Valley Virginian

The Earl of Chatham proclaimed in the British Parliament, very near a century ago, "that three million Anglo-Saxon Americans, fighting for their independence and rights, as free born men, once over-powered and conquered and held down by military force, would be sufficient, when wielded by despotic power, to crush the liberties of the rest of the British empire."

His profound observation is likely to be soon confirmed in the history of the American Republic. The stronger section of the Union, wielding the whole power of the common government, succeeded in crushing, by arms, the aspirations of the weaker section for independence and self-government. In order to carry out their arduous undertaking, the Northern people(for the time only, as they fondly supposed,) consented to surrender their liberties into the keeping of the government at Washington.

The war has closed--the North has conquered, the South lies prostrate and helpless at the feet of the government. The Radical party, which assumes to be the government, is fast drawing full power of the State and people toward the Central Despotism, which despotism it is determined at all hazards to control in its own interests. This despotic action became restive and alarmed the shadow of the despotism which held the South in subjection to the North; the signs of the times indicates only that a huge majority of the citizens of the Northern States will be [unclear] approaching general election [unclear] the party in power. But the people of the original free States will bestow the officials of the Electoral College and in the hall of Congress, with the overwhelming powers which they have confided to the Central Despotism, for the purpose of crushing the liberties of the South. The vote of fourteen Southern States; for Kentucky and Maryland will inevitably meet the fate of their Southern Sisters, which they hoped to avoid by "loyalty" to "the old flag," together with the minority vote of the North, which will likely be cast for the Radicals, will give that unscrupulous party another four years leave of power, and less time than that will suffice for their reckless boldness and energy to complete their scheme of despotism for the whole country.

We may be considered visionary in these prognostications, but no careful and candid observer of the times can doubt that this is the programme. By disfranchisement of the whites and enfranchisement of the negroes, the Radicals expect to use the whole influence of the South to consolidate and perpetuate the power of their party, in spite of the protests of the North; or in other words to use the conquered to subdue the conquerors.

In an able article, that sterling journal the National Intelligencer, well and truly says: "The programme is plainly developed. There is not space in a single article to comment on it; but it is but simply this; The Radical party managers, foreseeing their loss of political power in the Northern States, are preparing to make up their losses by the means of a military despotism in the South. Fearing the influence of the Border States, they have determined to reduce Kentucky and Maryland, to begin with, to the same status as the ten Southern States hitherto subjected to Radical military control. Having by fraud and violence, by the outrageous disfranchisement of white voters, and the fraudulent manipulation of the negro vote, secured to themselves the political power of the twelve, and with Tennessee, thirteen States, they would be ready to deal [section unclear]. [Section unclear]from New York and Pennsylvania and Indiana, and other Northern States will be subjected to precisely the same process as that already applied to Kentucky, and soon to be applied to Maryland.

Thus military despotism, with all its attendant frauds and outrages, will be extended over State after State throughout the whole Union. This is what is in store for the deluded and betrayed people of the loyal Northern and Western States. Their loyalty and their rights under the Constitution are to be measured only by their allegiance to the Radical revolutionary cabal."

We have before us a private letter post marked Spring Hill, June 29th, from an officer, distinguished and trusted by our people during the war, now devoting himself to practical "reconstruction" on his farm in Tennessee. It furnishes, in his peculiar way, points of so great interest that we feel it our duty to take the liberty of giving them to the public. he says: "The darkeys here are doing remarkably well, in spite of the most persistent efforts on the part of fanatics and Radicals to make them troublesome. They are getting up 'Loyal Leagues,' and all sorts of abominations, to place them in opposition to their old owners, but so far, without success. The blacks join the processions and seem much flattered by the speeches &c.; sing patriotic songs, and roar at the jokes but have been industrious and obedient thus far. I have tried to catch a cunning old horse, who would eat the ear of corn, but, on sight of the bridle, would suddenly recollect some good grass in another part of the field." This is decidedly the best illustration of the "negro question" we have seen, and the Radicals will appreciate it, when they "show the bridle."

