The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-08

| Our colored friends seemed mucn Inter
ested, and were marvellously tickted Win
Colonel Gregory's speech.
BUFFALO LITHIA SPRINGS.
DELIGHTFUL NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. THE ToURNA-
| MENT-A VISIT TO CLAEKSvILLE-SoME
ASTE-wAR FACTs-CLARKsvII.LE AS A To-
BACCO MARKET-A NUT FOR THE LAWYERS
| TO CRACK. ct'
! .Itorresrondcnce of the Richmond Dispatch]
~ ',-.ea SEPTEMBER s., 1876.
The weather for the past week has been
of the most delightful character, and lying
as this place does so nearly on the same
parallel as the land OF Judea, l do not
wonder with what delight the old Wortmes
OF that country regarded their vintage and
harvest season; nor do wonder at the en-
thusiasm OF those from more northern
climate OF our own country who for the
first visit these springs ut this season
OF the year.
Seventeen knights have entered for the
tournament to come off on Thursday. Many
OF them arc on the ground, and their daily
practising is source Of much interest to the
visitors. The display OF fine horses is large,
and the craftsmanship exceeds anything OF
the kind / have ever seen. Considerable
accessions have been made to the company,
and lively time is anticipated.
| Twas much interested recently in paying
nv first visit to the ancient town OF Clarks-
vile. 1t is situated just at the junction OF
the Dan and Staunton rivers where they
unite and form the Roanoke. It was once
n great tobacco mart before the railroad con-
Meeting it with the North Carolina Central
railroad was torn up. The iron OF this
branch was taken, think, to build the
Piedmont road during the war.
Here was formerly located several tobacco
manufactures. One OF them was considered
to be the largest in the United States and
probably in the world. 1t has lost much OF
that trade, there not being pound manu-
featured in the place at this time, l think.
But there is still 4 large trade in leaf tobacco
carried on here. There are three inspection
warehouses, and here it is brought in a
loose condition and sold. Each OF the three
houses have two sales per week-on Tues
days and Fridays. 1t is taken from the
house, assorted and priced, to be sent to
other markets There is communication by
batteauX up the Staunton river to South
Boston, on the Richmond and Danville rail-
road. The town looks very old, and but
little Improvement is going on. The only
piece OF enterprise, beyond the trade in to-
bacco, that 1 saw while there was very
large vineyard, the proprietor OF which
would allow any one, upon the payment OF
ten cents, to 60 in and eat as many grapes
as he or she wanted. Some extraordinary
tales are atloat rs to the quantity which some
persons have eaten, taking the "hulls !"
which they left as guide to what had been
made way with.
There is Il very curious and novel state Of
things existing there ut present, and one
which may involve some very nice points OF
law. It seems that some years ago, by special
act Of the Legislature, the town, for 1t was
then incorporated, was permitted to bor-
| row, ior the purpose OF improving their
streets, $4,000 upon their bonds, the all-
thorities to levy tax OF one per centum as
1 a sinking fund with which to pay the debt.
The amount was easily raised, and for some
years, probably until the war, the interest
was promptly paid. Now comes the ques-
ton which will puzzle the courts. BY rea-
son OF non-usage, or rather failure to keep
tthe municipal government alive, the charter
! lapse.l or expired. Application was made
for the amount due. There being no trus-
tees, treasurer, OF other town o1hcer there
was no one to pay the debt, even II there
had been money in the treasury. Under
this state Of affairs the holder Of the bonds
applied to the Circuit Court-Judge Dickin-
son-for an order requiring the town
to re5rganize, so that it might be sued. The
Judre entered the order directing an cleo
! tion TO be held for municipal officers, and
amounting superintendent. 1t was soon
discovered that the election was ordered to
hc held under the old charter, which al
i lowed only white males to VOTE. AS this
was in violation Of the Constitution OF Vir-
cinia. rs also that OF the United States, the
election, which was fixed for one day last
week, was allowed to go by deiault-not a
citizen voted. A new order for an election
to suit the altered circumstances will prob
ably be asked for and entered ut the next
session of the court. Z. Fl idr'
Several gentlemen OF the former town
have expressed the opinion that the same
result will be had under the ne,o order.
One OF their reasons for it is that were the
holder Of the bonds to get Judgment I'M
der the new organization the real estate Of
the town would have to pay the debt, an
event they regard as eminently unjust, in
asmuch as when the debt was created the
property in slaves was assessed at more
than the lands, and the owners OF the ne
groes paid more than! one half Of the one
per cent. levied to pay the debt. Now,
should new election be ordered and the
citizens refuse to vote and perfect an or"
eanization, what would be the next step for
the court? Can it issue. q mandomtS re-
qlliring men to vote if they do not want to,
or would it have the entire male opulation
before it to answer for contempt 1t seems
| to me to be n knotty question, and one In
which lawyers may reasonably be expected
to differ. ~ I: = '.'..,t
Since writing the above / stated the case
to IN eminent jurist now at The springs, and
he SAYS that it Is fully met by a'late decision
OF the Supreme Court Of the United States
| in an, Iowa case where the circumstances
were similar to these, the court holding
that it was a case for which provision had
and that tile town could not be required to.
organize; that no order Of the court could
make d man vote II he did not wish to. 81
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