The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-20
celebration ut Louisa Courthouse.
cnrresnnn denre. of the Richmond Disnatch.

Our town, which, since the excitement of
the late election, has not departed from
sthe even tenor of its way" was the scene
last evening of brilliant spectacle, in the
celebration of the "Henry Literary Soci-,
ety. This fiourishing institution, organ
lied some months since, and composed of
the young men of the village, numbering
some thirty-fve or forty members, met in
pursuance of appointment in the Baptist
church Mt 81 P. NJ. to favor its friends with
a public exhibition. Long before that hour
the church was filled TO overlooking with the
invited guests and as we looked around
over the brilliant scene which awaited the
Young orators, in the kindness of our heart
we could but congratulate them on the au
spicious circumstances which favored their
maiden efforts as orators before the public.
The church was brilliantly Illuminated,
and the kind ladies had spared no trouble
nor pains in richly and lastly decorating
it, for which the Society appropriately ex.
pressed their gratitude In d resolution of
thanks. Over the stage, in large guilt let
tiers, was ingeniously fixed the motto of the
Society, Retoricd, desputio, ct Hterae,"
the sentiment of which seems to have been
fully appreciated by the members, and the
success of the orators evinced that the ends
of the Society had not been perverted.
Promptly at the appointed hour the So
ciety, preceded by the marshals Of the oc-
casion, and followed by the orators and COM
mittee, proceeded to the seats assigned them
in the front part Of the church, the orators
and committee taking their seats on the
stage. The exercises were opened with
PRAYER by the Rev. A. C. Bledsoe; after
which the President, Mr.. W. c. Stout, in
troduced as the statutory orator one whom
the Society had selected MS most capable
of extending a hearty welcome to their
fricnds,-Mr. H. Thompson Kent-whose
speech was short, appropriate, and we'll de-
livered. His enthusiasm and earnestness
we're equal to the occasion, and his welcome
to the ladies was especially felicitous, Of
whom, it is said, he has very high appre-
citation.
Mr. E. Thomas Smith, the "orator" of
the occasion, was next introduced by the
President with remarks expressive of the
high estimate that the Society had of Mr..
Smiths ttainments as an orator, and which
his speech manifested he justly merited.
His greatest difficulty seemed to have been
in selecting subject; for he evidently ex-
perienced no difficulty in handling the one
that he did select. Being an appreciative
young man." he informs us that the first
subject that suggested itself was "court-
ing,' and that he might treat it more fully,
he divided it into i1co heads-a division
into which it naturally divides itself. But,
meeting Mt the outset with an lnsuperable dill
fculty in the great affinity that the two heads
had the one for the other, he was compelled
to discard that subject, and finally selected
as his theme "The mind of man, and the
advantages of its cultivation" His speech
was we'll written, and, from the frequent
applause, met with the approval of the
audience: and the culture Of his own mind
rave a practical illustration of many Of the
advantages derived from the cultivation Of
the mind.
Mr.. J. L. Jones was next presented to
the audience as decIaimer." lie pos
scsses rich, full voice, and seemed to have
it under fine control his gestures were
graceful, and no one, we think, could have
done more justice to his subject" The
Grandeur of Eloqucnce."
We regret that our space will not permit
us to give synopsis of the speech of Rev.
A. c. Bledsoe, the "UiSiting orator." 1t
was one of the most appropriate and excel
lent speeches of the kind that We have ever
heard. His subject was the Harmony of
Character" and not only was it calculated
to please, but was replcte with advice to
the young men, who were much pleased
with the effort. We must at least allude to
the happy impr0mptu speeches which were
made by the orators in receiving the hume
rous bouquets which were showered upon
them by the fair ladies.
The exercises being now over at the
church, which had passed off sopleasantly,
and seemed to have been enjoyed so much
by all, the President gave notice that those
who held invitations to the supper and ball
would repair to the Louisa Hotel, where
Mr.. Moore, the proprietor, had prepared
rooms for the dance and such a feast Of
1" nice things" as he knows so well how to
get Up. Your correspondent, being one of
the favored, repaired thither; and as We
stood amidst the gay assembly, as we heard
the congratulations of the ladies-given,
per chance, with significant smile-and
saw these orators, who had been lately
climbing the "rugged sleeps" of oratory,
now treading "the primrose path Of DIAL
lance" we cherished the secret hope that
we, too, might some day be an orator.
The ballroom was enliycned by the
merry laugh and the bright eyes Of many
of Virginia's fair daughters, to which, also,
Alabama and West Virginia contributed.
We would like to give you full account of
the toasts, but we have already stretched
this to IN objectionable length.
!sThe wac smae hours of the night -
found your correspondent on his way to his
quarters, fully impressed with the idea
that literary celebration is /" as good
thing as is" We hope the Henry Literary
Society prosperous course, and that their
late success may be an earnest Of their fu-
ture prosperity. =
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.
Proceedings of the County Court Of
James Cify---Gne Man Sent TO Jail
for Twelve Months---FOur Members
of "Lone Star" Imprisoned and
Fincti---SOme Insight into the Mys-
teries of this InquisitiOn---T n y
Hang Man UP by His Thumbs,
Override State Laws, &c.---M o G
BOarders for WardwelI---C r O ID Sea-
Eggs, &c.
BURNT ORDINARY, VA,
August l6, 1869.
The quarterly court of this county closed
most busy and interesting term last Fri
day. John King was tried for the killing
of John Mercer (all colored) in May last,
was convicted of involuntary manslaughter,
and sent to the county jail for one year
Mr.. Milligan, Commemorative Attorney by
appointment, for the prosecution Captain
II. L. Henley and Mr.. r. A. Armistead for
the defence. The negroes were, almost to
a man, for the hanging of King, but the
jury believed the deed was done partly in
self-defence, and after much patience,
insult, and injury.