The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-04
Iror the Dispatch.
-, t;iG SirIisiiau " rites n Icit"r from
West SirSiEia.


ia e;!G Sirs-iHiuu WcileS IL Lcit"r from
West Virginia.
The south Hranclr. long swollen hy cqui-
noc,igl rains has fallen 10 loW-waic cGmark.
:nG winds u slender, Silrery stream through
the faded grrcu meadows. The surplus
yYa!cr> have passed u> by. and are far on
tAc!r WAY 10 uiin.lr with the restless tides
ii ocean. II i curious 10 think how the
rliu-drcp that ialls on the north side OF He
yynrr'> barn, in Highland county. flow
lArougll the tributaries Of the Potomac. and
That which falls on lis south side flows
.arough In" tributaries oi the james. Other
drops which fall not lar from thatUarn. on the
western >iape OF the Allegheny, seek by Il
much longer route. through the channels OF
the Ohio and Mississippi, the f:r-otl waters
II tin. Guii OF Mexico. How long Will It
70. until the Ilin-drop which fell on Ale
.hauy'> top in September will lose
it>.li and It's purity in the briny deep !:
can il ever return 10y an aerial rouIe. and,
issuing from the head springs OF Virginia.
Start a.ain on its long Journey by rill and
river TO the Delta OF the Mississippi: Such
questions are probably beyond the sphere
81 inductirc science, and admit only OF con-
irctural answers. But ii i strange 10 think
what iuccSSant, worldwide wanderers these
raiu-drou> are Ever rising from the sur
llrr Of the sea. all unseen, they are ascend
iny 10 the receptacle OF the waters above
thc ornament. There, moving in cloudy
columns over the dry land and the NOUN
,an>, they descend again TO earth through
;hc windows Of heaven. and in the crystal
,Iring, the sparkling stream. and the turbid
river, they return 10 the gathering OF the
waters tie sea. tlat cannot rest, and is
never fail. The mind is lost in the laby-
riuthiuc movements OF the watcry clement.
and stands in awe OF Him who ditIuseS it in
showers over the earth and holds the surg
inr liuW~ Of ocean in the hollow OF his
hand.
EIymEp STATE.
one thing we know. The waters from
The clouds fail on the mountains OF Highland
and lu.. east and west throughout Nirginian
iaud It> rivers take their rise within {.
small area near the centre OF the State. and
watrrin" nearly its whole territory. are dis
charged hy two outlets on the east and one
on the west i country thus watercd has
a rr!nnrkubic geographical unity; il has a
CORES Iondiug civil unity: now, alas, rent
in twain. Shall 1t never be restored: Must
our children lose their birthright OF CO.
nativity with Washington: Shall the bond
Vi a common glorious ancestry be dissolved
bv d>rordant passion aS morning mist be-
TWO stars of the second magnitude embla-
zoncd ou the Star-Spangled Banner where
one of the first magnitude shone before
the oldest and brightest in the galaxy
Who will say OF the dismembcrmcnt OF
Virginia. "Esto perpst"o
THE WATERS COURSE.
Thinking of Nir@inia'S tribute to the Mis-.
>,>>iIl,i. the mind j. led to think OF the vast
>ysttm Of tributaries that SwcllS the cur
rent of that majestic river. What spec
taclc for the Imagination are those multi
iudiuous meandering E>trcams. From the
Aualuchian range on the east: from the
h0rdcr> Of the lakes and the prairies on the
north; from the SicrraS Nevadas on the
west; sparkling in the sunlight, da>hins
through mountain gorgcS. and over rocky
beds, or flowing placidly by field and forest,
town and city, they are vending their un.
wcaricd way toward the great central
aQucduct, the "Father OF Waters" This
mighty river stretches from one extreme OF
the temperate zone 10 the other: from
northern lev hills to ilowery southern sa-
yannahs. |: waters the Valley Of the Mis-
>is>ippi. th" largest area on the globe
watcrcd hy one river and its tributaries.
This widespread valley and the
noble realms On either side join ocean to
and constitute the territory OF the American
HcDubIic--thc most gigantic confederation
nll earth Il central valley unequalled IN en-
lent and in variety OF climate. soil and pro-
luctions; an Atlantic slope verging to-
Yards the rising sun: the colonial basis on
which the Union is built; Pacific slope,
yrrginw towards the setting sun, with
streams '.whoSc sand j. amber, and whose
:.raycl gold,' Gland of the free and home
oi the bravc!' Ny country E PaglbuS
iIsum! ESto perpetual!
And thou, oh West Augusta! Land OF
rock Sirt dell and shaggy ood; land Of the
mountain and the flood, Earth has no better
BONE than thy Appalachian domain!
\ land like Palestine, Of mountains and
ratcs and living streams, is better than
l;lnG like Egypt, Of Siotic plains, teeRl-
IN with every fruit OF earth one half the
irsT, and submerged the other half. Fields
aIat drink the rain from heaven, over which
lA+ owner may wander and his herd may
vran the year round, though they yield but
scanty herbage, are more 10 be desired
than fields watered by the oyerAowing OF a
turbid rive, from which all tenants are an
nua!ly driven away by lis incuEsions, al
though they yield hundred fold. Egypt
las eolossa statue tabled in antiquity to
give forth u nslsical sound al the rising Of
the sun. Palestine has MANY givulet
making gladsoIse music over its pebbiy bed
the iive-long day and humming a lullaby all
through the night. Egypt has pyramids,
the most enduring work of human hands.
Palestine has towering mountains " rock
ribbed and ancient az the SUM- Egypt had
4 city with hundred gates, but fun OF the
..,mples Of idols. Palestine had city with
:s%s gates, but in it WA the temple OF the
ltying God.
Egypt had literature, inspired by Pam
tAriSn, which is buried in the tomb OF time
Or locked up IN hieroglyphic characters,
from which no key has been able to extract
>lores OF peculiar or lasting value. Pales-
the had literature, inspired by Monothe-
l>m, which is yet g a lamp to the feet and
'l:it TO the pathway Of mankind"-monu-
;m,ntum are perenniuS-whic viii out
Ia,l even time, since it embodies the doc
'rIne OF Him who said, "Heayen and earth
>Aali pass away, but my word shall not pass
away"
iiuI,,il,f tI,fs Oriental contrast is not an