The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-09-24
GCorrespondence OF the Richmond Dispatch. !

| Candidates for our county ofllces-espe
cially that Of county treasurer-multiply rs
| the election draws near but the Conseryi-
tive Convention, which meets October Sd,
is expected TO harmonize conflicting views,
and put in the field o ticket that will be most
triumphantly elected. Senator Anderson,
| the new county superintendent, is con-
ducting the canvass with the skill and vgor
we had right to expect from his antece-
dents.
On Thursday last the annual session Of
Washington College opened under the
most flattering auspices. The, students all
assembled in The chapel, and after the usual
service, conducted by Rev. DR.. Pendleton,
General Lee made number Of announce
ments concerning the organization OF the
classes, and expressed the earnest hope that
both professors and students would attend
regularly the daily prayers at the chapel.
1t was, perhaps, the longest speech which
! the old hero ever made. Every morning
since the chapel has been largely attended,
and the classes have been steadily proceed
ing with their reorganization. T1T-
| The students have been steadily pour
| ing in, until there are present to-day about
three hundred and twenty, an advance OF
thirty over the number present this time
| last session. There are already here an
unusually large number of old students,
and others are known TO be on their way.
| The law class will not be organized until
the 1st of October, and as this is generally
known the law students (save a few OF
thcnl) will not come until that time.
From information already received, the
| law class will number at least ,ffty.
| 1t is, then, very safe to say that there
will be fully four hundred matriculates ut
the college during the current session. This
is decidedly encouraging. 1t was hardly to-
be expected that the college would have
| been able to retain so well its number of
students. Reopenin. after the war in ad-
vance of most Of the colleges Of the South,
aud with the reputation and personal popu-
| larity of "the foremost living man" to at
| tract students 10 its walls, some OF the most
judicious friends Of the college feared that
rs other institutions rcopcned the number OF
students here would naturally fall oil, until
| the new Alumni could make their influence
! felt. The fact that these fears have not been
realized shows that the popularity Of the
| institution rests on solid basis, and nugurs
we'll for its future prosperity. Let the
plans of the college be carried out and give
us our railroad, and the present prosperity
| of the college will prove but the harbinger
Of the most brilliant success III the future.
| At the Virginia Military Institute there
are now "present for duty" 31S cadets,
while about seventy others are under ap-
pointment, and are expected on soon.
Others doubtless will come in during the
session.
| The cas- works at the institute are being
rapidly reconstructed on the most improved
pattern. and "the hilF' will be lighted with
| gas next week.
| General Smith is now burning brick, and
| has ordered the timber for the "Jackson
Memorial Chapel" He will push forward
| the work with his characteristic energy and
sound Judgment, and those who desire to
| bear some part in this fitting memorial to
| the great ''Sionewall' would do well to
| forward at once their contributions.
We are looking forward to successful
agricultural fair, beginning October 10Th.
| Important changes have been made i'll the
Constitution of the society, and arrange
ments made to render the exhibition asuc-
cess. May we not hope to have "big Kich-
mond" well represented?
We still hear great deal about the She
| nandoah Valley railroad, and the Cen
| tral Improvement Company" who are to
build every foot OF the road without calling
on the counties along the line for Il cent;
| but some of our people are still curious TO
know a1ho are the "Central improvement
Company" and where is the money to come
from. #'@.- ...--. ,taa. .'e
We knoeo the company of which General
Lee is President, and know just exactly the
| basis upon which they propose to build the
great Valley railroad. -
BY the way, the "railroad policy" Of
your neighbors of the Whig is exciting some
comment hereabouts. Some time ago it op-
posed the Valley railroad scheme as detri-
mental to Virginia interests; now it vigor-
ously advocates the Shenandoah Valley rail-
road, which will run along the same line,
but terminate at Philadelphia, instead of
| Baltimore. Then again it opposes sub
scription of Richmond to the "straight-'
shoot" to Lynchburg, and urges her to
subscribe to the Cumberland Gap railroad.
Some of us are so dull as not to be able to
"see it," LEXINGTON.