The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-05-12
VIZ DAILY DISPATCH:
. ::-...,.x ucrr,rs, May ~. '-s'.
>r.,,~, -. ..,d yynIw club House.

~-~ r,h. Odd Whfg Cub Honso'
.,.h,e lately burned on Council on''"'''
,,., "a. erected in 1914 as Whis C'uo h'"'
"a interest was attached 10 the p""'''s'
~ start from an accident when ose"l'e"
-. h,use was being shinged, and which 10 ei 's
..,,hered bv many of our citizens Ihe roo' gave
under A crowd which had collected ~ one
roint. precipitating a large number OF persons 10
,,s cround Five or six received severe io)uries'
,ro AZ whom afterwards died Of their wounds
Tb. old editice, though finally converted to q
.,.b,s had about II many dgnificd and pleasant
.sso.;.tions TO WING minds. 1t was the genera
,,.ce Of assemblage of the Wings Of that day,
xho under the banner of Henry Clay, were fight
ING as gallant snd Determined a battle as any
known 10 our political sunsls Many q noble ora
ton has been heard 10 that old building and ii has
echoed 10 very unique musical performances,
in which the choir, composed of = muti.udinous
bass discoursed from the Yeliew Kivee" melo
dies which sounded a. a distance like the roar OF
old oceas upon the shore Among the great zen
who led the Wing party of Richmond in tina: day
was Watkins Leigh, who used frequently to make
speeches aud tell anecdotes at the club meetings,
whilst, occasionally strangers of distinction would,
in the same place address admiring CROWDS IL
was Got TIL the mex, Presidential election, ina. IN
which Taylor was placed u the Presidency, that
the African Church was used for Wing political
meetings
wha, changes have occurred since the old Cub
House was erec:edl Those splendid champions CT
the Whis cause. Watkins Leigh and Chapman
johnson. intellectual giants, who would have
figured as master spirits in any deiiberative body
in Chris.endom, have passed away, and be, the i'm
perial chieftaiu whose banner they bore with such
pride and devotion, did not long survive them -
The Wing party itself, which, with serried ranks
and bayonets fixed made a rush for victory in l84S
as daring and magnificent as tina! of the Old Guatt
st Waterloo rests upon its arms and its laurels.-
The very building, in which so many high aspira
tions were entertained, many brilliant hope
INDUCED, SO many noble thoughts conceived ant
beautiful words uttered. was afterwards converter
TO a stable, and is now reduced to ashes. VIVA
havoc few short years work in human plan
and expectatopsl The fire of Sunday night di
not more effectually lick up the old boards, tina
the tooth of Time corrodes the frail structures G
mortal ambition and greatness. Anew more years
aud naught will remain but the memory of tn
illustrious champion to whom the Club House wa
consecrsted and that memory will live, not be
cause of the ephemersl eclat of one or half doZe
political campaigns, but on account of the grt
qualities which he possessed, and of the rare an
inaexble moral courage with which he pursue
his own views of right, and held his great soul 9
impassive to the fattering and tickle breath
popularity as marble statue is to the wanto
airs, which now kiss it with zephyr softness, Al
now tug and TOLL and howl like demons to hurl
from its pedestal