The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-31
The BOat-Race.

contest Of the strength and slcight of four
men and coxswain on each side. The
struggle is only dignifed above ordinary
rivalrics between men by the fact that one
of the competitors represented Oxford and
the English and the other Harvard and
the Americans. It would be unnatural not
10 feel mn increased interest in their race
on that account but there is limit even
to that interest. They arc but five men on
side, and neither nation has any idea OF
leaving to the result of their contest the
settlement of the question Of national SUI
periority in strength, endurance, stamina,
and strategy. BY no means. So that while
the competitors had little Fictitious i'm
portance from circumstances they were but
men, and possibly not the best selections
on their respective sides!
But our dear friends Of the Nolh have
been fiji to burst with excitement, and from
the accounts in their papers were almost as
much depressed by the defeat of the Har-
wards as though another Bull Run battle
had been fought. Taking this depression
and distress at defeat Qs On example, to
what excuses they might have been carried
had Harvard won We can hardly imagine.
This logical inference led our contemporary
of the Enquirer yesterday into q frank and
just homily upon the national conceit Of
our northern friends. We trust they will
take his lecture to heart in the pious
and friendly spirit in which it is meant.
We think it very likely that the little re-
verse in this boat business will prove
moral benefit, and help to chasten and refine
their feelings to degree Of modesty alto
gether becoming q people who arc truly
great.
Down here there was no great excitement
about the intcr-univcrsty" oat-race, Us
il is called. But We incline to the opinion
that we would rather that Harvard had
won-our friend of the Enquirer to the
contrary Notwithstanding. For friend Of
ours-one of the bittercst southern men we
know, and the rOSScSt Democrat in the
State-infOrmed Us two days before thclace
that he had been analysing his feelings,
and found that, upon the whole, he desired
the Haryards to win! Well, thought we, il
he is thus inclined, who can entertain an
opposite opinion? And, furthermore, it
seemed to us that here was the most con-
elusive proof of reconstruction that could
be desired. Harvard is the quintessencc Of
all that the South was in times passed OPP
posed to; and if this old game-cock south
erner can hope for the triumph Of her
crew, who can impeach the good feeling Of
the Nirginians2 Could General CANBY ask
anything more!
Our friends of the North received the
news with intense disappointment and cha
grin, according to their papers. In New
York they wouldn't believe it. The gold
board were as grum as bears and as belli-
coSe as bulls. After the first telegram Of
the victory of the Oxfords came another
announcing that the Harvards had won. A
perfect dclirium of joy ensued. Such
noises as only the gold board can make fol
lowed. Somebody feared mistake-a gold
the Harvards had won.
Finally, after a grand demonstration in
the manner of the Bulls and Bears, the
agent Of the Associated Press informed the
board that the second telegram was a fraud,
and that the Oxfords had indeed won by
four lengths in distance and six seconds in
time. That was shower-bath. The beasts
were quoted, and soon dispersed. The
scenes of the board were sample of the
vibrations in public feeling at the bulletin
boards and the hotels and wharves and pub
lie resorts Of the great Gotham generally.
The result being asccrtained and acknow
lodged, then followed comment Of course
accounting for the defeat was an inevitable
feature Of the comment; for the friends OF
the defeated seldom, if ever, acknowledge
unqualified superiority in the victorious
party. So We hear that everybody is de-
.'ploring that LoRlNG should have shown
- signs of weakness so early in the race.
q His splendid physique, acknowledged
"skill, and supposed endurance, were
"among the best guarantees that the friends
''of Harvard had for the success Of their
"crew. His giving out is attributed to
oyerStraining by some and by others, to
the effects Of boil with which he was
afflicted. In the midst of the race the
6 boat was retarded by the necessity of re-
9 freshing him with water. SIMMONS, too,
was taken sick just before the race, and
''much Of his power was lost. The Iar
wards rowed with coxswain. At home
"they have none. The course was new to
them, and the river currents were unfa-
erniliar. The course was crooked and ire
''gular," &C., &C., &c.
Boils arc, indeed, horrible things. HEE-
NAN had boil when SAVERS conquered him,
and T. great many people have boils at mop
perfume periods and i'll inopportune places.
Ne do not know that any consolation ever
came OF boils bu: that they sometimes fur
nish excuses for fQilures
And now we have the kndest intcrna-
tional expressions. The English papers say
that the Haryards did nobly, and, in the