New-York daily tribune., 1857-09-28
FROM TIRGlNI.i.
CAPITOL SQUARE-STATE PRIDE.
Ocy~spcpSepce Of The N. Y Tsihane.

VIVA the Worn-out and f0rl0rn appearance of tao
state, 90 far as hare seen it. The Capitol Square,
aosting the Governors house aud some other buili-
ngs on the east sidc, is beautiful spot, prettily
hid out, aud adorned with trees Oae thing struck
me very curiOusly. Along the various avenues, in
well shaded places, were to be some antiquated
seats which are modelled after the seats in the old
New-EDgand meeting. houses, evidently designed to
% "a uncomfortable as possible. Each seat is par
nponedstrOm its neiebbOr ny section stni ana up
nght enough to please ClOse-commumon DaPEst.
The back Of the seat is quite perpendicular, and yet
all ever the grounds were printed signs ior5iddins
persons to 81 TO sleep in these famous seats Can
the people OF this city be sleepy that stringent
hw is Necessary 70 preventtheir exercising this pro.
pensity in those straieht-iacket seats in Capitol
Squsrei Were / riding on rail, would it not be
Joke for one to warn me not to 20 10 sleep there
Among the undcubted possessions of Virginia Is
towering State pride. 1t is highly cdltying to
hear the people talk of Virginia, of its Old Families,
their bold deeds, their chiyary, their great men,
their patriotism and deyOtiOn-especally to the IN
terests Of Virginia. After taking very careful
glance at large parts Of Virginia reading the account
given Of her impoverished lands in the Life OF John
Randolph, looking Ii vain for single great states
man, lawyer, preacher, physician or autnor' ana
seeing the whole force OF society now running 10
seed in slave breeding was reminded of the Irish
mans description Of his family: they were like
81 hill Of pOtatOes-the best of them were under
ground" But for all this, Virginia is proud as
she Can be Of her past history, and perhaps this
feeling is enhanced by the very few Causes which
exist for pride at her present condition.
The Washington Monument, 10 Capitol square,
promises TO be splendid affair. The very beauti-
ul foundations and pedestas for the various statues
in the group are already done. l am no architect,
no artist and cannot say why am so pleased with
the arrangements, only that my mind is gratlfed.
Our country man Crawford has conceived an a1mi.
rAble design, and should he be able TO complete it
he will have put Virginia in the very front rank, so
far as monumental hOnors to Washington are con-
oerned. Many years ago plan for some fitting
monument was started, and it was designed to be
the sign Of popular love, that one person was
allowed to give more than one dollar to tho object.
In this way, as | am told, some thirty thousand
dol was raised, and there the enterprise came to
stand. The sum was not sufficient to do
what was intended, and it was not likely to
be increased. II was at last resolved 10 place
this money in the State Treasury the State agreeing
70 pay interest thereon. At last principal and in
terest amounted to some sixtyve thousand dollars,
and then the State legislature passed law to erect
suitable monument, which will cost about two
hundred and fifty thOusan dollars. They use the
fund already accumulated and pay the balance out
OF the State Treasury. The central shaft is to be
buibtuuttu ny equestrian bLdluo vi w dbutuStOu.
This is east and is on its way to this country.
On six shafts which are Immediately about the
tral one, to be placed six huge statues of native
Virginians whose memory deeds and opinions, their
children would perpetuate. The statues of Patrick
Henry and Thomas Jefferson are already in Rich
mOnd, and it is understood that Mr. Crawford, if
his health admits IT, is to model the statues OF George
Mason, James Madison, Chief Justice Marshall
and another one whose maine did not learn. Orig
inaly Gen. Daniel Morgan, of Rifle Regiment no.
tOriety, was TO be hOnOred, but bis clam was re-
iected on account Of his misfortune in being born in
New-Jersey. Outside of these is another circle of
shafts on which are to be placed alegorical repre-
sentatiODs of oratOry, patriotism, philosophy, DC.
II the statuary prove what every admirer OF Wash
iDgtOn and his ustriOus cOtempOrares desires, the
monument will be of the finest in this country.
Standing by the unfinished monument which Nlr-
giDia is now building to these great sons, could
not but think that il would be unsafe for man to
read aloud in any public assembly legislative, re.
hsous, educational or political, the sentiments
OF Washington and Jefferson on the subject OF
Slavery. doubt whether one ViIginan in hun
dred knows that both these men reprObated the ys-
tenn in severe language, and that the Father OF his
Country set bis slaves at liberty. These men were
the idols Of Virginia, and yet if Washing
ton at Mount Vernon, and Jefferson at Mon
ticello, should now be living TO s, ,eak as
they once spake, it is doubtful whether even they
would be allowed to remain in the State which is
building this splendid monument to their memory.
They have imprisoned woman for doing what
Washington directed his executors to do, viz: teach
ing colored people to read and write, and they have
chased people out Of the State for saying things
identical with What Washington and Jefferson said.
Yet the whole State says, as dirty, drabbed,
ahrunken, drunken Virgnan said to me in the hotel
IN Philadelphia, as the tObsccOuice Oozed out each
corner of his dirty mouth 81 am Virginian; Vr
ginia is great State; Virginia is the mother of
dons Statue Of Washington and her Equestrian
Statue Of Washington building, and yet her Rich
m0nd daily disgraced with the most revolving spec
tacles connected with the save.trade. The rail
roads which center here daily bring families here
to be sold on the block. Here are ssvc-pens. The
business Of a single establishment here
~ was told And yet Virginia is so
proud of herself and her present situation / am
hardly able to account for it, since should say that
: Virginia ought to be modest in connecting herself
With that gsOd Old Dominion of the day of Wash
hgton and Jefferson, so long as Richmond is ua
pursed of sights which would have disgraced Tunis
OF Algers thirty years ago. DE gnstitns na dispa
1endxm but were | Virenian, would say but
!. ftte about Virginias past history, and erect no
I, ,fatues to her great dead until the burning shame
n Virginia's slave traffic is done away. That
2tatue of Washington would seem to remind the be-
holder Of what he said to La Fayette, and what he
wrote in bis viii concerning Slavery. And that
calm meditatve countenance Of Jefferson would re-
mind one of his words: 81 tremble for my country
when / remember that God is just