Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-11-09

had consigned Emmett and many Of his com.
patriots to the scaffold, had caused to fly 10
the United States in order to escape the dun
gcon and the halter, many Of those who had
borne q part in the troubles of the times: and
many ultimately found their way to this city
These, with an uncalculating bsldnesS, joined
in the outcry against the Administration They
were fcryid in their advocacy Of the French
cause. The ~tri-color was blended into Il cock
ade and worn openly in the streets and display
ed in public professions. The advocates OF the
Administration, mounted or their part the
black-cockade. and thus was engcndered a bit
ter feeling of hostility between men which went
nigh to destroy all social intercourse. But the
refugees from Ireland became objects OF Govern
mental vengeance. The Alicnlaw had been passed
under the apprehension Of a French INVASION. An
army of b. 900 men was created with Il view to re-
pei il, and an order was given to remove all for
cigncrS from contiguity 10 the >ea-board, least
they should play the part of spies, and hold
improper intercourse with the expected enemy
AN enemy that never came, and who already
had its hands full, with the combinations that
existed against it among the crowned heads OF
Europe. Mcriwcthcr Jones edited the anti
administration paper called the Examiner
anu Wnllc lC Nll III All ulliS NV
of the Sedition law, he co-opcratcd boldly and
manfully with the opponents of the -Alien ana
Scdition laws. and maintained the ~tri-color
against the black cockade. The General As.
sembly soon after met. and Signalizcd its ScS-
sion bv the passage of the celebrated rcsolu-
, tons, which, since that day, have been adopted
as the standard of political faith by a control
Ing party in the State. | pass over these III
cidents hurricdly. At the time of their occur
renee. | was Il mere child, and they come TO Inc
borne on the stream of tradition In giving
memories of Richmond, | could not pass them
over in silence.
hasten TO speak of Richmond aS ! first
knew it, and of some of its prominent men. as
| found them when. at the age of Is, joined
my vcncratcd father, who was at the time
Governor of Virginia. The population of the
city did not exceed 5000 in 1908. The sur
face OH which the city stood was untamcd and
broken. Almost inaccessible heights and deep
ravines everywhere prevailed. The Capitol
Square was ruda indigest0 q"e mites, and was
but ruicly, if at all, enclosed. The ascent to
the building was painfully laboriouS. The two
now beautiful valleys were then unSightly Gull
lies, which threatened, unless soon arrested. To
extend themselves across the street north, 80 a.
to require Il bridge To span it. If IL tree had
sprung up in the grounds. it obtained but Il
scanty subsistence from the sterile earth-Soil
there was little or none. The street west Of the
square was impossible for much of the way, cX-
:cIt by q footpath. The Governors house. at
hat time called the palace, was 4 building that
icithcr aSpircd To architectural taste in It's con-
a~rurtion, or consulted the comforts of its occI-
PANTS, in It's interior arrangements. \ wooden
enclosure separated it from the commons. 1t
vas some wears after removed To make way for
tie present ediiice, which, suppose, it would
lie regarded as lite short Of high treason To
all by its former name, although right royal
ncn" have occupied it for many years past
me brick row, now known rs the Main street,
which terminated at the cross street below the
American, and had its origin near the market
,lacc. was the chief pride of the city. The
streets were unpavcd, and sad was the fate of
tie umlucky wight. who, otherwise than on
horseback, undertook to pass through the lower
part of the city-nor waS il for many years af-
f tr. that the hand of the laborcr went huiSily
f t, work in the improvement OF the city. DR..
Jhn ADAMS, whose name should ever he held
~ingntcful remembrance by the people of Rich
mnd, during his Mayorality, graduated the
streets, regulated the a>ccntS 10 lis beautiful
/. hills, and, in many particulars, cmbcllSlcd and
/. adrncd the city. He was a gentleman of re-
tirpd tastes, of much crudition, and highly
cultivated manners.
At the time of which | have been speaking.
, thrc were but three churches in the %city-tlle
BptiSt. Methodist and Episcopal church, on
Church hill. The EpiscopaliauS and Prc>by-
texans had a minister cacli-parson Buchanan
ard parSon Blair. never knew two better
III ...1.l -. 1t.a.tn S,,p1, x. az
tn, capitol and ut the old church on the hill. The
sane congregation attended on their mini>tra-
tiols. No difference in the forms of service was
permitted to interrupt their perfect harmony.
Tlry taught the same sublime doctrines. and
wGc too intent on the execution of their holy
MISSION to dispute about. mere external forms
f ad ceremonies. Their lives were unitcdly de-
v0cd to the high and important task of making
m.n good citizens and good Christians; nor did
thy esteem it necessary. in order to accomplish
. tnSc ends, to make war upon those innocent
anuScmcntS which serve as u respite from
laior and toll. Buchanan's Spring is idcn-
i. tiled with the Quot Club, in the innocent fcs-
tivticS Of which the good old man sometimes
participated. There were illuStri0rS men aSSO-
ciacd with him in these harmless relaxationS,
whose memories will ever live in the heart of
IIUlnOlu. VII. IllCHIlli llNCu III Il IMAM,
wooden house, situated in the ncighbOrh0od Of
M.vo's bridge, suited to his condition of old
bahclorship, all trace Of which, suppose. has
lori since passed away. Under that roof he
wa once honored by the presence of another
divine, who. bringing on suitable credentials,
i. AMI wearing suitable canonicalS, otiiciated in
tn place of the two eminent ministers at
Church hill and the Capitol. During his stay
p =. L.. -,. lnn,t,I1.- ~ nrfutpnI 1,-
MI Buchanan. By soInc arrangement Of the
toict. it was, however. accidental discovered
th;t the new minister was n woman dressed i'll
calonicalS. Some time thereafter, the two
ar.d ministers dincl at the Governors, when
BROTHER Blair INDUCED in innocent railcry at
tie expense of brother Buchanan, to the inii-
mtc amusement of all present Mr.. Buchanan
lad. hut n few days before, received Il letter
fom his quondam guest. apologi>ing for her
r conduct. and giving her true patronimic of
Lianna Smith. She was the first wonan in
america who practically put in force the doc
trim. Of wOmans rights.
Tais anccdotc brings forcibly to my rccol-
lection another of your citizens Of that day,
who was the worthy contemporary of the two
parsons. who. ] afterwards met at the hoSpita-
bic board of his eStimable son. Col. John
rutherford. 1t was 4 source of great pleas
urc With me to have seen him in the latter
DAYS of his life. when the conversation be-
tween lis ran upon early "reminiscences of
Richmond. ! advcrtcd to the two good Par
sons and Dianna Smith. 1t was a CLEAN of the
past, which had not crossed his pathway for
many years. lie enjoyed it heartily, and MARIA
!; ted NIL its most minute circumstances Thomas
Rutherford was 4 man Of high intellect, and
went down to his grave at an advanced age,
honorcd and lamcntcd by all who had known
him. Shortly after ] went into Congress Us
the representative of this district, an honor
of which | have ever been proud, those ques.
! tons arose which tore asnnder the old
Republican party, and have since been,
10 u nrcat cytcnt the dividing line bctwccn