The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-04-22
The Centennial as Viewed by a Virgin

pens, &C., &C.
To the Editors Of the Richmond Dispatch:
NV Dear Sirs. My absence from" my own,
nv native land" only ln.ensities the interest
i,cl 10 whatever concerns and promotes her
interests and welfare. .
Such absence is only tolerab'c in the op.
portunty and position of doing more 10 war
md in peace than in my native residence.
This rrocyi'y finds indulgence in reading
avery No. of he Dispatch as we'll as many
lrr Virginia papers.
ain nov impclled TO say that you have
rarclv pcn.cH more just and important ar
icle t.sn tl:s', a few days ago, concerning tue
1puo2chit.. centennial; subject. formerly
Il least, To ne just criticisms TO which you
refer.
As ci.cunS' ances nov exist, aud likely 10
;,o strengthened by the time Of its occur
rrncr. il Is likely 20 afford the South an OPP
pnr,uny Of celebrating an Independence
more mporta.t than that of 1716.
A,,ou state, Pennsylvania is now Demo.
cratic. and has lately sent to the Senate
REPRESENTATIVE rs reliable on southern doc
rr;uc, H. any il the South, and would send
...Ctlvr on same opportunity. Philadelphia
hriug manufacturing city, and much de-
prudent On Tic existing Government Tor
contracts, thu, also affecting operatives, and
also a very large proportion Of negroes and
Olakcrs-worihy aud peaceabe-hut OF
voting procl,vNlcs adverse to the South,
!. is no, remarkable that elections
should parlake of such complexion. Apart
from such elements, not generally ell
;eriog iato the elevated componentS Of
,rcrty, tre Conservative preponCeranCe
would lie very largely in the ascend
mt, 4 city over ten miles square, and in the
number OF hou.cs exceeding Ncw York,
81, ton. ana Richmond combined, or, rs the
cpr~u-. bid buildings, being more than
80. 400 ser Ecw Iork-of course presents
very ;uie'y of complexion. and thus OBJ
nnxioll. 70 acrimonious invcclveS In many
Of its ilgrcdicut>. But, while wholesale
en-, Omiu n, would be unreasonable, similar
druuuca ions are also unjust. have no pre-
d:I,clicu. unless from peculiar standpolns
exhibiting cXcclicncies not otherwise apprc-
ci,be. Tie :'grlnd documcnt" you rC-
emily Ut. .lishcd, 20 ably sustaining the con-
>tuutio. / r:gil.s Of the South, was by
j'nilr,c ,niau aud descendant OF General
Hashiuyton's attoIney-gcueral, aud Irll"x
u that class OF its citizens. There
Is lille doubt that, from locality and
.,tll4t circumstances, the most effective
Grt,, der of southern rights (ltanda'U isfrom
thi. city, and should command the southern
vote tor the text Speaker in Congress,
Unr.er and Others being also conspcuou>ly
xo.fn y. When am III Richmond, and see
YOU and others gallan!ly sustaining your
right, and tiresidcs, commend you as
dom. your duty, and what might be reason
ably expected OF you; but when [ here see
,uch men endangerinS their own Interests
md fires des By defending yours confess a
nigh, admiration and appreciation, and in
he ,di>cI inmate denunclatlon sometimes
INDUCED only feel tue sentiment, Father,
forgive them, they know not what they DO"
My urescut rem lrks about tue centennial
and your article on the subject are elIcllcd by
4 reconnaissance to.d'y of the preparations,
under TIE ob!lgiug explanations Of the sRlluI
md energetic contractor, enabling me- to lm-
Dart Information Interesting, perhaps, 10 |
some of your readers, and sustaining you III |
POSITIONS suu.e may attack from Imperfect |!
of observation and conSldera' |
iOr. Some idea Of their magnitude may be !
acquired nom the fact that the build |
ns> and special preparations alone VIII |
over a space of $50 acres; and ii all the |
.rulnd desired by shoWmer, special eX-
nibitors Of their own inventions, improve
Inrnts. &C., is furnished. it is doubtful |
whether the whole 200 acres in the park
wiII suffice. The main building, TO jst mil
lion and u half Of dollars, already presents its
gigantic granite proportions, rs we'll AS the
for other buildings, sleltc;S. &c
NV impulse TO write this communication
originated from the statement that one.tourth
Of all the granite used was from Richmond,
md the reason more was not used was that
three quarries could not furnish it in
l,nr. lie authorized me further to say
hat it was not only the best granite
in the buildings, but the bast in the world.
The pavement in front of my door aud much
a other streets being from the same material.
It l. thus gratifying and modifying fact that
ne exhibition and other improvements fur |
n,h YOU bread for stone. |
The certainty Of completion substantially |
Dv the Isl Of January neXt will afford adj |
vantage over all foreign nations ana insure |
N industrial exhibition Of the inventions |
mi i'm Drovements Of the nations Of The earth |
not to be neglected or slightly regarded, and |
4 will be unfortunate for sectional prcjudictS |
y mistaken apprehensions TO Gcbar any from |
,iD,tantial ben,t til which such inventions may |
anri in the suggestion Of O.hcr inventions !
yceiling those on exhibition.
have no Individual Interests to serve and ,
q, prrsuasivCS or urgency on any, but oniy |
l,sirou>, from Il favorable standpoint, 10 pre- !
..nt what may be seen or not seen. lie /
;, 0ogical garden adjacent i, sad now 10 |
Xhib!t The finest collection Of aElInais (cspe- !
.rily giratit>) known in the world, and is a |
Renaissance, about forty years |
ago, near the same spot, an expression oC- |
ours TO Inc Of lis then magnificent propriC- |
10 rhc late john Hare Pow" while viewing |
nj, fine cattle that "thc tlood-horSes, the |
!iar il l"mS. and the men OF Virginia are the |
be>l IA the world, put thu dlu! horses ana
the COWS are the mtanest." lie had not
then attended some Of cur subsequent State
fairs, and according to the testimony OF
worthy relic and representative wv. +.
Wickham, Esq, Of your vlcinlty,) the taoteS
we've entitled specially 10 that compliment.
There being more OF the same sort 10 peace
ana war, their former enemies beng the
iuGyes, some representatives might still ce
exhibited. As am writingto help you our,
may nope for specimens of an eNpe-
dtion, nearly twenty years ago, when,
under the guidance OF sklllul ana sue
ccssful leader and oarSman, we over
cane the rapid current Of New river,
and now on the james or SchuylkilI, passing
through the park, and atordipg opportunity
aud preparation for the regattas Of the ma
tons, and especially with favorng southern
currents and ocean tides. Your victory
must be complete and overwhelming. will
then conclude hat was only commenced as
a short and hasty ebulliion Of socia! concur
renee, and with auXiliaries not at your COM
nand, by the atiectionate declaration that as
The choicest materials for the solid iounda-
tons aud massive elevations are from the
South-so near my native, and, indeed, pre-
sent home, and under such control OF such
national and State legislatures, and