The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-15
RICHMOND.
(. IHs4IA ii ---+---- e1SAE@ IL
Correspondence Of the Washington Chronicle /
RICHNi0ND. VA March 3 1874

iNlCH MoND, VA, AiaIcn ,, 1900.
At a public meeting in the chamber
OF The House OF Delegates, in this city
last night, san exhibition of popular sen
| timent occurred which in my opinion
| should properly be chroniclod, and,
therefore, take tlie liberty of intrud-
ing on your columns. 0s,
Mr.. FG,a Bangs, theatrical charac-
ter qaond0m member of Il rebel artillery
company under iStoBewall Jackson, ap-
peaied tofhe public to favor him with
ther presence during What he was pleased
to term IAN evening with the poets"
He charged each individual one dollar
Tor the pleasure. Governor Perpoiht,
not knowing the character of the cnter-
talnment, consented 10 allow the hall OF
the House OF Delegates 10 be used for
the occasion. The seats were all taken
IN due time, and were occupied by the
fashion ana beauty Of the late rebel
capital, together with few Northern
ers, army officers, and their Indies. The
programmes having been circulated, We
Yankees were surprised to find the rebel
poems, by j. X, Thompson a noted
eulogist of treason, inrlnded in them
but agreed to ''sit ii OUT
The character OF the pieces recited
few illusions which might he indirectly
apppliGabls to thee" lost callse.u But
the climax was reached when the hene-
ficiafy read the poem entitled "Ashby.n
Il is 4 short niece, devoted to the praises
of the gueriliagwhpse name it hears, and
filled. with sentiment calculated 10 ''iirc
the,southern beart,p and to exalt The
foolish ideas of oliiyalry which are the
boast Of this section. Tho reading Of
this article was iar below mediocrlty
but the sentiment appealed directly to
the hearts of the rebcliOus audience.
a lost leader i'll their mutual crime was
being euiogized, ard hardly waiting for
tue CONCLUSION OF the last Verse;, they
broke out into rapturous applause, fairly
making the stone walls around them
tremble as though vibrating i'm c0nso-
nance with their admiration for one OF
= Virginia's fallen her0es.0 Shout after
snouG went up, ana quiet was only re-
stored when The poem was read again.
During the .secpnd reading half the
glasses in the house were levelied al the
little. squads Of Yankees scattered about,
indicating palmer than words how
Io'Yon~like- that feeling. At the con-
the applause was repeated as
sociiefously as before. uF
The next piece was entitled "The
Obsequies Of Stuart, "llaand the southern
hearts present throbbed with any ious
rs the reader progressed inits |
delivery. There were several tear |
Trimmed eyes among The females, and |
nooa lew masculine heads bowed in |
tdoration of the great rebel cavalry |
;hieftan. Again the reading was less |
han ordinary and again the sentiment |
ook firm hold of the minds of the rebel |
audience. Near the close of the poem,
he author, with truly consistent south
I'm foresight. proph estes the coming of
lday when his ''courtry 5shall be free,
lbd stand first and foremost among the
lations oftle earth.n He foretells the
1ictory tliat shall finally perch upon the
outhefn cross, When all "our foesn Snail
,e dtivenlto the four corners of the
yonid. Here not only fdlen leader
MT the lost cause was landed. You WHO |
nov so well how far, tie people here
res from being loyal, can family |
iiiagine the ohtbprst of applause; but
gu should have heard it aud Witnessed
he ardor anti vim ofrtlie, hand. ciapping
nd feet-stamping, to have sf1tiy apprc-
lated H. '''F'
lf'Straws show which way the wind
lows" but this is more than u straw:it
aWpoiesiaek.i 4si4sasq -IANK EE,n |
A Ll.ondeh letter says o,.';;The cattle