The Memories of Fifty Years | Page 8

and
every one aspiring to lead in the land was expected to be a fine speaker.
This method, and the manner of voting, forced an open avowal of
political opinion. Each candidate, upon the day of election, took his
seat upon the bench of the judge in the county court-house, and the
suffragist appeared at the bar, demanding to exercise his privilege in
the choice of his representative. This was done by declaring the names
of those he voted for. These peculiar institutions cultivated open and
manly bearing, pride, and independence. There was little opportunity
for the arts of the demagogue; and the elevation of sentiment in the
suffragist made him despise the man, however superior his talents, who
would attempt them. The voter's pride was to sustain the power of his
State in the national councils, to have a great man for his Governor;

they were the representatives of his class, and he felt his own
importance in the greatness of his representative. It is not to be
wondered at, under these circumstances, that Virginia held for many
years the control of the Government, furnishing Presidents of
transcendent abilities to the nation, and filling her councils with men
whose talents and eloquence and proud and independent bearing won
for them, not only the respect of the nation's representatives, but the
power to control the nation's destinies, and to be looked upon as
belonging to a superior race.
There were wanting, however, two great elements in the nation's
institutions, to sustain in its pride and efficiency this peculiar advantage,
to wit, the entailment of estates, and the right of primogeniture. Those
landed estates soon began to be subdivided, and in proportion as they
dwindled into insignificance, so began to perish the prestige of their
proprietors. The institution of African slavery served for a long time to
aid in continuing the aristocratic features of Virginia society, though it
conferred no legal privileges. As these, and the lands, found their way
into many hands, the democratic element began to aspire and to be felt.
The struggle was long and severe, but finally, in 1829 or 1830, the
democratic element triumphed, and a new constitution was formed,
extending universal suffrage to white men. This degraded the
constituent and representative alike, and all of Virginia's power was
soon lost in the councils of the nation. But the pride of her people did
not perish with her aristocracy; this continued, and permeated her entire
people. They preserved it at home, and carried it wherever they went.
Those whose consideration at home was at zero, became of the first
families abroad, until Virginia pride became a by-word of scorn in the
western and more southern States. Yet despite all this, there is
greatness in the Virginians: there is superiority in her people,--a
loftiness of soul, a generosity of hospitality, a dignified patience under
suffering, which command the respect and admiration of every
appreciative mind.
Very soon after the Revolution, the tide of emigration began to flow
toward Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia. Those from Virginia who
sought new homes went principally to Kentucky, as much because it
was a part of the Old Dominion, as on account of climate and soil.
Those from North Carolina and South Carolina preferred Tennessee,

and what was then known as Upper Georgia, but now as Middle
Georgia; yet there was a sprinkling here and there throughout Georgia
from Virginia. Many of these became leading men in the State, and
their descendants still boast of their origin, and in plenary pride point to
such men as William H. Crawford and Peter Early as shining evidences
of the superiority of Virginia's blood.
Most of these emigrants, however, were poor; but where all were poor,
this was no degradation. The concomitants of poverty in densely
populated communities--where great wealth confers social distinction
and frowns from its association the poor, making poverty humility,
however elevated its virtues--were unknown in these new countries.
The nobler virtues, combined with energy and intellect, alone conferred
distinction; and I doubt if the world, ever furnished a more honest,
virtuous, energetic, or democratic association of men and women than
was, at the period of which I write, to be found constituting the
population of these new States. From whatever cause arising, there
certainly was, in the days of my early memory, more scrupulous truth,
open frankness, and pure, blunt honesty pervading the whole land than
seem to characterize its present population. It was said by Nathaniel
Macon, of North Carolina, that bad roads and fist-fights made the best
militia on earth; and these may have been, in some degree, the means of
moulding into fearless honesty the character of these people. They
encountered all the hardships of opening and subduing the country,
creating highways, bridges, churches, and towns with their public
buildings.