The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1871-03-30
.Poiut pleasant Asleep "

Mr.. EdttOr:
/ Msthiuks l hare read sometime Of q
wonderful drug of the East, known to the
natives as '.Haskeesh." A few drops to
ken on the tongue would waft you into an
Mysian dreanlsnd. 1t would launch you
upon my sea whose perfumed waves bore
You onward as softly and swectly as If re-
clining upon couch Of roses. The most
gorgeous visions, the richest and rarest dis
solving views delighted the eye. while
strains Of lbc,m exquisite melody en-
lrancsd the soul. Point Pleasant. certain
y has been drinking "Haskeesb," wheth'
or remotely orrsccntly, let the sequel show
A century ago the scream of the Eagle
aud the fcrce war-whoop of the Red man
uniting was fearful warning to the &c.
venturous pioneer as be turned his steps
toward the setting sun; but allured by the
glilteriug star that arose in the Western
Heavens, he pressed onward regardless OF
the ominous sounds that greeted him at
every turn in his pathway, until be had
planted bis banner upon the summit of the
snow crowned Rocky Mountains, and now
views with tho complacency Of an ambitious
Alexander, the extent Of lis conquest,
and almost like him wishes for an
other world to conquer. In The terrible
struggle between the natives and the inva-
ders, this place was tho scene OF u most
sanguiuary conflict. How it terminated
all are aware, and all know too that the
bones ofthe Indian Chieftain and the COM
mauder Of the American troops have been
suffered to bleach under our soil with not
even slab to mark the spot where repose
their sacred remains, For shame, BIO it
said that such is the case! And if were
superstitious l might attribute our present
lamentable condition to the fact that wo
have neglected our duty to the dead; but
even as it is, may We not now be suffering
from that sameness of,duty? Be that as it
may, however, men have seen ct to make
this their abiding place, and have all along
their history consonted themselves with an
almost imperceptiblo degree of improve
mcnt. And leone now, to an inYestiga-
'tion into the cause of that tardiness and of
this wonderful ard profound slumbcr in
which we are reposing. That We are
sleeping, dead to our every interest, TO
ono will pretend to deny. But why are
VIC in this condition. That is the question:!
admit that it will be no easy task to solve
the riddle, yet if we can assign a reason
for the progress Of other towns, possibly we
might sec where we arc at fault. We are
wont to say, that why such and such q
towns swelling in numbers, increasing in
wealth, and advancing generally, is be-
cause the men who hold the wealth do not
keep it locked up in their Golfers. They
spend it in building manufactures of eve
ry kind, aud consequently Gull into requi-
sition the labor, skill. and ingenuity of
workmen Of every description. Then if
that is the principal secret of the success
of other places, and as We have never
made any extraordinary excrtiOus in that
direction, never been moved by unity Of
purpose, and never been actuated by one
common impulse, is not that q plain and
satisfactory rcasor why we still continue
under the influence Of the wonderful drug
of the East" Why We have aud still dc
"lie supinely upon our backs hugging the
aelusive phantom Of hope" that better
day awaits, that the sun is near its rising
which shall SEQ our sparkling plumage il
calm unrufled state upon the waves; anc
the day is near its dawniug in which We
shall conspicuously appear as city pos
sessiug streets of magnificent distances
But there are other and powerful agencies
at work in impeding our progress 1t isl
delicate matter to call in question the act
ions and opinions of individuals, but it re
quires individuals to form a community
and its components are highly responsible
IN separate character. Intelligent citi
zens of the place have been known to ex
press themselves as opposed to improve
meuts on the ground of great incouve
nience." The "noise of the wheels o
progress" would disturb them III thei
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