Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-11-13
The Turf.

VIM. +. MCCORKLE.'
LENoIR, N. G., Oct. 80, 1877. c
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The Turf. t,5
CEENCES-EXTRACTS FROM A
LETTER OF PAGE MCCARTHY IN FOREST
AND STREAM.
The great racer, William r. Johnson,
was called ':the Napoleon of the Turf'
in the days when road wagon or a
sulky were unknown; when gentlemen
went courting in a slow, stately tandem,
with negro groom following on horse
back who carried the high portmanteau
en- croaqpe. [ have before me most
amusing old colored print OF the famous
race for Ilafayette''s carriage, at Tree
Hill, near Richmond, in 1925. It was a
beautiful barouche, in which the illus :
trious Frenchman Travelled when IN
America the last time, when he went
along The rich valley of the James river,
or rather "Jeems,n as it is called in
classic Virginian, and was escorted from
one mansion to the next by a score of
the best gentlemen of the Old Domin-
ion until he arrived at Monticello. AS
Colonel Tom Boiling, who was one of
the gentlemen who had the distinguish
ed honor to constitute the escort of out
riders, has told me of it, the scene which
was there enacted must have been i'm
pressive and almost solemn.
The mansion stands on the summit OF
the last outpost of the Blue Ridge Noun
tains, which bound the western horizon
with lines of blue, whose graceful curves
impart an idea of majestic calmness,
while to the eastward the rich lowlands
stretch away as smooth as the ocean be-
yond. The dreamy stiffness of the au-
tumn held all nature in a trance. and
the light floating clouds stood still in
the sky, SO that when the gay cavs lcade
reached the height and felt the impres
sye spirit of the scene, the laughter
which had resounded along the route ali
the morning suddenly ceased, and even
the horses relaxed their speed into a
Now and stately gait.
These two celebrated men, the states
D astn and the warrior, had watched the
birth of the young republic, its infancy
s,ya rfhed in battle-flags and youth he
rald.ed with the worlds wonder and ac-
claim; and now they greeted each other
with mutual congratulation which was
too fu Il and great to find utterance in
words. The gentlemen stood uncover
ed tn e ladies, the servants, the very
dogs bent their eyes on the two
men as Mr.. Jefferson with the stately
dignity that belonged to him came down
from tile porch. ''What will he say"
though every spell-bound spectator.
The ashton of France prescribed an
embrace. and a kiss for such an occasion,
and the iIlustrious American, with the
refined delieacy of true gentleman,
chose that ceremony as a compliment
to the ally and an endearment to the
friend; but the two could only regard
each otlaesr with look which spoke
unutterable things that only they could
And it was only when the
first toast was given at dinner, and the
brimming glass drained, that any OF
that historic party could speak clearly
or see clearly, so affecting had been this
meeting.
FLORIZEL AND PEACEMAKER, 1903.
The old Broad Rock course near Rich
mond was the scene of this remarkable
race, which SO excited the people gene
rally that ladies staked bracelets and
rings, boys bet their marbles, and the
gentlemen planters their negroes. Ma
ny pretty farm changed hands. and
for many years afterwards "niggers''
won on chat race were called after the
two horses. In those days the first la
dies of society were always present in
the "ladies' pavilion" as the stand alot-
TED to the fair sex was called; and if
of those scenes be true, they
were as enthusiastic and noisy in their
applause as the Roman ladies at the
chariot races, as represented by Jerome
and other painters. Both these horses
were famous four-mile nags, and were
to being held in at the first
and let out at the last, which is the re-
verse of modern tactics generally. The
finest horse would jump twenty-five
feet at first and twenty-foHr at the finish.
Old racers smile at the dash races of our
time and deride the degeneracy of the
stock; but it is likely that real speed is
as we'll developed, and too great strain
on the horses avoided.
The famous Red Eye, in his race with
Nina and Lawson, ran twelve miles in
less than twenty-four minutes; and,
though I have not the time made by
Florizel, it is likely that it was some
what similar achievement. There is
only dim tradition now of Florizei and
Peacemaker, but we may imagine the
high scaffold which was erected for the
negroes who were staked, and hear the
excited voices of the betters: cpl bet
you Caesar on Peacemak err" or ''I'lI GO
you Dinah on Florizel !" "1,wo num-
ber one field hands and good breeding
woman on FIorizelu" and other equally
significant offers; for there were as
many as five hundred slaves lost and
won, and as many more hypothecated
to the traders" who were the great
brokers of the slave oligarchy. The
race was won by Florizel.
RED EYE AND NINA.
This famous race was run at Broad
Rock in the fall of 1853. The famous
son and daughter of Boston monopo-
lized the public attention, though Law
son also ran. Red Eye won the first
heat. Nina the second, and Red Eye
the third. Politics, the Virginian's un.
varying taeme, and tobacco, the Rich.
mond merchants delight, were all for
gotten in excitement and betting, and 6
certain young lawyer was called the
Virginia Sheridan for an excellent 6O7
mot: I'D cert,ne est quod certatna redd
pOtestn
1t was asserted that certain well
known preacher was to be hauled ovel
the Goals for being caught on the quar-
ter stretch, but the bishop, who wa
doubtless deeply infected himself will
the general excitement, charitably lie
the .sportive parson off. Horse-racing
card-playing parsons were features o
the colonial society, and the F. F. V.'s
SO proud of their ancestry, could no
consistently go back on the revival Of
tlme-honored custom. More staid, dig
nlfled and proper burghers were drunl
that day than were ever seen before, bu
the occasion was SO great that it was
\ sulhclent excuse for anything.