The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-11-02


ORATOR WINTnROP At YORKTOwE-The
ReDgBI;cda was none too severe when, in
commenting on the Encouragement Of the
Yorktown celebration, it remarked that
con The James river civilization has stood
still Tor a century, and perhaps for two
centuries. for the white race MaSsachu-
sets visitors testify that any school district
al the North which should conduct q
Church Centennial after the pattern Of this
VIRGINIA celebration would be everlasting
IL disgraccG Take the treatment OF the
venerable Robert c. Winthrop as an exam
Die. lie spoke for two hours in the open
air with only a strip 81 awning over his
head. and the wind whiStllrg about nm,
ard WIS then lcft 20 plough his way
ON foot through the deep sand to his
quarters. No committee or citizen at
tended upon him; but Governor Long
happily sDied the old man trudCing oil,
and sent bus to carry the w0yfarer
10 his temporary home. Mr.. Winthrop
was lodged in historic mansion the iur-
niturc Of which DR.. Loring had sent down
from Washington. After The Grafton some
Massachusetts, gentlemen called on Mr..
Winthrop, and it came ont that the orator
Of the brave occasion WAS left without 1000.
His son had ioraged the village in vain for
a supply. The old gentleman was pressed
10 take up his abode on board the Massa-
chUsetts boat, but he sturdily declined,
saving that he had been settled in that
house and meant TO stay there, IL can
only get something TO cat" An adequate
supply Of food was sent him by Dr.. Loring,
and Mr.. Winthrop ate his l0ng-deierred
dinner. This was but a sample Of the utter
lack OF organization which married the
whole affair. Outsiders voted on the return
trip that CORVALLIS was fool for trying
10 hold such a country, and That George
Washington had been a vastly bigger one
in fighting to gain it.
We extract the above from the Spring
field (Aass.) Republican with real regret.
In these days Of reciprocal courtesies and
increasing national determination it is sad
TO see an illustration Of the persistcncy
with which some northern journals misre-
present. and libel the South. Occasions
for doing injustice are greedily seized, and
II facts cannot be perverted to accomplish
sectional hate, they are manufactured for
that end.
II Mr.. WINTHROP was treated with any
inattcntion, or dlscourtesy, or neglect, at
Yorktown, ii is as sincerely regretted in
Virginia as ii can bc in Massachusetts.
The distinguished statesman and orator
has in this State hosts Of admiring friends
and commands universal respect. The
"temporary home" he occupied was Of
his own choosing, and il insuliciently
supplied with furniture and food ii was q
criminal oversight on the part OF the man
ayers. For past eminent services and ex-
allied private virtues, as well as for bis
position as the nations orator, Mr.. WIN
THRoP should have been treated with dis
tinguished consideration. II he was not,
the neglect was surely not intended, but
grew out OF the confusion OF the times and
the disorder which seemed incmable.
II all the Republican charges be true
(and we grayely doubt it), what more pal
pable injustice than 70 saddle il upon Yir-
giniaS The celebration OF the Yorktown
Centennial was no more the affair OF Vir-
ginia than it was that OF Massachusetts,.
Virginia, as State, had very little TO do
with il. The celebration WAS national.
Congress authorized il, ordered the monu-
men., supervised through their committee
the laying Of the cornerstone, appointed
the orator, controlled three days OF the GEL
ebration; and II is injustice that savers of
Ioalice 10 hold Virginia or her people or
civilization responsible Tor Encouragement
Of the celebration, or discomtesy towards,
or neglect Of, the orator, who, by his mas
terly address, relieved the occasion Of much
that was inevitably disagroeable.
The Republican seeks to discriminate
against Virginia by mentioning the ac-
uyity OF DIR. LonsG in providing "long-
deferred dinner" We have no disposition
70 deprive Or. LoRN0 OF deserved COM
mendation. He was intelligent and efii-
cicat in the discharge Of delicate and thank
less duties; moi more 80 than were Messrs.
GooDE and JOHNSTON. DR.. LoRINo was
one Of the Congressional Committee, and
WHIST he did, he did, not specially az Mas.
saehuse,ts man, but In the discharge Of bis
Legitimate duties as a committeeman.
No appropriation Of money, no previs-
ion or energy Of committee, no civiliza-
ton however advanced, could have pre-
vented disoomiorts at Yorktown or silenced
tho complaints OF dyspeptic grumblers.
--------------------------
General AAHoSs aligned with JEWELL,
Dawes, H0iR, CAMERON, and the rest Of