The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-16

Estate Of rester.lay.]


Tho GRAND Democratic demonstration OF
Tuesday night brought to the minds OF
some of us one thought among the exult-
ing ones on that grand OCCASION
thought not untinged by melancholy. III
was the remembrance OF those true spirits
which. blazing for the last time, went
ont In the hour when Virginia was en-
compassed I'm gloom, and when the wall
over the demolition OF peoples iree-
dom was heard over the Union. Yet the
fire o. those brave souls before forever
ouenched liz up the blaze which has To-
day swept yirginia's defamers from her
soil and burned their polluting members 10
ashes. The fire OF noble sentiments, OF
fearless words, OF Underwriting purpose,
was not VAN. The struggle OF MANHOOD
against subserviency was not hopeless. ana
the cheers OF the multitude swelling one
grand pecan were but echoes OF the voices
which, lifted in defence OF Virginia. were
not smothered in the grave. :,
Dry Natural Philosophy says ga sounn
once in existence is always in existence
and because we do not now hear tue
words spoken ten years ago isowing 10 tne
fact that our ears are not acute enough 10
catch the swelling Of these sound-waves
recedng like water-rings in stu sea.
II is solemn and glorious reflection mat
the tones OF the trlie-healted are now
swelling, roll on roll, through the
limitless ether. While TO our hear
Ing they are beyond recall, they ave
and flow always onward beyond the
worlds rim and rustic among the stars.
How often to grand sentiments were these
words the wings lifting to heights whefc
great aspirations soar. How often were
these utteIances. now trembling Il muiled
repetition, sent up from hearts crushing;
with grief over the debasemcnt OF the SOIL
Of their allegiance.
Whether the hearts Of these patriots
broke beneath sorrow at the degradation OF
Virginia. they never failed to ring out Tue
assertion that Virginia would one day De
redeemed by her people. And that has
come to pass, and we miss them now III
our time of rejoicing.
We recall the earnest and unialtering de-
yotion OF James A. CUwardin, and rs we
exnlt over the salvation OF his loved Com
monwealth. we can but remember what
would have been his Joy at this time. HIS
pen was the earliest to indict the arch
enemy of the state. and long after sickness
had wrecked the physique OF the man the
palsied fingers still penned the patriotic
promptings OF the keen intellect and trans
lated the language OF loyal heart to Viz
ginia. This is the hour OF the vlndicatlon
of all he said, and the consciousness OF how
he would have eXlllted with us lends sad
interest to our iubilation.
We recall brave, true sam. Swami. oil
Caroline. He fell when the cloud was
darkest over Virginia, and when the de-
moniac gloatngs Of her Calibans were iOul-
est. Yet he was undismayed, and the ring
of his voice was to the last for Virginia
and in contempt for the traitors who dis
praced her. He saw the light ahead which
now in splendid meridian illumines our
horizon.
We recall man who, hidden from the
gaze of the world by his mercantile ayoca-
ton. carried in his bosom heart which
swelled with a rare devotion for his native
State. We remember that before the wasted
frame fell for the last time 1t was erect
with the proud consciousness that virgil
mans were not recreant; that the day OF
her yindication was in the front, to which
he could point, but could not reach.
You young men will see the day." he
said. "but / will be gone" We recall
the man and the occasion. when Richard
Meade, Of Richmond, spoke the last words
we ever heard him utter: and now, though
the patriotic citizen is removed from our
midst, we would have place on the roll OF
honor for his name.
They are vindicated to-day. To us they
needed no vindication, but the world now
understands their cause and for what they
struggled. Their names are not written
in water. Their principles are now upon
the banner-stafI, and the civilized world
by honoring their cause honors their me-
m0ry.