The Examiner puts the blame for the people's want of interest in registering, in the right places. But then the people should find new leaders, and recollect that the great revolution left their old ones five hundred miles behind the age. It says:

"But the general and deplorable apathy which prevails in this State is due, we are ashamed to say, to the unpardonable interests of those leaders to whom the masses have heretofore looked for instruction. Eloquent men, where voices have again and again aroused the people upon ordinary political occasions, have been silent at this crisis in the fate of the white race in Virginia, and yet, if the State is wrested from us by this trick of registration, these gentlemen will be the heaviest sufferers from the very calamity which they might have averted.

There is no section of the State where the people would not turn out en masse if they were properly aroused. In a county near this city, where the blacks greatly outnumbered the whites, a talented and eloquent gentleman delivered an address to the people in one of the magisterial districts, where it was believed the blacks would have outnumbered the whites in registration, two or three to one. In that district the registration has since taken place, and, to the surprise of all, the white has equalled the black population. And this is in a district where there were many more blacks than whites!

We mean in this to show, that by the lightest effort of the thirty or forty thousand majority which we have in the State might readily be induced to register and vote. A single speech in each magisterial district will do the work, and if there are not workers enough in the State to do it, we deserve to be defeated."

Military Commissions and their murdered victim,--a corrupt judiciary, packed juries, perjured witnesses and suborners of perjury in high places of power. A press, licentious and subsidized on the one hand, and gagged and suppressed on the other. A country, once governed by a Constitution and laws, now given over to the reckless and despotic will of the mob which happens to be in power. A Union declared by its founder to be "perpetual," and for the preservation of which millions of lives and treasure were given, deliberately, by solemn legislative enactment, dissolved for partisan ends. A country, which a wise and conciliatory policy would long since have restored to peace and prosperity, still, through the malignity of party, "rent with evil feuds." A constitution, once the pride and hope of mankind, torn and trampled contemptuously under the foot of party. Four millions, happy, well fed and contented laborers, elevated to liberty, suffrage and pauperism. A military supremacy, which rivals and puts to shame the "tottering and effete Despotisms" of the old world. A national debt, in comparison with which, both as to its vast proportions and the rapidity of its accumulation, all other national debts sink to insignificance. A grinding and unequal taxation which the people cannot and will not stand--and probable repudiation, bankruptcy and national dishonor.

"Early Dawn," as Stonewall Jackson used to say, in his orders for moving, found the Augusta Fire Company, their invited guests, and numbers of ladies and gentlemen of Staunton, at the Depot ready for an excursion to Goshen. The "old familiar voice" of the Stonewall Band welcomed the crowd and gave promise of the enjoyment before us. The Committee of Arrangements, headed by the indefatigable and indispensable, John M. Harly, had made ample preparations for the accommodation of all, and the train was soon speeding its way westward, the cheers of the "boys," at everything and everybody on the road, enlivening the way and making one think of the troop trains of other days. At Swoope's Depot a slight accident occurred, which was soon remedied by our pleasant Conductor, Capt. B. G. Warthen. The thirty minutes stay there gave several lazy, nosyly married men, who got up too late for breakfast in Staunton, an opportunity to enjoy a good breakfast at the hospitable table of Mrs. Jacob Dull, over which streak of luck they bragged all day. At nine the train arrived at Goshen, where the party was welcomed by Mr. H. A. Goodloe, Proprietor, and soon every one was made comfortable and felt at home. Some went fishing, others rolled ten-pins, while the majority tripped the "light fantastic toe" to the music of Coleman's String Band. A number of ladies and gentlemen, from the neighborhood, joined the party, and showed it every attention. In the evening, after repeated calls, Y. Howe Peyton, Esq., delivered a spirited and telling address. He was followed by other gentlemen, after which the party took the cars and returned to Staunton, by 8 o'clock, P. M.

Taking it, all in all, this excursion was successful beyond the anticipations of the most sanguine. Nothing occurred to disturb the enjoyment of any one present and the best order was observed by all. The party are under many obligations to Mr. Goodloe for his untiring exertions to render the day pleasant. His house was open, his table supplied with everything desirable and his servants all attention. To fully appreciate an excursion of this kind, where every one feels at home and everybody is agreeable, a person must be a part of it. No detailed account can give anything like an idea of it. Staunton may well be proud of her Fire Companies, her Stonewall Band, and the representative ladies who honored the excursionists with their presence. May an hundred more glorious Fourths find that joyous party assembled at "Goshen on the [unclear]."