Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-11-20
coERrsrosBEsoz o. 4HE Us1as ANEEIosE.
EAST TENNESSEE AND WESTERN WIZ
GINA
Richmona--Its mOnuments ana its Mem
cries.


R1OnnOzD, Nov. IA. 1858.
g. g. PoEDEzTER-Dsar ST. 81 arrived here
within two days after leaving your city. came
ty way Of Knoxville On the Tennessee and Virginia
Railroad Never having visited that place or East
Tennessee. was anxious to the country, but
was disappointed as we passed throughin the night.
Morning dAwned upon us near JOnssbOro had i
heard much Of the mountain scenery CT East Ten
pessee and Western Virginia, and my fancy vas
wrought up to almost poetic frenzy When me mis's
Of the morning we're dspelled by the rising sum- ana
the mountains stood out in bold relief felt the pic
ture had not been too highly eOlOred. The beaun-
full and magnificent views, with the rapid and con-
slant change Of scene will well repay one for the
fatigue and exposure Of travel. was surprised 70
see 60 much good land The country on the line OF
the road from Abingdon to the point where 1t passes
che Alleghanies, presents the appearance Of oroaa
! and rich valleys, and Western Virginia will, ere
long il her system Of railroads is carried OUT RANK
with the 6rst State in the Union in wealth snd pop
ulation. The appearance of the farms show
thrifty and prosperous people. learned the Prln-
| eipsl coal mines on this road are in Montgomery
county. The strsts are from six to eight feet
thick; the beds have been disturbed and dip to an
angle Of about 20 degrees Some Of them are pure
anthracite and others partially Most Of theeo
fields in the mountain ranges have been disturbed
from horizontal position by the uPheaVais tha9
formed the mountain ranges; consequently they
have undergone the action of heat which destroyed
the bitumen and left almost the pure carbon We
passed Lyuehburg in the night, and arrived here at
daylight 1 stopped at the Exchange Hotel, ana
have found you did not draw on your fancy in your
commendation Of it. To one who has been accus'
toned to the rough and tumble life of the backwOOds
many things appear superRuous, bat suppose it
is necessary to cater to the appetite of refined ciV-
cation and that they do here most excelen'ly.
Richmond is beautiful city. Every one does
not seem in q hurry as they are in St. Louis and
D Cincinnati There is an air Of quiet and repose
about the place that you seldom in large city
There are comparatively few foreigners, and those
that are here are Of the better class. The natives
have more Of the Anglo Saxon cast Of features than
# have ever seen elseVhers YOukn my opinion Of
s thatraee. There is none other equal to them Vir
! ginians well may be proud Oftheir State.
e From what have heard of the system Of schools
!, since came here, think the present generation
have repudaed the opinions of their ancestors rel
}, alive to schools and newspapers One Of the Colo
q NAL Governors,-I think Sir William Berkley,-
wrote after the restoration Of Charles the Second
al thank God there are no free schools and print
ing-sfices and hope we shall not have them thes
E. hundred years, for learning has brought heresy
ID disobedience aud seets into the world and prntin
il has divulged them and lbels against the best gov
sr eminent; God keep rs from both" An excellen
system of of free schools has been put into OPeratiO
d. by the city, and the means of acquiring coed ed
lie ucatiOn is now open to every youth. The neWspa
n pers of the city have national reputation and
ne influence that is felt throughout the Union Vii
GINA with her conservative population lying beWee
a. the extremes Of North and South, backed and SUI
ported by the offspring of her own people. Ker
Of lucky and Tennessee will stand as the keystone
a, The arch Of the Union, and the mad passions
Northern abolitiOnists and Southern sscessiOnis
to will be alike impOtent to break it.
Ill The capitol has an imposing appearance ItOVe
de- looks the CITY, Its beauty is not msrred by hul
he cupola rising up from the centre, as ours ha
giving it the appearance Of a village tavern. II
he design Of the architect to represent Grecia
ID temple in our capitol hut the beauty Of the bui
as ing was destroyed. On entering the eaptolyOu 81
e. a marble statue Of General Washington. 1t loOl
In the man knew nothing of it until approached al
I'd ,nvoluntsrily uncovered my head felt an aV
rs and yeneratiOn that did not believe before cou
7i have resulted from looking upon any nanimate o
is iect He is represented in citizens Dress in the
of Speaking, and the statue has much Of that go
m like character that alone pertains to Washingto
n virgins having been bishOme and his monume
Is, being ersctedby those familiar with hin, felt
most as if he was before There is near BY ar
NJ equestrian statue Of him in bronze but that TO
ID. had no beauty, except as a mere work of art.
ny the base of this the statue of Jefferson and Patr
Die Henry placed on pedestals. They haveanimpO
int ing appearance, representing Henry in the act
IRE speaking, and Jefferson with large pen in
hand, l see three other stands around the base
BAT the statue Why is it that Marshal and Madis
en- are not placed upon them? Virginia will new
ID have other sons more worthy. will be here sOE
raj DAYS and lot down such things may interest 20
truly, MENTOR.
mt