Staunton Spectator

Our good old mother, Virginia, being about to be outraged, some have, it is said, doubted whether or not they should advise her, to yield her consent , to avoid , as they supposed, rougher treatment in the act. The honor of a State like the virtue of a woman, cannot be robbed or taken by violence-it can only be given away or lost by the consent of the party ruined.

Virginia has lost all but her honor , and that she should prize as dearly, and guard as jealously, as a woman the jewel of her virtue.-Grievous and oppressive wrongs may be inflicted upon her, vials of infuriate wrath, as hot as fused lava, may be poured upon her head-these she can bear; because they do not affect her good name and reputation; but the sacrifice of her honor , she cannot bear, because that links her name with infamy. Good bless Virginia, and may none of her sons ever do any act inconsistent with her cherished honor.

The honor of Virginia forbids the acknowledgement of the validity of the unconstitutional act of Congress by calling a Convention in accordance with its provisions; or the adoption of the Constitutional amendment, which she so emphatically rejected on the ground that her honor forbade it.

We may add that not only honor, but sound policy, also, forbids the adoption of either of these propositions. If these outrages be forced upon us as against our consent, all the odium justly attaching to them belongs to the perpetrators and they would be delighted if we would relieve them of that odium by consenting to their perpetration. By consenting, we become parties to the act, and change its character from a gross outrage forced upon us to a self-imposed abasement.

Honor and sound policy demand that Virginia, and the other Southern States, should stand firmly by their rights, and resolve to bear with heroic fortitude whatever may be forced upon them. Their motto, so far as oppressive Federal legislation is concerned, should be:-- "Masterly inactivity and heroic fortitude."

The South should not suffer her equanimity to be disturbed-she should be as calm as the sleeping ocean and as firm as the rock-ribbed mountains.

We think we know the character of the citizens of their county, and , if we be not egregiously mistaken, no degree of oppression will induce them to do any act, or yield their voluntary consent to any act, which would directly or indirectly derogate from their character, as an honest, high-minded and patriotic community, faithful and true to the constitutional liberties of the people, and will, therefore, not consent to reorganize the validity of any unconstitutional act passed by Congress.

A State has a moral as well as a political conscience-the former considers what is right, the latter what is expedient. At Athens these were represented respectively by Aristides and Themistocles, when the former said, in substance, what Themistocles recommends would promote the interest of Athens, but it would not be right .

Both the moral and political conscience of Virginia would be violated, in our opinion, by either the adoption of the constitutional amendment, or the recognition of the validity of the force bill by calling a Convention in accordance with its provisions, as the adoption of either course would be both wrong and inexpedient. A State, like an individual, cannot afford to violate its moral conscience.

In discussing, with what we conceive to be the proper spirit, whether the Legislature should do anything by which they would recognize the validity of the unconstitutional and oppressive measures of Congress, the Lynchburg News , asks: Shall we tamely surrender every constitutional right, acknowledge ourselves without the pale of law, and admit that our political privileges, our property, our liberty and our lives, are held at the mercy or caprice of the Radicals in Congress?

We concur with the News that if we are determined to find relief at all from the tyrannical oppressions of the Radical party, it can only be had through the reaction of the popular mind at the North. If this be granted it follows, as a matter of course, that the more flagrant the usurpations, the more palpable the violations of the Constitution, the more tyrannical the outrages enacted by this party, the more certainly and speedily will this reaction occur. In this light, then, the very indignities which we suffer, and the additional wrongs with which we are threatened, may under Heaven, prove the most efficient means for bringing about the destruction of that party which was perpetuated these enormities.

Let us never accept as valid a bill which abrogates every night we ever enjoyed; let us never renounce every attribute of manhood; surrender unconditionally every legal safe-guard thrown around our property and our lives by virtue of the Constitution, and cravenly acknowledge our own unworthiness to live, except at the mercy of such men as Stevens and his myrmidons.

A Washington letter in the Baltimore Gazette says that a bill has been prepared providing for extensive confiscations of southern landed estates. The idea that the "military bill" is the crowning enormity, that it contains the ultimatum of the Radicals, that it is as intended as a finality, is openly derided by all prominent members of the dominant party, adds the same letter. They say they have applied the "entering wedge"--their ultimate design is to seize upon every inch of southern soil. I understand that the confiscation bill I have alluded to was seen by Mr. Johnson, your Senator, and that this knowledge of the existence of such project is alleged by him in palliation of his vote upon the military bill.

The following is the joint resolution on the suffrage question, which passed the Kansas Legislature: Resolved , That the proposition to strike the word "male" from section one of article five of the constitution of the State is hereby submitted to the electors of the State for ratification or rejection, in compliance with section one of article fourteen of the constitution.

The prisoner, Martin H. Lotts, who attempted some time since to effect his escape by burning through the floor of his cell, was about to make his escape on Saturday night last, when it was discovered by his fellow prisoner, Alex W. Greaver, who made him desist. By means of knives and a file furnished by his wife, concealed between the soles of shoes presented to him by her, Lotts had severed his hobbles and a bar of the window, and was about attaching a rope by which to effect his escape, when he was discovered by Greaver. A flight ensued between these prisoners, in which we believe, both were considerably hurt.

We have several times called attention to the fact that the Ladies' Memorial Association of this place will hold a Fair and give a Dinner on the 4th Monday of this month, to provide means to prosecute the work on the Soldiers Cemetery which the ladies have undertaken with such laudable spirit. We hope that liberal contributions will be sent in from all parts of the country and from adjoining counties. The contributions will be sent in from all parts of the county and from adjoining counties. The contributions should be deposited with Capt. Chas. Arnall at the Va. Central R. R. Depot. We have been informed that the Stage lines and R. R. will not charge for contributions of provisions carried by them for the benefit of the Fair.

March 2nd 1867

Wm. B. Kaysor, James A. Piper, John M. Hardy, A. M. Bruce and F. M. Young were appointed Commissioners to Superintend, and Wm. Craig of the officer to conduct the election to be held at the Court House on the Wednesday after the first Monday in April next, for a Mayor, a Sergeant, and eleven persons to serve as Recorder, Alderman and Commissioners.