The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-08-12
what tho Enemies OF virginia Say Of
Her.
A REPUBLICAN CORRESPONDENTS OPINION or
RICHMOND, LYING lBURG, AND sTAUNTON.

A REPUBLICAN CORRESPONDENTS OPINION or
RICHMOND, LYING lBuRG, AND sTAUNTON.
Correspondence Of the New York Times.l
LYNcHBURG, Va, August GA man with
ordinary powers OF observation does not
need to stay in the State OF Virginia long TO
find out that In the estimation Of Virgiuians
Richmond Is The hub Of the United States,
and not New York or Boston, and that Vir-
ginia ought TO be, II she is not already, the
State OF States. II you talk with the high
minded, cultivated old Bourbons who give
dignity 10 their convictions, you soon dis.
cover that the drift Of their conversation Is
| backward. They are full OF "reminiscences
OF the war, and living in State clothed
with battle-felds, 1t seems quite natural that
this subject should be taken up In cOnvcr-
sation with newspaper writer. But II is
not confined TO such cases. Bourbons talk
| Ing with BOur6ons on the streets, In their
houses, In public gatherings, converse more
| freely and with more Zest about the Lost
Cause than about any other topic under the
sun. IL seems 10 be an eVer-pTescnt recOl-
lee ion, and as they revive the memories OF
| the strife they sometimes become sorrOWiul
in recalling the mistakes which were made
| by their generals, the chances that were
thrown away, the opportunities now seen
which were loSt-intinite with the poSSi-
bllity OF success. Whatever OF glory was
won by southern arms was due to Virginia.
say the VirginiaDs, and the claim is made
boldly and ardently. The State is still the
one spot in the world. the State is the
idea to be cher shed, the object about
which all pride should cling, and the
true Nirginian expresses astOnishment at
! the ardor OF the northern man who con.
tends for the greater importance Of the ma
/ tion "wlth big NJ" and who talks about
! Virginia merely as a somewhat wOrn-Out
State, good for little for agricultural pur-
poses, convenient as territory over which
to construct railroads TO carry businessmen
/ further South, and as notably behind other
States in It's announcement OF the public
spirit which has enabled other States ad.
| Joining it to Outstrip il in civilization and
in prosperity.
Virginia may he good enough for the
Vrglnians, but the condition Of things
must change here before the State can
! honestly prove the assertion Of some Of
| her sons that she is keeping time with
the march Of events. In Richmond your
attention is proudly directed to the Cap
/ itol Square, which is regarded as one
OF The wonders of the continent Il is Il
| pleasant little grass-cOYered bill, well
shaded, with tame gray squirrels running
about the lawns aud wlnklng at you from
the trees as you pass near them. But the
Capitol is found to be an extremely dincy
affair, and the roOIns in which the Legi>l
tUTc meet are so barely furnished and 20
dirty that none but a southern Legislature
would occupy them. In StauntOn they
| brdg Of their town, and vet it IS place OF
narrow streets, lined VITA two.StOried gable
rooted buildings, some OF brick ana some
OF wood, the plYements are mother Viz
gInia soil, and the sidewalks are sometimes
| paved and sometimes without payement>.
| Lyuchburg, a city set on more hills than
/ Richmond Itself, is full Of Virginia prde, yet
one can see at glance i'm riding about II
/ that IN a city Of the same size North there
would be a great deal more that is atlrac-
| tive to show for the wealth held here,
| for l am assured that 1t is one OF the
| WealtbieSt towns for its size in tue South.
| There are no public buildings to brag Of
except the schools. and am assured by one
| OF Lynchburg's ciliZCns that the vote OF
| the negroes was the controlling power that
made these schools what they are. In all cf
| these cities-Richmond, Staunton, and
| LyncbbuTg-the Israelles, as rule, seem
| to be the most vigorous and enterprislng
men in the retail lines OF business, their
| buildings being new and in modern style,
and their ways Of doing business being
such as to stimulate all with whom they
have to deal. TO a great degree these cities
are all indebted, as one can easily find out,
| to northern clPital and enterprise fol the
recent development of their railroads,
their mines, and their manufactures.
They have seen this capital coming
down here in the shape of railroad tracks
and rolling stock, in machinery for the de-
veopment OF the mineral wealth which IS
spoken OF as essentially Virginian; in in
creasng tobacco manufactures to supply
the northern markets, and in variety OF
other WAYS. All this Is welcomed. We
want your capital" they very frankly say,
" but we don't want you" The motto OF
the State should be " Virginia for the Nir-
ginians," and the white Virginians at that.
In spite Of the aversion TO newcomers, the
almost Chinese eXclusiveneSs OF the Bour-
| bon element, "Outside Darbarians keep
coming in, the broader views Of the rest OF
the nation are being impressed upon the
rising generation, and capital and education
are gnawing at the roots Of the old preiu-
dices which have kept Virginia, with many
superior natural advantages, good way in
! the rear of the onward march Of the States.