The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-10-24
LITTLE WATER STREET WITH Ak.

LITTLE WATER STREET WITH Ak
We approach this civick subject with
systematick but sympathetick gravity
and the most politick diffidence, as be-
comes one claiming to have graduated
with scholastick honors in the schools
of Virginia's superior learning. There
is nothing egotistick in our declaration,
made after mature deliberation, that the
gcnerick name of Little Water street
has nothing whatever to do with the
size of the thoroughfare, the dimensions
of the buildings, or the rustick charac-
ter of the semi-barbarick inhabitants
who dwell therein. The specificI gray
ity of our critique must not be weighed
in scales of such economique material
ity. 1t is of the metaphysics as well as
the physicks of the street we would
speak in referring to this miasmatick
cesspool of corruption, which casts so
black and terrffick shadow of discredit
upon the escutcheon of the body politick
of the town of Norfolk. Far back in the
annals of this ancient village, we must
search for the causes that have made
Little Water street what it is. In the
early days of the republick, aye, even
before we became a republick, and while
yet we bowed the plant knee before the
majestick representatives of the aristo-
cratick and oligarchick splendours of
monarchick grandeur, Little Water
street was the great mart for traflick i'm
the sable sons of Afrck, and hence the
reason it is so full of their descendants
The first ship load of these unfortunate
beings of which we have any historick
account, was brought to Norfolk more
than two hundred years ago, and swap
ped off for tobacco, by order of a cor
rupt monarch, who adopted this vile
method of replenishing his empty treas
ury and filing his indigenous tobacco
box with the exotick weed, since become
so famous in the chivalrick land of Vir-
ginia, and which has proved so valuable
a soother of the idle or troubled moments
of her heroick and patriotick sons. Fa.
nous, therefore, as the Pandora box,
whence sprang all the ills of slavery,
Little Water street must ever be an OBJ
leet of the most intense interest for the
searcher after historick
knowledge, as well as for the scienti-
ick investigator of hidden causes for !
we'll known and permanently establish
I'd effects. When the naked and uncouth |
sons of the tropicks were first landed,
here was a terrible riot i'm Little Water |
street. and the white Inhabitants wished
hem to be re-shirped at once, and re-
urned to their native country; but the
yrannick king was firm and unyielding,
and the black men remained. They were
planted in the soil, became firmly rooted,
md are now as fixedly native as t he po-
atoe or the tobacco plant. A negro pen
md a tobacco warehouse were estab-
ished side by side on the site now occu-
bed by N. A. Thompson & Co., and
10Th thrfved, and much publick revenue
vas derived from these sources. The
'tuarts, the great fathers of all the cav
,liers, continued to ship their black cattle |
rom Africa, and sell them to their lege
objects, even against the loud murmur-
ngs of those subjects; and Little Water
treet continued to be the centre of the
rade, or the negro exchange, as it was
allied. This thing continued till the
evolutionary war, when Norfolk was
eld as a fortified town by the English,
vho, no longer able to tradethe niggers
Or niggerlead, put muskets in their
ands and made use of them rs soldiers
gainst the white patriots. Even at that
arly day, the problem as to whether a
gger would fight or not, was as we'll
ettled as whether he would steal. The
evolution, it is generally conceded by
IL publick men, after a heroick struggle
rolonged for several years, was sue
ess; thanks tothe patriotick Americans,
ided by the chivalrick Virginians with
reat Washington at their head. No ;
limick war was that, however, and
thousands fell to maintain their rights, n
nd the soil was enriched by the best \
lood of the country. The war ended,
nd Little Water street waned for time \
Importance, and changed from
entire of traffick in niggers and tobacco, T
} that of liquor and cigars, and another l.
aser but nameless trade. 1t has since Ct