The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-21
ready to take up arms fn their defenceahSn.
as heis ready to take up ards In their de-

asshesis ready to take up ards In theiride-
i fence now. 49, . .esEsss2ff
UNJUST TAXATION, OPPRESSIVE LAWS AND
oDI0Us STAMP ACTS, ~
eliminated into, war with the mother
country. On Virginia soil Independence
was first proclaimed; (; on Virginia soil the
last great battle was fought and won.
These times. which tried the souls OF men.
called out Washington. Henry, jefferson,
the Lees, the Pendetons, the Randolpbs,
| the Hasons, and q host OF others whose
pames stand high on the roll OF fame. Here
we see the names OF those who we'll deserve
Ito be called statesmen, and who won for
| their State the 5honorsd title Of the q Me-
| ther OF Statesmen" .s.s5.f
welcome you, then, not only to Vlr-
ginia, but to the conservative, loyal Old
Dominion, and to the generous, liberal Mo-
| ther Of States, and the Justly proud Mother
| OF Statesmen. ef4
Time flew on, and years OF prosperity,
happiness, and glory to this great country
rolled by. Not quite century has passed.
and patriotism seems to have given wayto
partisanry, and partisanry has led to fanati-
| cism, and fanaticism has eliminated in the
commission OF crimes Of the deepest dye
The political horizon is darkened by threat
ening war-clouds, and the deafening roar OF
| maddened shouts Of fanatical zealots tell too
plainly that the storm must soon burst In
all its terrible and wasting fury.
Virginia takes her stand for equity and
Justice, for peace and the Union. She says
to her fiery sisters of the South, /" Peace, he
still" and to the maddened and infuriated
States OF the North. -
"rHUs FAR SHALT THOU CONE, But NO FAR
... TIER"
| And now she pleads her conservatism and
| her loyalty; she pleads her generosity and
| liberality; she pleads her ancient renown,
| she pleads her answering love for the
Union; she pleads her glorious service in
the past; she pleads her munifcent gifts to-
make this q great and rich country; she
pleads the valuable services, the gallant
deeds, the glorious memories Of her de-
parted sons; she points to the roll OF fame.
She says, Look at Washington, the Father
of his Country; look at Henry, the Demos
themes OF America; look at Jefferson, the
author OF the Declaration Of Independ-
ence; look at Clay, the Cicero Of the West.
But it was all OF no avail. She saw that the
storm must come, and that she must bear
the mighty shock. Love for the Union,
however great, must now give way for that
deeper, stronger, more ferYent love for
equity, Justice, liberty.
She rises in her majesty, and her clarion
voice Is heard calling to her sons to rally
around her standard and protect her bonor
and preserve her sovereignty. Nobly did
they respond. And Lee, Jackson, Stuart,
and host of living and dead braves, rushed
as leaders to her protection. while from the
mountains and valleys, the plains and the
seahoard, from city and town, from country
and hamlet, gathered
HER BRAVE AND GALLANT SONS,
ready to do and die at her bidding. She
pointed to the once proud temple Of freedom
at the seat OF Government and mourncd
over the disastrous wreck. She pointed to
Monticello, where lay moulderiug in the
grave the bones of Jefferson, who wrote the
wonderful Declaration OF Independence
She pointed to the quiet ard peaceful shades
of Mt. Vernon, where Liberty sat weeping
and silently watching the tomb OF her IA
yorite child. She turned to Church Hill
and pointed to st. Johns, and it seemed as
if Henry rose towering far above the rest,
in form and gesture proudly eminent,
and the loud, thrilling, soul-stirring wordsy
in tones OF thunder, were hetnd: Sc know
not what course others may pursue, but as
for me, give me liberty or give me DEATH"
She waited no longer, but ma1esticaly and
noby barred her bosom to receive the deadly
stroke. For four.y years she was the theatre
for bloody, cruel, and desperate war. Her
green fields were made red with the blood
Of the best OF her citizens. Her people
suffered privatioG, misery, almost starya-
tion. She was stripped OF her property,
despoiled of her rightful territory. sllb-
iected 10 military rule and all the horrors
OF a most wicked despotsm, which no par
tisan ingenuity can justify and no political
I sophstry can pallate.
WELCOME TO THE OLD DOMINION.
+ T welcome you, then, to-day. not only to
old Virginia, not only to the Old Dominion,
not only TO the Mother OF States and States
men, but welcome you rs great iraternal
association OF agricultural patriots to Vir-
ginia as she is, War-Worn and battled-
Scared, but with her great fame unaullicd,
her honor untarnishcd, and her glory un-
dimmed! r s.rTt ..s-s @"..@n
Welcome, brothers! Welcome, sisters,
Welcome to our hearts, and welcome to our
homes. Welcome, and may your united
efforts as agriculturists ''to develop bet
ter and higher manhood and womanhood"
among the great agricultural class be
crowned with q glorious succ cess. May
| YOUR earnest endeayor "to suppress per-
sonal, local sectional, and national pre-
iudices, all unhealthy rivalry, all sell
uSu aluDlllOl, Uc .lICubf 1CNi IA
I great national association OF agricultural
| patriots, recognizing no North, no South.
no East, no West, may you, by united ef-
|forts, return "to the wisdom, justice, pa
ternity, and political purity Of Our, fore
fathers" and,successfully fulfil one great and
peculiar mission OF your great frTterna! or
ganization, the pacitication OF this great
Country This is q work which partisans
can never perfect. Neither the one political
party nor the other political party can ever
span the mighty saH- the late terrible
war opened up. Here is a hurt which no
political party can heal; here is wound,
gaping wide, which no political surgeon
can successfully close. f.... ...s
THE FIRST IllPASSI0NED APPEAL 10 PIBE THE
| ..,.. -'.' SOUTHERN HEART 81
starts the feverish, angry blood to rowing
the first fiaunting "0f the bloody shirt "
tears open afresh the wound not yet healed.
I repeat It: partisan politicians can never
i restore peace-a real, lasting, permanent
peace-to the great sections Of this country
it must be done, il done NJ all, by great
fraterual association Of the real conservative
mass Of agrlculturists, upon whom rest the
prosperity and happiness or the misery anu
woe OF the United States OF America. Faith,
hone, charity. fidelity. and perseverance
must be the watct-words; the motto. eHl-
blazoned on our banners, {" EterEsl ennity
to ALI who would pollute with hostile touch
the sacred ark OF our liberties" must be our
battle.cry. v. t't 49, "LL
sponded to by Mr. Ellis, Of Ohio, on behalf
, Of the body.
! l. f.