New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-03-26
The Old Virginia Hospitality.
DISASTER OF THE WAR.


~ Gan oldlasMoned Virginia hospitality survive
the shock and ruin of the late war? By this, we
mean, can that liberal and generous spirit which
made, in the oden time. the house Of the rich Vir
ginia planter for weeks, at Christmas and other
periods of the year, the abode Of all his friends,
continue? vii, that revolution which fell so disas-
roQsiy upon our political system, fortunes and
institutions OF labor share the social rites and
customs which we have inherited from our fore
fathers? To those whose affections cling to the
characteristic social traits which have distinguished
our people, like the ivy to the crumbling ruin Of
some UNDISCOVERED castle, the question is one Of
sad and touching interest
e. is not whether our people will hereafter be
voluntarily unlike their ancestors, but the cues
ton arises, has not the logic and consequences of
events rendered it impossible that the resemblance
should continue? The unsparing waves of the
war; like those Of the sea when dashed to fury by
universal storm, have beaten with desolating
force on every coast and there are none amongst
US who do not feel the effects Of this widespread
ruin. Where are the young and joyous friends
who used to gather periodically around our festive
boards? They sleep, many Of them, with the
buried companions of their glory, in graves which
dot our country from the Susquehanna to the Rio
Grande. Others, bereft of limbs, or with Grip.
ping wounds limp around their ancient firesides
and mourn over the past and the hopeless future
And where are the lovely women who used to meet
them in the dance, or at the dinner in joyous glee
and uIdimmed happiness? They have grown sad
and old with grief and sorrow for the lost ones
the brothers, lovers friends. No irradiating smile
of the future they discover no signs of hope and
joy. They brood in tears and silence over the
melancholy memories of the past or mourn in an
guish over the desc ation of the present.
And where are those princes and chiefs Of old
Virginia hospitality and their queens, the fair and
stately matrons of the old mansion house? They
have but little left to them the old home and
many of them have not that. The grave and re-
spectacle old family servants, (who did not con-
slider a guest gentleman unless he gave them, 81
on leaving,) who were skilled in their duties and
took pride in their performance, have long since
left, and served an apprenticeship at cleaning
bricks in Richmond shortly after the evacuation.
The old planters fine houses, cattle, sheep and
hogs are all gone, and his worthy dame is now
pinched for butter and nervous over the loss Of old
bacon. With heavy sigh and moist eye, she will
| recount to you how Sheridan's troopers waged a
war of determination upon her hens, ducks, geese
| and turkeys and will tell you how many napkins
| towels and teaspoons she lost by the same means
| But this is not all. The planter does not make
as much wheat, corn and tobacco as he used to do
and consequently is impecunious. Is it strange
then, that we should expect suspension of that
large and liberal hospitality that formerly was
inseparable from the possession of any consdera
| bic landed estate? From necessity, and not from
choice or inclination, the profuse and generous
hospitality of old times will become narrowed, and
all the social and domestic phenomena of free
society will make their appearance in our midst
Already we find that cooking stoves, washing an6
sewing machines are in great demand among oul
people and the desire to obtain these labor-savine
appliances are unerring indications of, GO res
angusto domi." The farmers are DESTROYS O.
breaking up and dividing their vast estates
! because interest prompts them to such step
| Soon we may expect the introduction of Dutcl
ovens, bread baked three times week, and per
haps fish on Friday and Goldfish balls floating ii
rAoasses for breakfast
Not that people, AS we have indicated, will take
willingly or naturally to this change, but they can
not help themselves any more than they coult
help being beaten in the late war, and the new
state will be necessity, growing out of tlei
present wants and condition. We have all become
very poor, and we had as well realize at once tina
hereafter we have to live like poor people. or w
will find great difficulty in living at all Old Vir
ginia hospitality, like negro constructing, is al
idyl of the past and it will take some mightie
than Moses to smite the rock, so that the water
of generous plenty may gush forth. Let nativ
poets and historians deck our glorious old custom
with garlands, woven by their genius; but, lk
Virgil in his Georges, and Horacs in his Odes
they will sing Of popular characteristics whicl
have become extinct.
l Like the ancients of Greece and Rome, let u
hope that we have lived that posterity shall ad
mire our virtues and emulate our examples. lie
us content ourselves, at present, with the hop,
that our lives, both in prosperity and misfortune
may present to mankind sublime and INSTRUCTIVE
lesson of how a people should live and die.
we can no longer ride in the chariots of our fore
fathers, it becomes US, like men, to submit to tn
DEGREES of fate, and not like fools to battle witt
our destiny. Who can lift the curtain of futurity
and who can say that it may not bring some com
pensation for the past and present? At any rate
it is neither brave nor manly to sit whining by tn
wayside, while the cars of human progress swee]
unimpeded by US upon the track on which il seem
God has ordained that thew should run,