The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-01
he PRESIDENTS VIRGINIA TOUR.
70 Return HOmeward, and the Reception at
Fredericksburg.

Our special Correspondence.

and suite leIt the CITY OI dSuinSIoH, oVoH"o
river and the Chesapeake bay, for Old Point Com.
fort and the Rip-raps. Within week they have
seen great deal of old Virginia, and have enjoyed
the most fattsrng evidences of the hospitality of
her people at, every town. The reception at Old
Point, and the ball-the reception at Norfolk-the
reception at Hill Carter's, and Col Harrisons, on
the James riyer-the reception by the citizens of
Richmond and by the Constitutional State COnven-
ton at the pol and the very enthusiastic reception
to-day by the ancient little city of Fredericksburgh
were all caloulated to impress upon Mr.. Fillmore
the very gratifying fact that the people of Virginia
satisfied with his administration, and sincerely
grati6ed to see him, and to welcome him among
them in their proud old commonwealth.
The President, and Mr.. Stuart. the Secretary Of
the Interior and Mr.. Hall, the Postmaster General,
and MIR. John o. Sergeant, the litter writing editor
Of the Republic, accompanied by a committee of
the State Convention, in behalf of the State and
by a committee Of invitation from Fredericksburgh;
and by Mr.. James G. Bishop, the accomplished,
indefatigable, and perseveriDg official reporter of
the interminable pow-wowing of the convention;
and by Mr.. r. II. Gallaher, the untiring publisher
of that long. winded paper called the Supplement;
and by the man that has read he Supplement; and
by various other persons, left Richmond very quiet
jy this morning, at o'clock, and arrived at Fred
ericksburgh, hOmeward bound, some sixty miles,
at about twelve o'clock.
The President and party were greeted by salute
Of artillery the train entered the town, and
met at the station by civil and mtar ,cort, head
ed by the Mayor and the bodies orporate of the
poration. After the cheering, which very lively,
Mr.. X. Z. SAMPLE, the Mayor. welcomed the
President behalf of the corporate authorities of
Fredericksburg, rendering him the Inequalities of
the town. He said it gave him pleasure to inform
the President that majority of the people of the
town we're the advocates Of his administration,
while those who were his political opponents be-
leved in his honesty and fidelity to the constitution
Mr. S. referred to the crisis under which, he said,
the President entered upon the discharge of his du
ties, which he vas happy to say had been met most
successfully. Mr. 5. then remarked that the Pre-
.sident stood upon sacred ground. Along those
streets the play grounds of Washington in his
childhood, and on a neighborng hill reposed the
remains of his veperated mother. Here, too, was
the home of Mercer, who fell at Princeton, mar
tyr to our country's liberty. Mr. 5. concluded by
rendering to the President cordial welcome, and
the Inequalities of the city.
And the President replied
Mr. MAYOR beg leave to return to you and
the citizens Of fredericksburg, my profound &C.
acknowledgements for this very cordial reception. !
had heard much Of Virginia hospitality before
ever crossed her ancient boIders; but, truly, like
the Queen of Sheba, now may say the half had
not been toldme. (Applause.) Atevery town have
met with the most kindly and generou, welcome;
md can assure you that | visit this place with
totions of no common interest. You have alluded
subjects, sir. that have called up the liveliest
eed dead to the feelings of patriotism, if they
Sere not awakened such an occasion as this.
What scenes are these around us Here is the
playground of Washington-here sleep the ashes
fhis venerated mother Sir, the American heart
Iat does not warm at such "reminiscences, must be
nsensibe to every patriotic emotion But the true
American will feel that as long as Mount Vernon
hall be the shrine of political pilgrims, the lovers
fliberty, Of the, nOn, and of Washington so long
will Frederick : be revered as containing the
lshes of his nobho her. beg leave to return you
thap he fnrt loft in tvat Un.
have alluded to NJ administration. can only say
soyou that Ibave endeavored, to the best OF my
Judgment and liity, to discharge my duty, and
ny whole duty. eApplause) And next to this
gratifying conviction, do assure you is the pleasure
which | derive, and the grateful encouragement
from the knowledge that my fellow citizens appre
ciate ard approve my conduct. j again tender to
you my earnest Acknowledgements and cordial
thanks for the welcome you have given me and
those who accompany me in this agreeable visit to
the ancient city of Fredericksburg. (Applause-
The President was conducted to a coach and
four in which he was seated by the Mayor of Ere
dericksburg. and very clever, excellent, good fell
low at that Mr.. Faulkner and MIR Conway, of
the State Committee, rode in the next carriage
MIR. Postmaster General Hall and the Rev Mr..
Miller, Of the convention in the next; Mr. A. H. H.
Stuart and Capt. Fulton in the next Mr. Spalding,
of the Richm md Despatch, and Mr.. John . Sar-
geant, of the Republic in the next; and ME-. w O..
Bishop, the able convention reporter, to whom we
are indebted for assistance on this OCCASION and Mr..
Gsllaher, the publisher of the Supplement, in the
next. These were followed by a number Of other
carriages. occupied by citizens and strangers. The
Fredericksburg Guards escorted the pr jcessi into
town, and through the prn ,ipal streets. As usual,
such occasions, the sidewalks warmed with boys
and neyroes; and the windows, on bo,h sides, were
illuminated with such host of sweet faces, aud
bright eyes, and waving handkerchicts, that the
Prciident himself, in the detour, was compelled,
from their irresistible fascination, to keep his face
elevated at an angle Of some seventydye de grees.
The day was exces siyey hot, and sultry and dusty
al he fuf nd fall in fha afr
The sweat rolled off the cheeks of the rest Of them,
in their close. hot, padded uniforms, if their heavy
caps were filled with water, and had sprung n leak.
% The negroes, saturated with preparation and Co
lered with dust, looked as If they had been dipped
in mixture of oil and ashes, and had an awful
aroma of cod Nirginny."
Arrived at the Exchange Hotel, the President
aud suite were mounted upon temporary platform
erected in front: while the IN lies all arranged
Cor bird's-eye view from the surrounding windows
DIR. u. X. WEXFORD then (after the cheering)
advanced TO the president. and confronting him. adj
dressed him as follows
MIR. President-As the organ ofmy fellow citizens,
il becomes my privilege to tender you cordial well
come to ancient town. Unpretending in posi-
ton, we can offer for your admiration none OF the
tiumphs Of art nor in travcrsng streets can we
present TO your view any gorgeous embellishments
OF architecture To these, our brethren OF larger
cities are wont to refer as evidence of their wealth
and prosperity. Our jewels arc of different water
On the farther bank of your own placid Rappahan
mock, we point to the hills pressed by the feet
of our youthful Washington, aud our street to
the cottage which sheltered the age, and to the
ground where now repose the ashes of her who gave
him his being, who nurtured his childhood watched
his advancing years, and lived so see him enjoying
n worldwide reputation, which will be surrounded
by halo brighter and still Frightening when the
the hereditary "lords Of day forgotten FOOLS
or remembereda as worse" We may exhibit the hum.
bic Office in which your predecessor, Monroe, Gem
mencedhis aspirant for legal and Political
honors, or to the home where the priv virtues Of
Mercer illustrated a life freely surrendered for the
emancipation Of his adopted country, On the blood
stained soil of Princeton Sir, when asked for the evil
derce ofon claims to position among the cities Of the
south, we refer, not to cloud capped towers gor
geous palaces, but like the Roman matron, we
proudly point to our sons; to those who have de-
voted their manhood and their blood to found,
and their intellectual vgor TO rear, the noble tenn
ple Of li,arttee tho nv ofw which