Staunton Spectator

It must be a source of pleasure to our citizens to witness the activity and animation which pervades all departments of business in our community. At no former period has there been so much energy, industry and thrift among our people. New buildings are going up in all quarters, and stores and workshops are multiplying and the demand for houses still continues. The present crop of grain, with one stock of old corn on hand, will bring near one million of dollars into our county. Our streets are daily thronged with wagons, loaded with flour, corn and rye, and our enterprising merchants give liberal prices for all kinds of produce.-The apple crop of the present season will also be a source of large revenue, and the time is at hand when our farmers will be forwarding quantities of hogs, sheep and cattle to market. The vast production of the Valley must soon fill the pockets of the farmers, and relieve the pecuniary pressure which has heretofore weighed on our people.

All that we need is the assurance of future peace and quiet, in political matters. When this is afforded by the results of the elections in the Northern States, which are now at hand, we shall witness an era of prosperity heretofore unparalleled.

Our farmers have shown wonderful elasticity under the difficulties which have heretofore surrounded them. They have promptly accommodated themselves to the new order of things. They are rapidly substituting machinery for negro labour. They have bought hundreds of reapers, mowers, wheat drills, sulky ploughs, and other implements of the best descriptions. They have bought, liberally, guano, bone dust, and other fertilizers, and many are using lime and ashes as manures. An unusually large crop of wheat have been sown, and it has been put in, in good time, and with great care and labour. The recent rains will give the wheat crop a good start, and without some unexpected disaster, we may hope for a bountiful crop next year.

But we are sorry to learn that a large part of the trade of the Valley is being diverted from Richmond, to other cities. We learn from the officers of our banks that they find their balances rapidly accumulating in Baltimore, instead of Richmond, and drafts on New York are now freely offered. This indicates that our products are finding a market in those cities. Formerly almost every thing was sold in Richmond. Our Richmond friends must look to this. New York dealers are coming among us and securing all the fine flour of the Valley. Thousands of barrels are brought here, and shipped either directly through Richmond, to New York, or by the Alexandria and Lynchburg R. R. to Baltimore. Our Richmond merchants must rouse themselves to new efforts, or they will find a large part of their trade diverted from them.-The Valley flour is of superior quality, and the New York and Baltimore merchants have discovered the fact, and are striving to monopolize it. In Richmond there has been an "old fogy" idea that none but the Richmond "City Mills" can make good flour. Our mills, though not as extensive as those of Richmond, make quite as good, if not better flour, than that made in Richmond, because they have better material to operate on. The Valley wheat is superior to the lowland wheat, and it is housed in spacious barns, instead of being stacked or ricked.-Hence the wheat is in better condition and makes better flour. Sagacious men from New York have discovered this fact, and have formed connections here to out-bid Richmond for our flour, and secure the control of our trade.-When Valley four goes to Richmond it is put on the level with ordinary Eastern flour and brings no higher prices. New York men, availing themselves of this blunder of our Richmond friends, are rapidly securing all the flour of the Valley and sapping the foundations of Richmond trade. Northern agents are here too secure the fruit crop of the Valley for the New York market.

We repeat, our Richmond friends must bestir themselves, and counteract this diversion of trade, which should legitimately belong to them. Why is it that corn is worth $1.35 in Baltimore and only $1.27 in Richmond?-and why is it that farmers can do better by selling to New York agents in Staunton, than by forwarding Richmond? These matters must be looked into and remedied, or Richmond will be left in the lurch.

"The only argument we have ever seen advanced in favor of voting for negro Conventions in the Southern States is this: that if our people do not vote for such Conventions they will not get back into the Union, and Congress will proceed at once to impose greater burdens upon us than we now endure. The design of this argument is to appeal to the fears, ambitions and selfishness of the masses, and compel them to vote to negroize their section of the Union.-These specious pretences may deceive for a time "little wanton boys that swim on bladders in a sea of glory," but they are far beyond the depth and unworthy the sense and sanction of wise and patriotic men. To adopt a State Constitution imposing universal negro suffrage upon our people will be a "frost, a killing frost," that will nip the root of our social and political systems, and make us fall as Lucifer fell, never to hope again!

1. What are the facts in the case? The first fact is that we are not out of the Union at all! For four years the people of the South fought to get out, and to maintain the right of secession, while the people of the North asserted precisely the contrary, and successfully maintained it. They declared that the Southern States were not out of the Union, and could not fight out or get out. We are, therefore, certainly in the Union, and every citizen is clearly entitled to all the rights of citizenship under the constitution, until he is convicted of treason, rebellion or other crime under the laws of the land. But a revolutionary and tyrannical Congress, influenced by base partizan purposes have resolved to ignore all these clearly defined principles and rights, and not only to legislate us out of the Union, but to impose upon us the most grinding exactions and usurpations! Will it not, therefore, be the extreme of folly and timidity for our people to do more than submit to this despotic rule? Can we, without dishonor and ruin, vote to impose upon ourselves negro suffrage and negro equality, and transform our State governments into the most grinding despotisms at the bidding of a corrupt and lawless Congress?

2. The second fact to be considered in refutation of this view of reconstruction is this:--Can Congress impose upon the people of the South anything more odious and oppressive than it has already inflicted "outside the constitution?" We assert that it can do no such thing. Congress has already converted ten States into Territories and placed them under absolute military despotism. Neither our lives, liberty or property and any longer free from violation or abuse, but completely at the mercy of our military commanders. A large portion of our best citizens are disfranchised, and all the white population of these States are made subject to the domination of a different race and color. It is absurd to suppose that Congress can impose upon us a more odious or detestable system of despotism than this. Military rule and Congressional rule are infinitely preferable to negro rule. Congress had better confiscate our property than for our former slaves to do it under State supremacy. In fact, property will be worthless when the negroes take possession of our State and local governments, and the protection of the military is withdrawn from us.

It is manifest, therefore, from this reasoning that for the people of the South to seek to get back into the Union under negro governments, is far greater folly than for them to remain where they are under the protection of white military officers.

On the 30th inst., the following question was discussed:--Ought capital punishment be abolished? Powell Harrison, Esq., and Col. Bolivar Christian in the affirmative, and Rev. G. B. Taylor and Col. Baldwin in the negative, which was decided by a vote of 10 against 6 in the negative.

We nominate, as a suitable gentleman to represent you in the approaching Convention. Mr. CHARLES DOUGLAS GRAY, the Register in Bankruptcy for this district.

In presenting his name we have no eulogy to pronounce, but venture to suggest, that if superior attainments, spotless purity of character, and thorough sympathy with the conservative portion of the people in the State, be qualifications for the position, he, in a rare degree, possesses them.

If Mr. G will announce himself a Candidate for the position he will receive the cordial support of MANY VOTERS.

Town papers are requested to copy.