The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-10-17
! LErriER raon sr. LOUIS.

LEErER FRoM sr. LOUIS.
ossrssponaenss Of he Richmond Dispatch.
IL Eairs In q. Lssis- OceiSestai wealth
General kee's HAlr-A Astei In Clever -.
Lssis o. Il b - As--P elisicpl-A Dear Cup 81
ST. Lorrs, October 9Th, 1866.
The dreamy haze and golden beam: Of
an October sun have been dancing polka
mp among the stesples and along the floor
like pavements OF the Mound City Tor ten
DAYS or more. and now as write they are
holding high carnival for the reimburse
ment Of an in town and country who have
suffered in mind, body, or estate BY clouds,
rain, and mud for the space Of twenty
The Agricultural Fair, which has proved
great success, will close on Tuesday.
The great Southern Relief Fair Is still
in full tide, and will be continued for .
week longer. A second visit to this fairy
like place enables me to comprehend more
fully than before the occidental splcndor
with which It Is invested. The fitting up
is in I style Of magnifcence which defes
all comparison with previous fairs in this
country; and the extent, richness, and
value Of the articles donated arc also with
out precedent.
Among the ten thousand objects of at
traction to tho thronging crowds in the spa
cious hall, small lock Of General Lees
hair donated by himself, by request of one
of the noble women of this city, was
eagerly sought, and dwelt over with loving
and absorbing interest. There it was; that
little coil Of hleached greatness, part and
parcel Of the most famous captain of the
age, casketed in solitary grandeur, and by
the attractive power Of goodness, in CON-
bnation with greatness, drawing all eyes
away from the surrounding splendors of
the Alhambra. So potent is good and
honorable name! Thou noble old son of q
noble lineage, in thy mountain home be-
yond the mountains Of West Augusta
(where thy great prototype and kinsman
would have retired under certain contin-
gencies), thou hast fixed thy local habita-
ton; but, enshrined in millions of hearts,
thou walkest to and fro with them in the
earth, the Incarceration of glory in defeat.
cannot attempt TO particularize the va
rious objects to be found scattered all
through this great mp-hOuse, converted
under the bewitching charms and perse-
vering attentions Of the noble women Of
the city into perfect palace of beauty,
and must beg you again TO make some ex-
bene6t Of your readers.
Among the ladies whose hearts are alb
sorbed in this noble charity notice Mrs.
N. C. Claiborne and Mrs. DIR. Temple, both
fair daughters of the Old Dominion, and
presiding with true Virginia grace at their
separate tables.
When pressed by the fair saleswomen to
purchase or take chances for pianos, cake
baskets, dolls, &c., I was compelled to
acknowledge that was one of the class
for whose benefit they were toilng-a poor
rebel, from the. capital Of the so-called.
This introduction soon found was sufti-
cient to relieve any pressure in that direc-
ton, and to secure me smile and hearty
shake Of the hand, and medium of COM
munication.
One gentleman of st. Louis has donated
q lot worth $4,000. With the laudable de-
sire to possess that much soil here, in
vested one dollar, Federal currency, in the
great drawing, to take place at the end of
the fair. Of course shall get it. Nous
cerrOnS.
Ny series Of letters-if such they may
be called-will now close. l understand
that Brownlow the Rabid is expected to
arrive here this afternoon with his travel
ling. menagerie; and lest should get into
a scrape with him when he begins to hurl
his balls of hellfire and damnation from
his rostrum at Lucas Market, l think it
best to leave by the AIS train.
In taking my leave of St. Louis and of
Missouri l must be permitted to give you
and the people here the benefit of my OBJ
servations upon the political aspect Of az
fairs. First, then, think that st. Louis
will be the second city in commercial i'm
portance in this country, under any circem-
stances. 1t occupies central position in
the great western basin, and the towns
springing up in juxtaposition, as well as
those farther west, must all become tribu-
tary to its growth and importance as
centre of trade. In the year 1885 her po-
pulation was 1000, in 1866 it is 204 900.
Farther comment need not make. Sc
condly, as to the political condition Of the
State my idea Is that Radicalism will be
triumphant In the fall elections. The re-
gis,ration oath is 50 stringent and infinitely
circumstantial that few, il any, who ever
smiled over Confederate success or gave
canteen of water to Confederate barefoot
can cOnscienti0usly take it; consequently the
Radicals are paving the way to the sue
cess of their ticket. The Conservatives
are very FESTIVE under this state of the
case, and from the acerbity of feeling
which seems to exist between the two par
ties throughout the State, the ides OF No
vember may inaugurate another shock,
greatly augmenting the already disturbed
equilibrium of the country. do begin to
have gloomy f0reb0dings Of reign OF
anarchy and oppression, to which thus far
in all our sorrows rs conquered people
we have realized but the prelude. But let
us take heart in the solacing reflection
that God rules, and that he can turn the
hearts Of men a. the rivers Of water are
turned and let US hope yet to see the
clouds dissipated. and the sun Of peace
again relame and fructify all our waste
places, aud gladden. our sorrowfnl hearts
with her cheerful rays. t-
Let Martin Meredith look up his Ratchet
lost by striking too high at the first Alex
andris Union Convention, and Bolts and
Hunnicutt abandon the idea Of canoniza-
ton at the hands Of the Virginia Legisla-
ture, and we shall be oil right In the Old
Dominion. So mote 1t be.
LIGNuS VIr.E.
p. SIT il worthy to be recorded, and
which had nearly forgotten, that on Fri.
day Of last week lady Of st. Louis paid
$500 for single cup Of coffee at the
Sn,,thnsx, Dovt<gs LII Ck~nnu cuv, that