Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1875-07-17
VIRGINIA FREE PRESS.
Saturday, July II, 1875.
The New Jersey Press and Harper's
Ferry.

The New Brunswick Daily FREEDMAN
speaking OF the reception given to the late
excursion party of the New Jersey Press at
Harper's Ferry, and of the prOfuse attention
paid to it by Charles Davies, Esq, aud others,
adds. that at the committees request, Mr..
Davies reduced to writing some Of his re-
marks on the occasion, which he did, and
which they publish as follows;
HAEpER's FERRY, WEST Va,
JUNE "a, 1875.
,Jouy f. BABcock, Esq, New Brunswick,
New Jersey
DEAR SIR :-Xour request that | should
Immediately write to you, gives me such an
early opportunity Of Twill you permit me to
say p cementng the acquaintance so pleas
anty formed with you and several other mem
bers of the Press of New jersey, for instance
the members of your managing committee,
ON the occasion Of your recent visit to this
place, that embrace it with pleasure
1t was the desire of the corporation and the
people here to have given you public, cere-
monious reception. II, as chairman OF the
arrangements. | took the liberty Of changing
this programme, aud of putting forth iced
lemonade with the et ceteTdS rs the orators oil
the occasion, have the great satisfaction OF
thinking that the discoptented were not a.
mongst your ladylike and gentlemanly, but
warm. and weary aud thirsty party.
When here. you were kind enough to eX-
nress the wish that should send you in writ
mo copv of some remarks made 10y me 10
reference to this place. Here they are sub
stantially:
During the administration of Washington
and at bis suggestion, Harpers Ferry was Sc
lected as the site of National Armory. =
Years followed, during which an industrious
people were contented aud happy. Govern
ment works, public buildings, private reSiden-
ces were numerous. a lovelier place was not
in the world more prosperous town was
. not in this whole region Of country.
Next came tie war and the destruction OF
all these ,hings-pubIic works, places Of wor-
shin. private residences. And then came the
legislation of Congress, subsequent to the war;
The whole of that legislation was considered
proper. believe. by some people; the who
Of il was considered improper, unjust and
impolitic by others. Some OF 1t no doubt was
]
never should have been passed. BE that as 1t
may. portion Of the legislation have refer
red to declared that Harpers Ferry should no
I longer be the site Of National Armory.-
This utterly unnecessary and cruel act com
Melted the annihiliation OF the place. The
neope-many of them destitute-had been
/ sitting amid the ruins Of their former homes
/ aud industries, expecting each day that tie
! Government would do something. Well, as
/ | have informed you, Government did do
/ something. with q vengeance, and now they
sat there destitute of even hope. Many OF
the artzaus had purchased houses and lots
/ from Government with the express under
standing that payment was to be made in in
stallments from wages earned IL the Armory
! The necessary result, in many cases. being
that payments made were thrown away, the
opportunity of paying balances and getting
deeds having been taken away.
| pass from this melancholy state OF affair
with the same pleasure that mariner passe:
! from storms and clouds, TO blue skies and pla-
cid waters, to speak Of the present glorious
state of public feeling, the harmony that eve
rywhere exists, the revived patriotism that
seems to animate the whole country. All
sir. how peculiarly pleasant this is, to those
who never lost faith 10 the republic, and never
during the angrieSt periods Of our late troubles
were satisfied to be less than whole Ameri-
cans. And now see, the young rebels of the
/ Fifth Maryland kissing the Boston Girls, emo
tionqHy have 90 doubt while the embrace o
/ Gen. Lee and Gen. Butler was, am Informed
actually pdrorysmdl Well, now sir, this
4 being the state of affairs, would it not be Just
polite. graceful-nay, is it not due to the
( South-leaviug the claims and interests OF the
people here out of the question-to send back
the Armory to Harpers Ferry? IT 1t was
taken away on account Of want Of confidence
surely the best proof of the sincerity Of pre-
sent professions would be TO give 1t back
again.
At ali events. an effort will be made during
the next session Of Congress in the direction
above intimated. The Eon. Charles james
Faulkner will represent our District. In
common with numbers Of other influential
men in the country, he is devoted to the pro-
iect. and will do all that man can do in the
premises. Now, TO strengthen his hand IN TIE
effort. tha. is the servce-that is the favor
that entreat Of you, and the Press Of New
jersey.
And now let me add. and in conclusion,
that should the Armory be restored 10 rs, and
as a necessary result, prosperity again bless
this town and people, it will be pIeasant
ing for them, in future years, recalling at
the same time your visit of June, 1915, to he
able to say. and for this revived prosperity
for this labor and happiness, and content
ment. rivaling that Of by-goue days-we are
in great measure indebted to the friendly SER
vices of the Press Of New Jersey"
Yours, truly, CHARLFs DAVIES.
have said nothing, in the above letter, in
reference to the fact, that the Government
property here was sold few years since to
private parties. Enough II was not paid
for. and was decreed 70 be rasold. The iiti-
CATION, at present pending, presents no obsta-
Gle in the way Of Government il il chooses to
do irrstice Ia Uarper's Ferry.