The nation is in turmoil, and has been for some time. There were already several states to secede from the Union early this year. In January, within days of each other, Mississippi seceded from the Union, with Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas following. What is my own native Virginia about? Why had she acted so tardily and shown such a lack of independence? As you know, several months ago, we started a new government since the one we are under is in such disorder. President Davis is trying desperately to hold us together, a people who are indignantly demanding our freedoms, rightly so! We have even made a Confederate Constitution. It is very similar to the existing document (it is not our wish to forget everything we were based on) but we MUST protect ourselves. The original Declaration of Independence says that, "It is the right of the people to alter or to abolish." Yet, it has not been our right.

General Lee and other reasons are why I am proud to be in Virginia. To recall briefly Richmond's history prior to the Civil War: Captain John Smith first landed here in 1607 at the falls of the James River. The site was the scene of several unsuccessful attempts at settlement. Then Col. William Byrd founded the present City of Richmond by having Major William Mayo lay the town out into lots and promoting a lottery to sell them off. Patrick Henry rang freedom's cry here in 1775 at Saint John's Episcopal Church, then the largest place of assembly that the small, young City could offer. Richmond's first baptism of fire was in 1781 when the traitor, General Benedict Arnold, captured and burned a large part of the town. The population was then only about 1, 800. Chief justice John Marshall was a leading citizen and presided at the famous treason trial of Aaron Burr held in the Capitol

Some topics in this essay:
Black Republican, , Declaration Independence, Judge Jury--we, Ft Sumter, Union Lee, Robert Lee, Capitol Building, Southern Confederacy, Pa Ma, ft sumter,