Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-06-27

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not Of themselves have offered
sufficient inducement to engage the
attention of Congress for an hour
at that critical period. They would
have been brushed aside and dis
regarded with that cool indiffer-
ence by which all great legislative
bodies prove how easy it is to en-
dure the misery of other people.
West Virginia, indeed, got only
what was equitably due, and what
she was entitled to claim by the
natural right of self-government.
The war brought good fortune to
her as conspicuously as it brought
ill-fortune to the older state from
which she was wrenched.
West Virginia is to be congratu-
lated, and her creditable career
and untiring enterprise since she
assumed the responsibilities of
self-government show how well
she deserved the boon. But the
wounds inflicted on the mother
state by her separation will never
be healed until Virginia is relieved
from the odium Of having been
especially selected from the eleven
seeding states for the punishment
that struck at once against her
prosperity and against her pride Of
empire.
Nor should it he forgotten that
the state of Virginia before the war
might well be regarded as creditor
and not the debtor of the National
Government. One of her earliest
acts of patriotism, as an indepen-
dent state, was the cession to the
Federal Government of her superb
domain on the North end of the
Ohio River, from the sale Of which
more than one hundred millions of
dollars have been paid into the ma
tional treasury. A suggestive con-
trast is presented to-day between
the condition of Texas and Florida.
1t was the aggressive disunionism
of the two latter states which aided
powerfully to directing Virginia
into the rebellion.
But for the urgency Of the seven
original Confederate States, in
which Texas and Florida were num-
bered, Virginia loyalists would
have been able to hold the state
firm in the national allegiance
Since the war Texas has travelled
the highway of wealthand power,
founded on the ownership Of her
public lands, of which the National
Government could have deprived
her with as little difficulty as was
found in dividing Virginia. Florida
has likewise enjoyed general pros
perity and secured rapid develop
ment from resources Of land which
| the National Government had
generously given her before thel
war, and of which she was not de-
prived for her acts of rebellion.
True-hearted American rejoice in
the prosperity Of these states which
adorn the Southern border of the
Republic; but they cannot help see
ing with regret how differently the
ancient Commonwealth Of Vir-
GINA has Jared at the hands of the
National Government. If the hurt
to Virginia were of a general
character which could not be speci-
fed or denied, the cause might be
passed over with the plea of
damnum abSque iWaria. But I'M
fortunately-or itmay be fortunate
ly-the detriment Of her public
creditcan bestated with substantial
precision, and can be traced direct
| ly to her despoilment. That took
from her the power to pay her debt.
If the harm resulting therefrOm
we're confined to the state and to
the holders Of her securities, the
National Government might the
more easily disregard the equities
of the case. But Virginia's en-
barrassment is Of widespread con-
Germ, and injuriously affects the
credit of other states.
Nor can it be said that the pre-
cedent of aiding Virginia could be
quoted for aid to every state that
might get into financial trouble. 1t
fcould be quoted only for the case
which will, perhaps, never again
occur-where the National Gov
eminent shall strip the state of
large and valuable part Of her
ability to meet her obligations. The
precedent might then be quoted,
and should be unheSitatingly fol-
lowed.
In the formal and necessarily
austere administration of public
affairs there is little room for the
Iinterposition of sentiment. Yet
sentiment has its place. We stimu-
late the ardor of patriotism by the
mere display of a flag, which has
no material force, and typifes the
glory of the nation. We stir the
ambition of the living by rearing
costly monuments to the heroic
dead.
1t may surely be pardoned if
Americans shall feel deep person
al interest in the good name and
good fortune of a state so closely
identified with the only renown Of
the Republic-a state with whose
soil is mingled the dust of those to
whom all states and all generations
are debtors-the Father of his
Country, the author Of the Declare
ton of Independence, the chief
protector of the National Constitu-