Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-04-28
LETTER FROM VIRGINIA.

April 18th, I noticed an account of the
discovery of the burning Of Natural
Bridge, one of dame Natures greatest
curiosities. The account you give IS but
repetition of the facts as published
first in the Richmond city papers. but 1t
is full grown "sell'' all around, and
was perpetrated by some fun loving stu
dents of Washington College, at Lex
ington, fifteen miles north of the Bridge.
The letters to the papers bore the sigma
ture of Professor Campbell of "Lee Uni
versity," but he knew nothing OF the
matter until he learned it from the pa
pers. The Bridge hasn't any idea of
burning itself up just now, when it is
proposed to build a railroad within two |
miles of it. when sight-seers can crafty
their curiosity without travelling fifty
one miles by stage coach. 1t is we'll
worth the journey moao, but few care to
uuucIGdh6 IL, unlSoo oHOy nloo Wloh w
visit the university at Lexington, and
the graves of Lee and Stonewall Jackson
The Military Institute of the state is at
Lexington and also Washington College,
now called Washington and Lee Univer-
sity. and very readily do the good PEG
pie of old Virginia learn to 'cut it short
and. call it "Lee University" There
Gen. Lee spent his last days-and they
were full of sorrow-there he was buried
and the head of him whom the people of
the South idollzed rests as low as that
of ..Father Abraham who by their teach
ing, was slain. Gen. Lee is buried be-
meath the chancel in the Chapel of the
College. stonewall Jackson lies in the
cemetery of the town, with plain mon
ument to mark the place. In the two
universities hundreds of young men are
being educated of them southern
ers. Here is an opportunity for the de-
velopment of much love or much hatred
for our government, much good can be
done or much evil wrought. What is
mere prejudice can with right influences
be overcome, or can as easily be nurtur-
ed and fostered until it becomes positive
hatred. One of the pastors of the town,
at whose church very large number of
the students worship, said: Il am thank
full for my influence. [ will teach these
young men to carry on the work their
fathers began, and they will not fail as
their fathers did" In the columns Of
: the Lexington Gazette of last November
[ find the following communication
: which it is supposed by very many. came
from the same Rev. above referred to.
1t was published ON the 22nd of Nov
e just after Grants election:
e .sThere are a class of men who call
0 themselves Progressionists, who talk
f about the dead past with its foolish no.
tions. who wish US to keep alongside the
spirit of the age, though it be the spirit
J., of the devil. The greatest danger Of
d the South is from this very class of men
t who are enemies in disguise Men who
f are willing to sacrifice all the dear and
g precious influences of the domestic cir
Gle, to introduce into our society class
/ of Woodruff and Clafins-and fo1
It what? To make money-to keep W
/ with the spirit of the age. If this means
$ to make us like the people on yondel
side of the Potomac, we say, "God for
: bid Truly they are materialists-ev.
N erything with them is reckoned in dol
n lars and cents In politics the motives
r which have governed their action hay,
IL been based upon the idea that every MAJ
had his price, and the only question
e with them in approaching any man wa
lie the amount of the bride, the price of hi
d integrity May we never have any sucl
IF political affinities In their social re
lations, they are even worse. Modest.
and virtue with them are but names t
III enhance the price of beauty. Even vir
1t tue is checked off with balances. w
ID say unto the young men and women Q
20 the South, have no social relations wit
them. Look not upon the sons an
- daughters of these Amalekites. If y
es shall make marriage with them the
Il shall be snares and traps unto you, an
,h scourges in your sides and thorns i
ID your eyes until We perish from off thi
= good earth which the Lord your God ha
SV given you. meme, meme, TEKEL UpT
or ARsIN."
Id 'Now, Mr.. Editor, you may call tn
it. old fogyism or not, but these are my SCI
timents, and if we are to sit in the san
pews with such people, let us crow
Is into the far corner with our women Q
IS, the far slde.''
IN True the above are only one man
all ''sentimeats,' but isn't it rather signi
ut cant that not a paper in the State h;
had the manliness to fling back in b
- teeth the lie he haunts as his ''sent
! ments ?" Not a word of censure or di
IA appreciation has appeared against hi
:. and the editor of the Gazette, in viii
;s the article appeared, refused to publ
I'D a reply.
',0 L. d. c..
'l0 STAUNToN, VIRGINIA, April 10, 1877
WI
ed. The LATE DIR. THoMAs.-A dispat
viii to the Boston Advertiser has this stat
ment regarding DIR. Thomas, slain