The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-01-26
..,,.- erem : y,rg,nsan in Kentucky.
LEXINGTON. KY, January 10, icc,

Letter from q vlrgfnfan In hensueNs
I,ex,sorox. KY, January 10, 1880.
Dear Dispatch. An old Correspondent
sends you greeting from what rom M, I,
shall once called the Athens OF Tue WIS.,
fOr did somebody tell that as Joke on
moor TomD Lexington, however. as J.
well koowp. is situated In the centie OF inc
f,r.samed Blue-Grass region OF Kentucky
and has increased considerably In size, pop
ulation, &c, including short horns and noe
horses. since the DAYS OF Clay ana MarsbaIl
and Breek,nridee. whose home u was. IL
Is now destined to become an important
railroad centre, there being no less 'ha.
four roads running into 1.-THE Cincinnat'
Southern. Kentucky Central, Lexington
and Louisville, ana the Big SANDY. inc
contracts for the building OF tins Ia'ier
road will soon be LEI, and II IS contemp'a'
ted the road will be finished In eighteen
months from the time the work commences:
This will bring Lexington ana k'chmohu
jp direct and close communication, and VIII
omen mn 10 the litter city the fine gram
producing region OF central Kentucky, 10.
ge,ber with the immense coat and mineral
fields through which the road will run.
i, IL a well.known fact that the wheat
raised between the parallels OF latitude
which include the States OF Virginia, Ken
lucky, aud Tennessee is especially adapIed
10 foreign shipment. and when the Dig
Sandy road is completed The mills OF hicn,
mond may start "boom bigger tban Ola
Grants" There has always been dintr'
ence Of from 20 TO % cents per bushei IN Ia
vor OF the Richmond over the western mar.
kets. This has been owing to the want OF
direct transportation; but With this ROAD 10
operation, Richmond bids fair to rival CHI
cago as grain market.
Since my departure from old EirgInla,
several years ago, / have been const'n'
aud eager reader Of the Dispatch. Win
out it should have felt as II had lost one
OF the Lares and Penaies OF my past me-
Ii has only been within the last Few months
that have read IL with feelings OF sadness
and Of sorrow.
The recent actions of the Legislature OF
Virginia bave caused blush Of shame and
indignation TO mantle the broWs oil many
OF the sons Of the old State who are seek
ing their fortunes in strange lands. There
are those who have left her who are sill
proud OF her bOnored name, her past re-
cord-yea, even OF her misiortunes, for they
were won and worn in an honorable cause.
She was more dear in her weeds OF mourn
ing than in the acme Of her glory. In her
darkest days, when her borders were Cir
died by line OF foreign bayonets, her DO.
som scared with the sears 81 grim-visaged
war. and the "insultng foeman's cry " re-
sounding in her ears, she stood a. firm and
unsulled ~ the eyes Of all admiring world
rs ever did The solid phalauX OF the immOr-
ta Tenth LEGION" Alas how have the
mighty fallen!
"But yesterday she might have stood against the
Now lies she here, and none so poor TO do her re-
verence!"
And the saddest thought OF all is the
knowledge that this blow came not from
abroad, not from an alien or foreign hand
(for noble nations have been overcome by
numbers), but from her OWE borders, from
her Orn children, from those whom she had
nourished and protected, and from some
whom she had even hOnored. GLOW
sharper than a serpent's tooth it Is to have
a thaDkless child" No wonder that she
should bow her head in agony, and in heart
broken utterance murmur, III III BrUfei
In view OF the incidents which have &C.
Cured in the Legislature within the past
few months, il is absurd to think that the
questions involved were mere differences Of
opinion on the State debt. The "new CO.
alition" has a deeper, a more sinister pur
pose, and will carry il out unless checked
their fruits We shall know them" "Men
do not gather grapes OF thorns, nor 6gs Of
thisiles."
And so Hunter, and Taylor, and Harri.
son, and Blgger-true and tried servants
all-aud the gallant and disabled Sullivan,
have been led TO the gnill0ilne in obedience
10 this gloaiing thirst for "spoil'."
''Insaiiae archer, coald not four sufice?"
And was there no place in all the patronage
Of the grand State for one whose dauntlesS
breast was her buwarks, and whose body
was mangled in her defence in the days that
tried mems SOUPS! Shame upon such an
act.
All honor TO that noble, forloIn hope.
which threw itself into the breach against
this most unseemiy thing. So long as such
men as Daniel, Co2hill. Hanger, Chamber
layne. and host OF Others. guard the cOlOrs
OF the old State. let us take hope; and, aS
that grand old Roman hero did on tie fatal
field Of CanDae, "not yet despair OF the
Republic"
Lei these new Mamelukes obey fully aud
to the very letter the orders of their impe-
rial Napoleon, and "riot" while they may;
for their time is short, and their Waterloo
is not far distant. The cry OF ActeOn's
bounss will sound foarfully in the ears Of
some OF them when they return 10 their
people and say, We have dcne these things.
The people themselves are all right on
these questions. and this clubbing of the
waters" will be only Of short duration. AS
long as the fountain is uncorrupt the stream
itself VIII remain pure. That was true
and prophetic uterance Of General Jack.
son, who once said that 'no people ever
lost their liberties unless they themselves
90 "a, N
Hickory" reminds me- that | have but re-
Gently returned from visit TO Middle Ten
nessee, where availed myself OF an oppor-
tunity 10 visit
THE HERMITAGE,
the far-famed home and last resting
place OF the grim old hero. The entrance
10 the grounds leads through long avenue
OF trees cedar and pines, which are so pro-
life in that section Of the State. There is a
"driveD on each side OF this avenue, which
grounds to" Immediately in front Of the
house. The building is c0mmodiOus, sub
stantial country mansion, built OF brick.
and two stories high.
AS i entered through large portco in
front into The spacious hall, which had so
often echoed TO the martial tread Of the old
warrior, felt as il was in the presence OF
other days-days in which party spirit and
party animosties were as rabid and bitter
as now, but which were free from the cor
ruptoDs and stencil OF the present age.
There are four rooms on the lower floor,
large and <pac Gus, and each opening into
its adjoining neighbor by folding doors.
The leIt-hand front room is now used as a
parlor, or reception-ro0m. In it are many
OF the curiosiIies collected 10y the General
during his eventful career. 1t is hand |
somejy furnished and taslefully hung with |