Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1832-02-16

Virginia, I have known many men, OF
neither political nr moral ovation,
nor competent minds, exalted for no
other reason than that they never had
an opinion. These are the bold navi-
gators that always float down the
stream. and would shrink from the
slightest ripple raised by manly oppo.
sition TO popular feeling or prejudice:
But would fcrsske the ship and make the shorr
When the winds whistle and the tsmpests roar -
Such, however, were not the men
who planted the colony in tie wilder
ness Of New England.
There is little cant about a Virgin
ian; his purpose is open, and his means
are bold. lie regards words less than
things, and, having secured the sub
stance, cares little for the shadow
The English names are retained over
all the state, and there is no iecisIa.
ton TO change ancient and royal titles
TO words OF more republican import.
Some of the counties are King Will
liam. King George, King and Queen,
Prince Edward, Prince William, and
Princess Anne. williamsburg, which
was named in honor Of the king, has,
to do royalty the more honor, parallel
streets in the form of w. Ii is fortu-
nate for the town that the monarch's
initial was not n.
Gaudef equo. A virginian loves
his horse and is at home on the race
course; the horses are excellent, and,
to lind better, you must 60 to the de-
sert. A Virginian will stake much
on favoriie animal. and. if he lose,
will pay cheerfully, and willing payer
Is generally rs hard TO be found as
cheerful giver." The generosity or
profuseness Of planter, however,
somestimcs, reduces him to borrow be
fore his crops are sold, and note ton.
sors thrive in Virginia as we'll as else
where. Ayarice tlourishes most by
the side OF prodigality, and a miscr is
never so well placed as @Lcn among
spendthrifts. As they deal much TO !.
gether in their lives, so, after death
according TO Dante) they are not di-
yided. The poet describes them as
laboring eterpal!y in rolling huge stones
from opposite and back, and upbraid-
ing each other when they meet in the
middle space, the one party with, "why
dost thou grasp!" and the other with
'why dost thou SCATTER"
However, though iB Virginia the
usurcrs grow rich, the planters do not
become poor; il is but at one season
they borrow, and these are not half of
the whole. nor do they borrow much.
A person in Virginia who would plead
usury to defeat contract in which he
had been muIc,ed fifty per cent. would
be pelted even from q negro house he
would have to fee the land, for honor
there IS as strong A. Law.
The people Of Virginia are not gene
rally 40 deyout, that IL might not be
lawful, IN some parts of the Common.
wealth, TO apply funds for the coaver
sion OF the heather. The churches
are STEW and far between" The peo-
pie go Ia the churches when any are
near, that IS, when within n dozen
miles, for here notions Of space arc
liberal but they are much inclined,
when assembled, 60 get into groups
and talk loudly upon worldly matters,
such as politics and horses. Under
the colonial government. when the
church was conjunct sIth the state,
every parish was bound to support
minister, who had his glebe ard salary
paid in tobacco. In our Isle Of Shoals,
at this dav, the clergy man is paid in
dried goldfish, but at so low a rate, that
he is himself obliged TO follow the a
postoIic employment. These islands
we're once called by 'Captaine Smith, >
after bis own name; but names are bot
transitory things. Tobacco, YOU know,
was once legal tender in Virginia. N
clam shells are in Iimbuc too; and to.
bacco notes or receipts from the in.
speetor circulate TO this day. Per.
haps you remember that the colonial
churches in The lower part Of Virginia.
(Which, unlike the ediices in the State
generally are buiItin astyle spproach.
( ing TO nestness,) were constructed Of
imported bricks But they have all
gone Co decay; shrubs grow within the
walls, and birds and bats build in the
larchcs.
Sunday is a day whereon no Vir-
I einian will dine alone " he can have
his neighbor; and truly there il q good
dinner. Ham. (smsck your lips. man,
It's the Virginia ham, Is every day
on the table, supported by cabbage. or
a dish Of green's. There - no dinner
on any day without these. After din
ner, few people here arc averse 10 the
h'lar'ty that comes FROM glass Of good
vine. FOE the grape - honDred even ~
the region OF mint juleps aud snt'fog.
mates. Nobody .hoWever, dies Of apo.
pieSyj for men aud boys are always
mOunted--and often ride twenty miles
To dinc.
There are few good inns IN Virginia
why The people arc ~ bospiiablr.
ihat there ere snsl gleauinss ior pub