The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1868-06-17
The Correspondent Of the Richmond
ENQUIRER on Stanton.

The Correspondent Of the Richmond
Enquirer ON staunton.
Your correspondent was kindly received
and most Hospitality entertained BY Mr.. Robt
Burke, former doorkeepeF Of tho House Of
Delegates, and now one Of the largest mer
chants in this thriving place. Ip the evening,
after tea, visited NJ Al. Jed Hotchkias, whose
name and fame are familiar to your readers,
and spent several hours pleasantly in looking
ever his publications particularly that truly
valuable contribution to the history of war,
which relates and illustrates by perfect maps
the transactions of each Of the memorable
days Of Chancellorsyills) and his cabinet Of
minerals collection we'll worth studying,
since it discloses at glance the great mine-
raj worth Of Virginia. Cabinets of minerals
ought to be found in every cultivated gentlo-
mans house. In fact, however. there are not
a dozen in the whole State. The result, is,
that while our men have scattering of dead
languages, the earth around them, which is
alive, ir sense they never dream Of and in
stinct with marvellous and beautiful mean
ings, is (for them at least) "witbout form and
void" almost as when the creative fat went
forth. 1 have long been satisfied that man.
must, for knowledge, and the happiness which
comes Of knowledge, in contradistinotion to
speculation, go to the source from which he
derives his life-the dust Of the earth. In
stronger terms, the study, close and profound,
of God = footstool is the key to the right COM
pretending of Gods throne.
"That was not first WHICH is spiritual, but
that which is natural; and oyfer.oara that
which is spiritual"
| do not disparage the scriptures, but do,
if forced to it, disparaga the excess Of classics
and belle letters, according to the monkish
system of instructions, which has had its full
day, and / do contend that nature Is reyelar
ton. About that there caa be no dispute.
Pardon my little sermon. Hotchkiss is =
marvel Of Information and of energy, posi-
tive gain to Staunton and to the whole State,
He could not have selected filter place to re-
side in, for here energy is the characteristic
Of the people and the quality most priced
perhaps too much priced, for Mr. Bledsee, L
hear, complains that he has not in Staunton
single subscriber to his able quarterly, and
General D. H. Hill found it necessary, by sta.
tistics Of the relative sales here of Yankee and
Southern publications, to rouse the people up
to . sense Of their duty in sustaining their
own literature. That done, he succeeded Yery
web. Since the war, more than two hundred
houses have been built here, and ffty or sixty
others will be built this year. Mr.. B. 7.
Bagby, the great contractor, has his hands fu Il
of public and private contracts. The town is
to b newly paved, the court house il being
repaired, large Woollep, cotton and Touring
manufactures are to be erected this summer,
thirty thousand dollars have been raised to
adorn and improve the county fair grounds, a
free school, and turn which side you will the
evidences Of individual aud corporate thrift
and energy meet you. Of the four female
schools Mr. Pike Povers's male academy, the
public institutions for the insane, the blind
and the deaf mutes, the eminent men who
make this their home, the two excellent hotels
and the three fourishing newspapers, it is
scarcely necessary for me to speak The
healthfalness Of the place, the attractions Of
its society, and the prosperity which rewards
industry, have made Staunton rallyi6g point
for Eastern Virginians, for Northerners and
for Southerners. One is surprised at the nuns
Der of Virginiaps, Eho have come here from
Fredericksburg, Richmond, Halifax, the East
err Share and other points, and the whole
soulea autochthones will not, | trust, object
if I claim that these Eastern folk impart an
additional charm to their society. More
Southerners than Yankees have settled here,
and that, to say the least, is not bad thing.
OF the beauty Of the ladies cannot speak de-
cisively, having seen but few Of them on the
street, but as | assembled GalloWs' hill yester-
day evening, passed one dressed in black
|Who, from the brief glance I allowed myself,
seasmsd equal to any in Virginia, and that i,
saying as much as well can be said for any lady
just here, l must not forgstto mention among
the recent accessiQps to the society Of the
PLACE, the daughters of two Of the prominant
citizens Of Richmond, one the wife Of an art
list full Of promise, and the other an accom-
plished teacher Of music. And before quit
the subject Of Augusta enterprise I must al.
lude to the extensive foundries and iron works
Of Mr. W. A. Burke, and Messrs. Farkins,
Nelson l. Co., establishments where all manner
Of work is done, and which would do credi:
to large cities.
The gentlemen connected with the three
newspapers here received me very cordially
for my own sake and that Of the Metropolitan
paper which I represent, showing me every
civility and kindness in their power, and
take pleasure in making this acknowledgment
Of their courtesy. BOLIVAR.
Conservative Meeting in Bath County.
On Wednesday, the 9th of May, that be-
ing coprt-day, meeting of the Conservative