Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-12-17
Correspondence of the Spectator.
SAVANNAH. Dec. 10, 1856.

NAV possess some interest for your readers. Ine
distance from Staunton to Savannah by Railroad
is eight hundred and six miles. There is an
unbroken connection, and the trip can be made
in a little more than fifty six hours.
In company with Col. B. left Staunton on
Thursday morning last and arrived at Augusta,
Geo, on Saturday at o'clock A. NJ The
route passed through Goldsborough, Whining
ton and other hourishing towns in North Caro-
lima, and by Marion, Sumterville, kingsville,
Branchville &c, in South Carolina. There is
nothing of special interest to be seen throughout
this line of travel-pine trees, and tar and tur-
pentine in the old North State, and a few cotton
fields and rice patches in her southern sister,
Most of the delegates passed Immediately
through Augusta; but the Col. and |. and two
gentlemen from Charlottesville, who fell in with
us, concluded to lie over and see the place. we
put up at the Planters Hotel, an excellent house,
and after breakfast sailed out. Augusta is sit
uated on the Savannah river, and is place Of
considerable Importance. The population G.
mounts to ten or twelve thousand. The streets
are very wide, with the cutters for drainage IN
the middle, and are generally planted with seve-
raj rows of beautiful trees The appearance of
the city is delightful, and all the people we en-
commemorative and black-treated us with
the greatest courtesy. Here we first observed
the wild olive tree, an evergreen, and many
other trees and shrubs which were new 10 u.s.
In passing along one of the streets we were at
tracted by a monument in front of the Court
House; a little boy informed US that "a man
was buried under it and we would see an IN
scription giving the time he died" Inc only
inscription to be found was the simple date, Ju'
ly 4th, 1776(D and we subsequently learned
that the monument was erected in honor OF the
Sipper, of the Declaration of Independence. A
little further on, in the same street, we encoun-
tered a drove of turkeys from Tennessee. Inc
price of turkeys in Augusta, we were informed
varied from seventy-fve cents to two doilars'-
A woman carrying one through the street told
us that she gave dollar and quarter TOR 1t.
| At four o'clock in the afternoon, we took
seats in tho cars, and arrived at Savannah at e.
leven. The Pulaski House being full, our party
obtained a comfortable room at the City hotei'
It would be impossible for me in single hur-
ried letter to give description OF the city. IL
is situated on flat sandy plain, considerably a.
bove the level of the river, sixteen miles IRON
its mouth. The population is said to be some
TWENTY-FIVE thousand. The city contains
number of fire public buildings and innumsra-
BILE beautiful private residences. Every 9TH
er square is vacant, and each of these squares
being planted with live oaks, wild olives ana
other trees, give to the city refreshing and
beautiful appearance. All of the streets, more
over are ornamented with trees, and in front OF
nearly every house is an enclosure for shrupoe-
nv aud tropical plants. Orange trees, full OF
fruit, are growing in the open air, notwlthstand-
inc the weather at present is cold for this lati-
tude, and there was heavy frost yesterday
morning.
The structure in which the citizens seem to.take
most bride. is monument to Pulaski, who was
killed here, in an assault upon the BRUSH, IN
1874 The monument is situated at the south
ern extremity of 'sBull Street." the fashionable
thoroughfare, the Exchange being at the other
end It is an imposing and beautiful affair. |
have often thought that heather visiting
Washington city might conclude from the num-
Der of portraits, busts aud statues OF the Father
of his Country, which he sees at every turn,
that Washington was divine being Yorshipped
by the people; and in the same way he would
infer that Pulaski was the presiding divinity here
On Sunday night our party, escorted by an
old ACQUAINTANCE whom we unexpectedly found
located here. attended US to the Catholic church,
expecting to hear sermon from Arch Bishop
Hughes. The immense building was packed
with such crowd as | never before saw assem-
bled in one room-there were probably two
Thousand persons present. The occasion was
one ofrreatinterest. The Arch Bishop was there;
and eight or ten Priests-all of them, believe,
perverts from Protestantism-se out on "ho-
" mission and invested with extraordinary
powers, had been holding meetings Tor several
DAVIS. The end of the church, behind the altar,
was eorgeousy arrayed with flowers and can
dies, presenting the appearance OF CONNECTION
er's window, on large scale, at Christmas =
A statue of the Virgin, crowned with diamonds,
surmounted the whole, and in the centre was
something which | took to be another portrait
of Pulaski! To our disappointment the
Archbishop did not preach, but son OF Chan
celor Walworth of New York-and such SER
mon! 1t contained nothing to show that relig-
ion was spiritual concern, but insisted upon
rigid observance of the rites of the church, inter-
spersed with one or two absurd Popish legends.
But the acting of the preacher was excellent, and
the whole scene, considered as mere pageant,
was interesting and quite grand. Through the po-
likeness of one of the singers We obtained posi-
tions in the choir, where we had full view OF
every thing The music was perfectly entranc-
ing. One lady in particular sang with pow
er and melody such as never heard before
At times she seemed as we stood near her ready
to fly away and carry US with her. The audi
ence generally seemed earnest and devout, ana
,.renewed their vows" with much apparent unc-
tion-their responses sounding like the waves
of the ocean but nothing we saw or heard tend
ed to improve our opinion of Romanism.
Yesterday morning gentleman of this city,to
whom am indebted for many courtesles, TOOK
a party of four of US, from Staunton and ohar-
lottesville, to visit the Cemetery called bona-
venture, five miles from the city. doubt II
there is a spot in the world equal to this place
in the peculiar beauty for which it is dlstln-
puished. The chief attraction is the long ave-
nues of large live oak trees, covered with the