The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-02-10
LEXINGTON, VA, February 5, 1868.

The County Court Of R%ockbridge has
been in session for several days, engaged in
the trial of a case of bastardy, which at
tracts large crowds and excites no small
amount Of scandal. A similar case was
tried here some time ago. Ought the law
to permit such trials to be publici They
are certainly very demoralizing, and cspe-
cially in q community where SO many
Young men are c~ongregated.
The Conservatives of the county have
been thoroughly organized, and are pre-
barring to poll their full strength against
the hybrid Constitutional. c., If they get
an opportunity of doing so. General S.
Mcdowell Moore is general superintendent
for the county, and seems to be entering
mon his duties with the same zeal with
which in other days he bore the old Wing
flag, or opposed secession. He has a corps
of efficient assistants.
The present ice spell has enabled our
citizens to secure O full supply Of splendid
ice, and has afforded fine skating, which
the young men land some of the young
ladies' have not been slow to improve.
The dam on the North river gives a stretch
of nearly two miles skating, and the scene
which it presents every afternoon is
highly animating. The gray uniforms
of the cadets, the varied dress OF
the students and citizens, and the hand
some costumes, pretty faces, and graceful
forms Of the ladies, contrast pleasantly
and combine to form an exceedingly gay
and attractive spectacle. Several OF the
ladies have learned to skate beautifully.
Quite an exciting scene occurred on the
river yesterday afternoon. A Yankee ad-
yeuturer, who has rendered himself eX-
cecdingly obnoxious TO our community by
being the Radical leader of our negroes,
went to the river, and instead Of being
content to remain to himself or join his
colored brethren, some Of whom were ska
ting above the bridge, he forced himself
into the company OF a large crowd
of young men from the town, the
college, and the Institute. Pretty
soon some of the small boys of the town
begun to jeer him, and this so exasperated
his lOrdship that he made Sundry threats,
and finally drew q pistol on a youth of
twelve years old. Immediately a crowd
surrounded him, and gave him to under
stand that if he did not put up his pistol
they would put him under the ice. This
he very prudently did, and not long after,
started up the river. After he had got
ten several hundred yards start the boys
concluded they would have a little fun,
and raising a regular old "rebel yell" they
gave chase. Yank was a good skater, and
for a mile and q half he held his own, pur-
sued by about $50 boys in full cry.
At lasthe was overhauled, and sentenced to
make a speech to the crowd which he did,
to the no small amusement of all present.
ao,c,1 ~. h;p,calf fnrfunQta that ha
ESCAPED so easily for while the commu
nity would have regretted any violence
towards him. his conduct IN stirring up the
nerroes against the whites has certainly
been such as to merit the Severest punish
ment. And yet he threatens that he will
bova a regiment of United States troops
ordered here to give him "protection."
Perhaps General Schofeld may yield to
his request, and send a regiment to "pro-
tect" a man who came here as o school
superintendent, but has been coming
money by selling Yankee notions to ne
rroes, while he has been melting them
against their real friends-the whites.
The intermediate examinations at the
college are now in full blast. Your CORE
spondent has had the privilege of attend
ing some of them, and bears willing testi-
mony both to the rigid character of the
examinations and the general proficiency
Of the students.
The Young Mems Christian Association
of the college are fitting up a very hand
some library and reading room. They
have had very valuable donations of books,
magazines, and papers, but can still make
room for more. The Association is already
proving a great blessing in increasing the
religious zeal and activity Of the college.
Your correspondent is indebted to the
efficient librarian of the Association for
the following statistics, which will be of
interest to the religious public
Number of instructors, %; number of
instructors who profess religion, IL; num-
Der Of students who have matriculated,
400; number of students who are profess
sors Of religion, so; number who have the
ministry in view, 6.
Besides daily chapel services, they have
a Sunday afternoon college prayer meet
ing aud several boarding house weekly
prayer meetings.
I have also been enabled Through the
kindness of General Smith and some of
the cadets to obtain the following Stats
tics from the Virginia Military Institute:
Number of instructors, "a number of
instructors who profess religion, 8; num-
Der Of cadets, 249; number OF cadets who
profess religion, 45.
The cadets have a daily prayer meeting,
wh;,h 30 uaJI attandpd But annu1h fnr