The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-18
A Word About Heroes.

A Word About Heroes.
ga Democrat" In the Cupeper Eypo-
nens quotes from the Dispatch the para
graph following:
"Noshng gratifcs us more than the cor
dial goodwill which has always existed be-
tween the STATE and the Dispatch. We
prize above rubies a compliment from our
good friend; but his undeseryed praise
shall not prevent Us from saying that the
State did invaluable service in the late
campaign. II was sui generis. Without
It's aid the battle might have been -. No.
The people would have won the victory
even without Barbour"
And comments upon It as follows:
eve clip from the Dispatch the fore
going deserved compliment TO the Rich
mond state, and. while we are willing to
accord due credit to the combined Efforts
OF the Democratic press and the appoint
ed managers and orators In this cam.
paign. vet we do not think that this
victory has been won by any man or set
Of men. or by any paper or set OF papers,
hut IL was the work Of the people. who
had risen in their united might, after
having been trodden and stung by the
iron heel Of tyranny. bruised and bleed
Ing, their patience and endurance having
accomplished naught. In the strength
OF their wrath. enhanced by their keen
sense Of bitter injustice, they conceived,
concerted, procured together, the tide that
swept over the land and bore the ship OF
State through 4 perilous sea TO the shore OF
victory. from whence Is yet rcsoundlng
their united rejoicing. Let those III com
mand relax not their vigilance, for breakers
IL. ,.h ~ them
and carry away the rich cargo with which
she Is freighted. Great would be the dis
appointment were she TO return disman-
tied and plundered by mutineers in her
own crew."
Two nembers-elect OF The House OF
Delegates said to us iocularly last week
that the Dispatch and the State were
claiming the credit Of the recent Demo
cratic victory. This is mistake. What
ever those papers have said OF and to one
another, they know well, and both OF them
are ready TO acknowledge, that it was the
peoples victory, won by the people them
selves.
Nevertheless, there must be somebody
to represent by his name or his pres
ence the defeat Of MALONE, and that
somebody happens to be Mr.. BAR
-FOUR. 1t is folly to fight against Fate.
CARLYLE says that all men are man.
wOrshippers, i'm a greater or less degree.
Virginians are men, and Mr.. BARBOUR is
their hero at present. We notify all con-
cerned that they might as well reconcile
themselves TO the fact, confess 1t, and act
accordingly. 1t is a trait in human nature
which always manifests itself aftera victory
of any sort. In Texas, General SAM HoUs-
TON represented the idea OF the defeat OF
the Mexicans, and even he was idolZed.
General WASHINGTON, General JACKSON,
General HARRISON, General TAYLOR,
and General GRANT all owed their election
to the presidency Of the United States to
the fact that the people would have q hero
after victorious battle. The immense
number Of statues erected in Great Britain
to the Duke Of Wellington prove what
great general NAPOLEON B0NAPARTE was.
The man who led the army that defeated
him was accorded by his countrymen UNI
merited honors no doubt; but the people
selected him as representing best the idea
of victory.
Great let me call him, since he conquered me-"
are the words put into the mouth OF mill
tary hero. The people paraphrase this
verse whenever they think they have found
hero, and cry
Great LET us call him, since he conquered ~
whomsoeyer he has conquered. ACHILLES
dragging the body OF HECTOR three times
round the walls of Troy was not by any
means a magnanimous hero, but TO the
..long-haired Greeks" and "his faithful
Myrmidons" he was the grandest OF he
roes.
Yes, Mr.. BARBOUR is upon a pedestal.
The man does not live who can take him
down-at present.
When we took up our pen we had no
intention OF writing such an article as this
has grown to be. We beg that nobody
shall misunderstood Us. We are not COM
hitting ourselves to the support OF Mr..
BARBOUR for any office. We do not know
that he desires any, though we have he'd
opportunities enough to know it ii 1t were
s.. II there were any offices 10 be filled
just now, and be desired the highest OF
them, he would get it. KEMPER could
have gone TO the United States Senate in
1872 by Il unanimous vote OF the Demo-
crats in the General Assembly OF Virginia.
BARBECUE is more popular now than KEN.
PER was then. But "who can tell what q
day may bring forih"f We have come 70
the point where we must speak, II at all, OF
the future; and so we stop.