Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-13
A TRAVELLING TENNESsEEAN.
Cnndle Letters and Lectures.

Candle Letters aud Lectures.
Bristol is peculiar species of amphibious
production-half Virginia and half Tennes-
see, half Presbyterian and half Methodist,
half city and half country. The population
is estimated at 800, but this census was
probably taken just after the arrival and
before the departure of two or three well
filled trains. It is place, in fact, where it
is somewhat difficult to see the bou es for
the town. But, like many others along the
road, it is improving rapidly. At my adj
vent, the population looks somewhat wild
and red-eyed, in consequence of loss of
sleep caused by solid week of school ex-
hibitions. The warm and weary survivors
ofthis fearful ordeal were arranging grand
picnic in the country, With the hope OF
tanning back into life the expiring embers
of existence. This point, by the way,
promises to become quite an educational
| center. Going northeast through the valley,
| in an hour or two we pass the handsome
buildings of the flourishing Methodist Col
| lege, Randolph Macon. The number Of
| students at this institution has been steadily
| increasing, and it is now one Of the most
flout ishing colleges in Virginia. If there
was more of the Methodist energy among
them all, the churches would make more
| impression on the country than they do.
As we go up the valley the country becomes
! fair and yet more fair, until the traveller
| might fancy himself in the garden of the
world. Late in the day we reach the head
waters of the Roanoke river. What seem
cry could be more enchanting? The
mountains limit the view on each side until
! ever and anon enchanting valleys are dimly
! seen, sleeping beneath the azure shroud.
| Vast meadows, fields of wheat miles in ex-
| tent, mighty tracts OF clover, fat cattle
sleeping in the shade, hills crowned with
beautiful mansions, pass before.us as a
panorama, until the landscape slowly fades
from sight and only the mountain tops are
visible against the glaring sky. Then
| comes doing sense of being shaken in a
sitter while another sitter shakes oinders
| from above at the rate OF twenty miles an
hour, and at eleven there is a shout of
| Lynchburg. We go to the Worrel House
| where the good fare and attendance soon
refresh the weary traveller. In tue ilofning
! he goes out TO see the burg,s Mercy on us,
| what hills, and what an enliveHing and de-
! licious smell of tobacco to those who like it.
! 4 snuffer might get his snuff by just walk
1 lug dIOullu. <AilO dUONO Ill HI1C1C ulO all GuCoO
! darkies come from. This street l am on is
10 doubt especially appropriated to them as
| the Ghetto Is given to the Jews at Rome.
| Taking turn it appears they have two
| streets. Al other turn shows they have
| three. An exhaustive examination proves
| that they constitute the majority of tho
| town. Neither here nor any where else
| did see any exhibition OF individual i'm
/ IlrrfI nv aad
| 20 Fear that there is far from being that
| friendly and kindly feeling between the
races in Virginia which it is 80 pleasant to
| witness in Tennessee. The negroes as far
| as can see. have been thoroughly poison
ed by mean white people-Outsiders and
lost Virginians. They appear to set them
/ selve 10 a position antGgonistie to the
/ whites. The latter with the
half pity and half contempt of
conscious superiority yield to them, and
| let them occupy the best seats in the cars
and stages. saw in one place in Eastern
| Virginia black man get in a stage and
| thus crowd out lady, who, in consequence
| of want of room, had to walk four miles in
! the middle of one of the hottest days, No
| one seemed to think anything Of 1t. So
| perbly unconscious Of white trash, two or
|
Iavements as if they were promenading in
| their native Guinea. fhe joyous youth
| congregate at the corners of the streets and
| fight or play, as they list. But in all the
| elements of material prosperity they are de-
! Ginning as an inferior race must always de-
| cine, W EN- it Is falsely tempted to put it
| self in an antagonistic attitude to those on
| whose good will and feeling it at last de-
| do 70
worthless 'srights," but kind feeling, and
this they are doing little to secure in the
| East.
But we are still at Lynchburg. Itwould
! be a mild suppression of facts to say it is a
city set on a bill. A portion is thus ele-
| Vated, but great deal is ON a second hill
which is on the first, while the most of il is
| on hill that is on a hill that is on hill.
The place is the principal seat of the manu-
| facture of tobacco. Aside from the filthy
| weed it is famous for the beauty of its la
| dies and intelligence of its society. There
are few of the historic families of the State
not represented here, and the signs of the
| old blood meet us continually. The au-
dience which assembled to hear the bless
| ings of the singulars and the miseries of
| the plural would be striking in any city.
Ny eyes are perhaps jaundiced by prejudice,
| but l fancy see a repOse and calmness in
the faces Of the Vlrginians find in but few
elsewhere. So many countenances of men
[ notice in this, my first Virginia audience,
whose rest and peace and intelligence
makes me think of the strength of angels;
so many fair faces of women which bring
to my mind the beauty Of those who Meth
! err marry nor are given in marriage.
Before leaving Lynchburg, l call on
! Gen. Early. This distinguished military
man and General was the last to yield to
the secession Juror, and seems resolved to
| figure in a coming novel, as the "lsst of the
| re. constructed" Besides the duties of his
profession, he IS one of the most able law
yers of the State.
AS the General is altogether the most
distinguished member of the craft of the
sngulars, he should be appointed our per-
petqal Grand Master. But as he il as timid
with the ladies as he is brave in battle, he
may object TO being waited on by the COM
miLtee. This consists of fifty old maids,
with each Of whom he would-in case Of
acceptance-be expected to go through the
! osculatOry exercise, or as we elegantly call
it, the labial drill. WIS.
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80 S.od ho1oE, o,otbor