Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1875-05-29
CAPITAL CURRENTS.
A NEW BOOK ROUGHLY HAM
DIED. :
Memorial Day Exercises--Knights Of
Pythias--Law Commencements---A
Fine Concert Gather Notes.

from Our Otcn Corrsspondcnt)
wAsHrssTos. May %, 1875.
General Sherman's Memoirs, on which Te-
cumseh has been at work this icng time, have
q. length appeared. Like the cat who watches
the hole whence bis ratship unluckily emerges.
and pounces upon him, The Capital said
nothing anticipaicry of the book. On its issue
from the press, however, Dom Plat. has seized
the unfortunate work, and dealt il some sharp
knocks. Last Sundays Capital has nearly three
entire columns devoted TO its severe criticism,
and General Sherman probably regrets be
ever gave his memoirs 10 the world. | can
in no better way show the tendency OF this
book than by quoting few passages from its
admirable review ut the hands OF Donn Pia,t:
II is he SAYS, evidently published to give wider
circulation 70 the belle heretofore confued TO the
breast of this renowned warrior, that the late war
gave birth. after painful and protracted labor,
To- one great man, and his name ]. William Te-
cumseh Sherman.
The cool impudence with which the living are
abused and the dead paligned approaches the
sublime.
And what are we 20 think OF work that gives
praise to llslleck and Howard and condemns such
men as Stanton, Georgh II. Thomas, Mcpherson
and HookerH
And this inorJinate boaster, blowing his own
horn, attempts to cast shadow on the tomb OF
Mcpherson, and tenders insult to the brave Joe
Hooker who gave 10 bis country on the held so
much Of his lie that the insult becomes SANDER
on his grave.
The forms that tower before us into enduring
fame as time progresses, dwindle into nothing un-
der the tracings Of this ego'i''ieal pen.
In the hand Of an average soldier the pen Is
dangerous weapon to himself, and General Sher-
man should have thought OF this before trifing
with that little instrument, that has so suddenly
destroyed the fame won in popular estimation by
his sword.
Of course the main feature 10 the work 10 that
poetic march to the sea, when this scientific ego
list permitted to swing of with the army In
an excursion to the coast, while Hood was making
like march upon our interior.
Nor does he perceive what will eventually be
history, that his and Grants glory comes Of their
happening 10 be in command when The Conedefa-
cy fell through exhaustion. True. 1t fell hghtiDg.
How iercely those rebels fought from FIRST ." last
is told in figures. Sherman, IN his march IRON
Chattanooga 70 Atlanta lost more men killed than
johnson had under him, and Grants loss IN killer
between Washington and Richmond numoerea a
third more than Lee had opposed TO him. We
NAV luOge. t0en, Nnat WOulu nave Uccu tuc iahS
of these brilliant captains had they been put IN
when Mcclellan tried his ability and our fortunes
The work is badly constructed, confused 10 its
arrangement, fearfully padded with old reports
and letters, while the style is beneath criticism
Why il should have been written, why Published,
goes far towards solving the question OF INSANITY
that obtained circulation in the early stages oi
the war.
The Southern Menoral Association have
fixed upon next Tuesday, the lst proximo us
MEMORIAL DAY,
on which occasion the graves Of Confederate
soldiers 10 all our cemeteries will be decorated
with flowers. The interest ceu;ers, however,
mt Arlington where there are 23l graves to
| adurn. The ceremonies will begin at nneD,
and are 10 consist Of procession, prayer, MI.
sic and az Grafton. The orator hes not been
named. The
KNIGHTS tT PYTBIAs.
net last week, from all Northern points ard q
few Southern ones, to participate ia he an
/ nual session Of the order They remained with
us four days, the 10Th, Goth. 2ist, and 22l.-
! The parade was indeed fine Que. carry Ing US
back to the times of Knighthood and beraldry.
The armore,l, hemeted and well mounted
! Pytlians. with their bright banners iiuitering
! in the breeze, and stirring music created a
| martial spirit in the breasts nf lookevson gen.
orally, aud your correspondent particularly
who caught himself adopting new words 20 al
| old refrain
lwant 10 bo Pytbian
And with the Pyihisns stand
An helmet on my forehead
sword within my bend
| =. s. And mounted on 4 horse.
| Previous to adjourniug on Saturday last, The x.
! 7. decided to hold its next Convention IN Phil
adelphia on Tuesday, August %, 1876, aud
the 18th Of February was established as It's an
niversnrv. A Centennial Committee to ar-
range the celebration in Philadelphia next year,
WAS appointed, and among MS numbers find
the name OF j. Rufus Smith, Of
WEST yIRGIEIA.
The Spring Matching out OF lawyers las begun,
aud Commandments If our several classes are
in progress The National University turns
out lis crop If " limits to-mOrrow night at
Lincoln Hail. when Thirty eigh, young gen
tlenen will receive their diploma. Through
the courtesy Of E. Judge Williams, Esq, one
OF the graduates, your representative will have
the pleasure Of being present Oh this occasion.
Tie concert given hst night at
ST. DoMINIcK's CHURCH
was we'll attended, and proved fine treat for
music lovers Judging from the size Of the
audience,-at one dollar head should
guess that perhaps 81 900 had been raised.-
! The selections we're from Mozart, Beethoven
aud other old authors Mr. L. Odend hal,
of Baltimore sang Les Vepres Siciliennes,
from Verdi, in grand STYLE aud The L'ElisTe
d'Amore from Donizetii, by Mr. Odendhal
and Miss Rose McDermott was rendered 30
sweetly as to cause an hearty and prolonged
encore. The rebuke rendered
THE WEATHER.
| a short time since by the FEE Pass seems to
have caused determined change. AS far as
heat is concerned, we are already swelterihg
under an August sun, and polar waves are
gratefully recolected. | have yet, however.
to record our first thunder storm. Last Sat
urday, indeed, there was a slight gust and a
few thundery rumbles given US as pNpara-
ton but beyond this
A boding Silence rsigns,