The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-07
r,o,aoel parsons's Speech.

Atzexmrton, Va, recently, Colonel PAR
soSs, ice-president OF the Richmond ana
ANeghaay railroad, made a speech when
contaieed much wisdom and not a small
amoss,t Of encouragement for our people o'
Virginia with regard to their wonaer'u' au-
yantages, physical and moral. EX-doVefaot
aras LETcHER is reported to have said tfras
II was the most valuable speech that hsa
iseen spoken in Virginia for thirty years.
rho last Lexington Gazette brings us
this speech, and we can say that Tue
ex.Goyernor's culogy is not inapproptl-
ate. There is something so Just and SO
emphatic in what Colonel PARSONS says TO
the Yireinian against seeking blessings be-
yond her borders which he may find in his
own happy land that we think proper 10
extract il for the edilication OF our readers !:
"Wifhin the limits OF this State there is
white population of 100000 people. They
are not effcminate; they are not ignorant.
The climate is not eneryating. They are 4
muscular, well-informed, and proud pto-
DIe: and yet they persist in looking not
within, but without, for strength. You
have waited and prayed year after year Tor
the help that was at your doors, IN your
houses, in YOUR veins. Oh. this weary look
ing hcyond the border; this patient listen
ing for the feet OF aliesi 1t is not imml-
grafton that you most need; IL you would
only escape from this doubt, yourselves
could achieve success. The furnace dis.
tricts that will suffer or be destroyed by
your competition will not be quick to aid
your development. II yourtires burn, other
| furnaces must remain or 60 OUT OF blast.
There is hut one thing in the way OF this
pcopIe. and that is their lack 9f faith. III
We had faith We could remove mountains"
| Tell your sons WHO go to seek their Tor.
tunes to wait and work one year. Tell
them that while the voices OF the hills have
no echoes for lutte or harpsichord. they re-
sound to stroke of axe and ring Of anvil.
| Tell them that no unScarred hand ever
reached the treasures that arc hld, or si'Zcd
| q black-starred crown that is wrought III
the inner chambers of the Titans. Take
them to the mills where they may see broad
chested, faiI-browed men, who feed the fires
| in which the everlasting rocks melt and How
| like rills, and anon wave like red ribbons
in the air; the bursting, triumphant fires,
| before which the day pales and in which
the beads on the founders brow flash like
| n
them highly resolve that by and for their
ancestral homes they Will brayc!y work !;
| that they will bind these leapinG rivers anu
make them do their God-appointed work !;
that they will feed the midnight fires until
the smoke from these alars. resting upon
| the mountain-toDs, shall be fashioned 10y
| the morning sun into mighty coronalS.
| Armies never carried such fields and forts
as these. The farthc"est courscr in the
tournament never flew lik. this tlreless
creature, whose breath and banner is 4
"pillar Of cloud by day and pillar OF fire
by night Show them the lords OF labor,
whom God makes kings.
Ii have IN any way aided you or them
tonight in forming a eSolutIon to meet the
duty OF this hour. if [ have said anything
that shall keep you from falling or help you
to riSc-anything to stop this mad migra-
ton that is trainin" the best blood OF this
State, leaving vacant places by every fire
side, and destroying the last hope OF laml.
lies-if / have opened your eyes to the fact
that the land in which God placed you IS
better than any other land If havo said
one word that shall lind an echo in your
hearts and in your hills, shall have filled
my simple purpose.
There is legend OF youth lost in the
wilderness who inquired of sibyl the way
home. There are three paths, was fhe
response; but in one is a pile ri gold,
in one beautiful woman, in the third is a
roaring lion. Choose ye.
Said the intrepid youth. I choose the path
OF the lion. The gold might betray me,
the woman might beguile me; the lion
can stay.
Choose ye with the same intrepid spirit.
and we shall find Il way out OF this condi-
ton; and the lion zoe pM stay.