A Defence of Virginia

In the wake of the Civil War, this stirring essay offers the voice of a former Confederate soldier who feels compelled to defend his native Virginia—and, by extension, the entire South—against the sweeping judgments of the victorious North. Written in 1867, it confronts the “sectional party” and the growing abolitionist movement, insisting that the moral and social order once embodied by the Southern states remains worthy of consideration. The author frames his case as both a personal tribute to his mother’s memory and a broader appeal to a sense of justice that he believes has been eclipsed by political conquest.

The work intertwines legal, political, and deeply religious arguments, portraying abolitionism as a dangerous, almost Jacobin, force that threatens Christian civilization and democratic stability. By invoking scripture, constitutional heritage, and the lived experience of a war‑torn region, the writer seeks to preserve the principles he sees as intrinsic to Virginia’s identity. Listeners will encounter a poignant, unapologetic perspective that captures the fervent patriotism and lingering hopes of a defeated South striving to keep its narrative alive.