The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-04-29

,Raehnsond on the Ieesas~ Han I'm.
foFfuTaRte City Is Ree0verfng--ISal
and 1s72-@A tsossfpy Letter.
Correspondence of DIE Cotfier.Journal.
go 20 RloHdoNp, "a pril 20, 1872.
4 passage down the Chesapeake bay from
Baltimore to York river at this season i
! charming. To inhale the salt sea air, to be
f1sprinkied with the oceans spfny, to; look out
upon vast waste of ;heaSing pillows when
Iashed into madness and fury by the wind,
is fascinating to the eye and refreshing to the
spirit. a passage of sixteen hours brings
the traveller to this city Of hills and this
throne Of hospitality atz-a vs. s.r+
If the people in any city in America de
serve credit the people Of Richmond do A
former citizen of Virginia who visited the
city last, just after the surrender, when her
once handsome buildings were shapeless
heap-rud's tndtgestaque nloles--a dismal and
sickening mass of blackened ruins-would
hardly recognize the Richmond of to-day as
the same city. No people in the world have
risen SO nobly from the gulf of despair.
They saw the star Of the Confederacy, in
which they had centred their fortunes and
their hopes, go down in blood. 1mme-
diately upon the reception of such terrible
tidings they were summoned to the surround
ing bills to watch their beautiful city rush
skyward in flame and smoke. They saw their
ancient and historic river blushing with the
red glare of their burning homes. In
those homes were the cradles in which they
had been rocked, the books from which
they had culled the choicest trophies of
learning-the statues and portraits of their
fn<, Lea
terless, and friendleSs. Their fortunes had
been swept away by zone fell swoop" of
Fate. They looked around upon the country
from which they must in future draw succor.
1t was all Scared and .mutilated by the har-
row Of war. 1t was rich only with the memo
rials of disaster. It could furnish only
trophies of calamity. 1t was blghted as if
some Slrs;ir wind had swept over its bosom
or as if the life-withcring lOcusts that
swept life from the plains of Egypt had
chosen it for their path. All was desolation
and sorrow, and gloom, and misery. The
earthquake that toppled Sparta from her
proud seat, the seething lava which enveloped
Pompei, had done no more for those cities
than the hot breath of battle had done for
Richmond. Yet, without assistance, without
the aid Of Chicago-Relief societies, the people
Of Richmond have risen from this awful gull
of poverty and wretchedness, and their city is
again the seat of happiness, of refinement and
elegance, of true and elevated hospitality.
Her women are as fair and brilliant rs ever.
her men are as chivalric, as noble and gener-
ous, as in the ''happy days gone by" Smoul-
dering ruins have disappeared and stately
buildings rise on every hand. Streets are
pushing their lengths further into the coun-
try, old groves are cut down to give space
for the advance of civic Improvement Rail-
roads are in process of construction, new and
gigantic combinations being formed, and
in short everything seems to indicate that
Richmond will soon far outstrip her former
self in beauty, prosperity, and wealth. Halls
which six years ago only echoed with the
terrible clash Of arms and the narrowing
chorus of groans are now enlivened with the
merry laugh Of voices and the sweet smiles
of girlish beauty.
The people of Richmond, and indeed the
people of the whole State, feel very proud Of
this worthy gentleman [Governor Walker].
Though not "to the manner born," he ap-
pears to have The refined instincts and all the
winning graces of true Virginia gentleman.
This is saying great deal; for 10 people
have a more jealous regard for the courtesies
allu ClfullitS vi lllc tlldH Tie V HSlui;illS. "
see two old gentlemen meet after even short
separation, one would think himself in para
disc listening to the greetings and congratu-
lations exchanged between my Lord Chester
field and my gracious and noble Duke of
Buckingham. Such bows and graces and
smiIes-such soft but passionate preSsures OF
the hand-Such tender inquiries after I" the
lady" first and then after each particular
member of the family-such gracefully ex-
pressed hopes for the health and happiness of
each other and such winning and bland
adieus. No people can surpass them; no
people cln even equal them. Governor
Walker is, however, a thorough and most az
complishcd gentleman, and is well worthy OF
i seat which has been filled by the most Illus
trious of Yirginia's children. His name is
prominently mentioned as likely to be placed
| upon the Democratic ticket for the Office OF
Vice-President Of the United States, and the
suggestion is received with great enthusiasm
here. The newspapers Of the city have
seized upon the opportunity OF paying him
a very deserved compliment and it Is not ull-
likely that the proposition will be received
with favor by the Convention.