Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-20

A Venerable village has Various Vicis-
sItEtdes III FOrfune-A New Departure
Of wrecked Vessel ON the High
Sea of Politics.
Correspondence Of the Union and Dispatch.
RALEIGH, TENN, Aug II, 1s67.-Like
Nashville, Memphis discovers watering
places in its immediate vicinity. Before
the food--this last Noachian deluge of
blood-we had more money and wandered
away to Newport, Saratoga and Niagara.
There were favored retreats in yoiir district
Of the State, the more popular because citi-
zens of Memphis, mighty number Of
them, find their old homes and kindred in
Middle and Eastern Tennessee. Now,
however, citizens Of Memphis, like the rest
of Southerners, grievously Impoverished
would have the delights without the enor-
nous cost Of summers spent at distant re-
sorts. Suddenly Raleigh Springs won local
fame. There are dozen fountains within
a deep narrow valley, each differing from
the rest in its constituent elements. Sui
phnr, iron and soda are mineral sub
stances that most strongly characterize
the springs The sick consult their own
iancies, and use determines the final choice.
Many marvellous cures have been effected,
and, very suddenly, Raleigh has become as
famous for its fountains of health as in for
mer years for its juridiCial eloquence.
Levin II. Coe, Spencer l.. Jarnagin, Cey-
Ion Frazer Jim Lamb, VIM. T. Brown,
Gerger, Sole Wright and long list of il
lustrious iurists and advocates, Cnce made
the village resonant with matehless orato-
ry. Thirty years ago Raleigh was the
commercial rivalOf Memphis. Randolph,
too, contested the palm for supremacy.
Keel and fatboats aseended Wolf river to
Raleigh, sixty miles by water, nine by
land from the Mississippi at Memphis
Roads in winter months were impossible.
Ten counties OF western Tennessee then
sold their products and bought supplies at
Raleigh. After time Memphis began to
outstrip Raleigh and Randolph. The lat
ter place was abandoned till Gen. Pillow
took possession in 1861, and Raleigh, more
provident seized courts and lawyers In
substitution for commerce. Slowly and
steadily the place lost importance At
length Memphis swallowed courts, law
yers, the Jail, gallows and dramshops, and
Raleigh gave up the ghost The moral
health Of Memphis has been sadly i'm
paired by this exhibition of voracity,
while the ancient village, unlike cities of
the plain, was destroyed by the very ex-
tinction Of its vices.
The discovery of mineral waters of mar
yelous curative virtues, the conversion Of
the courthouse into q county high school,
the weekly hop to which all the pretty
girls of Memphis lend enchantment, have
not only checked the retrogression of the
rrfllarra hfrf r.fr ifs
almost incomprehensible, because of its
suddenness. Coal and iron and porcelain
clay are found beneath the lofty height on
which the venerable village reposes, and
Raleigh becomes an important point on the
map Of Tennessee.
THE REYULsIoN OF OLD PREJUDICEs.
Have you seen Senator Alcorn's address
to the people Of Mississippi? Some months
! ago / stated, suppOsitiously, that an effort
would be made in the Gulf States to re-
| produce old parties-not 80 much because
Democracy was odious, as because the alb
! solutism of blacks was dreaded. 1t seems
| that a quasi agreement has been effected be-
tween certain old Wings and Douglas men
of the South and leading Republicans and
Radicals of the North, by which the sub
| lection of the Gulf States to black domina-
tion may be evaded. Wings and Democrats,
the former agreeing to support a Republi-
can Grant mayhap) for the Presidency, are
| to share the negro vote. The paucity of
| Wings will be remedied by their strength
among colored voters, who will support
Grant en- masse. Reconstruction will 60 on.
| We may take the studs as violently as we
choose. If whites will not do the work for
Congress blacks and Loyal Leagues will
accomplish the task. Therefore Alcorn's
party, Of which the Clarion, presume, is
the chief organ, assents to State Conven-
ton and comes TO the surface at once with
all that purchasable strength derivable
from spoils and power. You will find
many, very many Radical seeessionists CO.
operating with Gen. Alcorn. Orr, the G.
| S. Congressman; Brown, c. 8. and u. s.
| Senator, Little Johnny McRae and many
like them, attracted by the chances o.
restoration to office, a necessity of theil
lives, will cooperate with Alcorn
Amos r. Johnston, William Yerger
Judge Sharkey, Fulton Anderson, men O
greater ability than any known in politi-
cal annals Of Mississippi, will become ex.
ponents of this "resurrected " Whig Rad
ical party. Since am, and shall ever
be, opposed TO indiscriminate, universal
black or white suffrage and therefore have
no party, / care not who may win in this
curious fight in Mississippi. Alcorn deems
it life and death struggle 80 far as his
private, personal and political fortunes are
involved. He has wonderful audacity il
the best stump speaker in Mississippi
odious to all old Democrats resolved tC
triumph or lose even life in the contest
Aloon Will beget a deal Of excitement
whatever success may attend him.
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