe
by only two of them. The third one, the
specialized gentleman who presldes over
the Military Institute at Lexington, doe'
not clotbe bis arrogance with modesty
but boldly asserts that the most import
ant State document was written by Gov
Le,cher at the suggestion, and in stric'
accordance with the expressed views o.
him-Gen. Francis Il. Smith. There
something SO ludicrous in this voluntary
statement of Gen. Smith, as to the value
OF his own suggestions to the Governor
as to provoke smile from mummy
His letter is voluntary tribute to the
intellectual .powers OF his chief, YET
makes the compliment an exceedingly
doubtful one by reminding the exec
utive of having written an exceedingly
foolish message TO the Convention IN de-
fen ~ of his administration against the
many attacks made upon it from various
quarters, and bow that he, the astute and
iar-ugbted member of his own council,
prevailed upon him to put the foolish
message into drawer and sit upon 1t all
night 10 write a new and different one
according TO the suggestion OF this vsiua'
bic mentor. But such vain and egotistic'
al cor ceit Is characteristic OF a man
who, in the beginning Of the late war,
aspired to the Office Of Cammsnder-ln-
Chief of the Confederate armies; but
whose courage and military abilities
were SO Justly appreciated b. the Con-
federste Government tnat he was gwen
the inferior rank OF Colonel, ana
being furnished with q lew
old brass cannon, was sent
down to Crsney Island, where 1t was
known that the Yankees would not IND
him in thousand years. In the course
of time Gov. Letcher appointed HIM
Msior. General OF Militia and sent him
back 10 the Institute to drill cadets the
remainder of the war. Such was the IN
glorious termination Of the military
career of the military chieftsin with the
gold spectscies, whose eonceit led him TO
seek the station so brilliantly filled by
the great Lee.
will Rot pursue this subject further,
ss it is useless 10 resurrect the records OF
sn anliquated clsss of Virginians whose
counsels were prompt to precipilstc her
into a ruinous war, and whose services
were not rendered TO extricste her from
the destruction. If there be one curse
more than another with which Virginia
Is now afflicted, 1t is q superfuIty OF old
foeies. The result of their ststesmanshlp
was 10 pile up q mountain OF debt and
then plunge the Commonwealth into an
sbyss Of ruin. and as the old vessel lies
stranded upon the rocks whittier they have
driven her, these old wreckers appear
c!smoring for the possession OF what
ever remains of value. They bave fss-
tened themselves like bsrnscles to the
null, and with the pertensclty OF wreat-
ling Jacob, will not let it 60" There
is a melancholy comfort in the thought
that of the patriotic Nirginians who
loved their State with dislnterested de-
votion. her Ballard Preston, her Bald
win, her Summers, sons, whose voices
were raised in earnest protest against the
destructive policy OF secession, have not
survived the ancient glory OF their
Israel, and that the gallant spirit whose
arms upheld her honor IN the bitter
struggle, her Lee, her Jackson, her
Stuart, have gone to that rest where no
political wreckers can disturb the holy
quiet of,their sleep. 49,.
There were some OF US who bitterly
opposed that policy which took advant-
ace OF state of war 10 carve West Vlr-
rinis out OF the old State. II was u
Cusaresn operation, but in the light OF
subsequent events, | for one from the
bottom of my heart thar X the men whose
brave hands and bold hearts did It. Ii
| have any regret 1t is that l was not
shsrer in the honor which has given our
State u proud position IN the slsterhood
of States, has advanced our materls!
prosperity and above all has freed Us
from the political hacks who brought
ruin upon Virginia, and whose woinsh
propensities stimulate them TO feed upon
the carcass OF their victim.
1.-THE rising generation of Virginisni
desire 10 restore their commonwealth tc
its former position of power and great,
ness they must take determined stand
and cut loose from the fossil weight;
which are dragging them down. Pros
perl,y will never again dawn upon then
feld: until, the people of the whole State
do As the county OF RocSbridge did In the
as, elec,ion-bury their hacks so deer
,ns, there will be no political resurrection
for them. " u II
Qorerl,ck, FEB. IA, 1878.