Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/362

 356 Southern Historical Society Papers.

indiscriminate plunder and murder. That all the residue of our property has been subjected to confiscation, and that our substance is to be taken to pay the expenses incurred by our enemies in a war now waged by them to replenish their exhausted treasury. That the wanton ruin already brought upon our people is not only to be patientlyand meekly endured without atonement or redemption, but we are to expect a double measure of desolation as a punishment for our offences. That even in case of submission Virginia, our own beloved Commonwealth, is not to be restored to her ancient bound- aries, but our territories are to be partitioned among rulers not recognized by our people nor sanctioned by our laws. That Vir- ginia, with her proud record and acknowledged fame, is to be sub- jected to the dominion of Bozeman and Pierpoint,* and the bones of the mighty dead and the monuments of our greatness are to be placed under their guardianship and care. Under these circum- stances, we are driven, no less by " the eternal law of self-preserva- tion" than by the exalted sense of patriotic duty, to continue our resistance and to fight on, fight ever, with a renewed devotion to our cause and a holy purpose under Divine favor to purchase our inde- pendence ; therefore

Resolved, That we deem no sacrifice too great and no loss too heavy which will ensure our eternal separation from the dominion of our hated foes. In the language of our national anthem we pro- claim :

" Let independence be our boast,

Ever mindful of its cost,

Ever grateful for the prize,

Let its altars reach the skies."

Resolved, That no nation is worthy of liberty that will not defend it against all invaders. That the people who prefer to submit to the degradation of begging another government for the privilege of living in their own homes, of using their own property, and of acquiring happiness in their own way, arc too pusillanimous to war for liberty and life. That we hold them, therefore, who would endeavor to reconstruct the Union, thus desecrated and perverted from its original purposes, to be traitors to our government and enemies to their country.


 * Bogus governors.