The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-08-15
Of the National Defender, Norris
town, Pal


Letter from Virginia.
RICHMOND; August B, 1873.
Dear Sir,-As I have been visiting points
OF interest in and around Richmond for the
last two weeks, thought it might be inter-
esting to some Of the many readers Of your
paper 20 know what is to be seen in this
City OF Hills, which, according to history,
was laid off into streets by Colonel William
Byrd in the year 1887, and in 1742 was in
corporated, and in 1T79 the seat of govern
nent was transferred from Williamsburg to
| this city.
The first place that attracts the attention
OF the visitor is the Capitol and the beauti-
full square surrounding it, in which stands
the bronze statue Of Washington on horse
back, surrounded by statues OF Jefferson,
Henry, Marshall, Nelson, Mason, and Lewis.
In this square are also the statues Of Henry
Clay and Stonewall jackson. The next
place I would mention is the old St..
Johns church, where Patrick Henry in
| 1775 made his celebrated speech, using the
words {" Giue me liberty or giUe me
death.' The original building is still
standing, and the very pew was pointed
out to me by q gentleman met there
where he stood at the time be delivered it.
The same pulpit is still in the church, and
used, although it has been erected in an
other place since the addition has been
made to the church. The first building is
not more than 81 feet long by about 90 feet
wide, to which the addition is attached. 1t
is located on what is called Church Hill.
The next building OF interest is Monu-
mental church. marking the site OF the old
Richmond Theatre, destroyed by fire i'll
1911, and burning to death Governor George
W. Smith and about one hundred and twen-
ty others. Their names are inscribed on
marble monument in front Of the church.
Then St. PauPs church, where President
jefferson Davis sworshipning when noti-
fed bv General r. E. Lee of the breaking
of his lines near Petersburg. The school
building was formerly the White House oc-
cupied by President Davis during the South
ern Confederacv.
The old stone house occupied by Wash
ing on during the Revolution Is still stand
ing and is occupied. Libby Prison, Castle
Thunder. and Belle Isle still retain some
interest as former places OF incarceration
for military prisoners.
At Oakwood Cemetery $1,000 Confede-
rates are buried. At Hollywood are the
graves Of 11,000 more, including many OF
those who fell in the Pennsylvania and
Maryland campaigns. A granite pyramid
ninety feet high has been erected by the
ladies as memorial. The graves OF Presi-
dents Monroe and Tyler, and Generals A.
P. Hill, George E. Pickett, j. E. B. Stuart,
and III. A. Wise, Commodore Mathew f.
Maury, the journalist Thomas Ritchie, John
M. Daniel (who was editor OF the E1amineT),
the poet John r. Thompson, and other
celebrities, are also there. In Shockoe
Cemetery, ut the northern end OF Second
street. are buried Chief-Justice Marshall,
John Hampden Pleasants, and many others
Of distinction. .,a@-
The finest public buildings are the Gus.
tom-house and post-otfice, the almshouse,
and the Medical College. The GalIego and
Haxall fouring-mills are among the largest
OF the sort in the world. The large tobac-
co-factories, where the singing Of the negro
hands while manipulating the leaf is very
entertaining, and the Tobacco and Corn
Exchanges, where samples OF those staples
are daily exposed for sale, are also places OF
interest for visitors. The Tredegar Iron
Works, which was the great cannon manu-
factory OF the Confederacy, is well worth
visiting. ..#.,
Manchester, directly across the river from
Richmond, is also very old settlement and
q flourishing manufacturing city. Two
bridges for vehicles and foot-passengers and
two for railroad-cars connect it with Rich
mono. Those interested IN INDUSTRIAL en-
terprises especially would find visit to
Manchester entertaining and pleasant.
Tomorrow, il life and health permit, we
that is, my wife and grandson from Penn
sylvania, and daughter and her husband and
their daughter, of Richmond) intend going
down the James river to Old Point Comfort
to enjoy a weeks bathing, boating, and fish
ing, and perhaps may take time to drop you
a line or two about what falls under our
notice. Respectfully yours,
eEs- aaf sa@ H. c.. HOOVER.