The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-09-29
WILLIAMSBURG.

/ AND Wuht f''6'
AT HoNE-pR. DICK WISE AND THE EAST
ERN LUNATIc AsYLUM-HEAvY RAINS; BE-
RJoUs NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
fcor,e.pondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.l
WILLIAMSBURG, VA. September ~, 1857.
More than usual interest centres around
this ancient borough Just now, and your
correspondent, while stopping over here
few days, has taken few notes Tor the use
Of the Dispatch readers. John Dawson
and DIR. Dick Wise Captain Johnnie's
brother, both live here. Dawson Is q
mower among the negroes OF the peninsula,
and Dick wise il making the Eastern Luz
natic Asylum, with its % or l0O oincers
and employees, do all that this much pa
tronage welded one way can possibly
accomplish. This asylum, nor any
other, was ever known before TO be used rs
a political machine. But / saw DIR. Wise
Monday night presiding ut negro political
meeting. where he had brought all his asy-
hum negroes 10 halloo and clap. and with
the custom-housc darby, Joe wilson,
from Norfolk, to address them, heralded
by drum parade beforehand, succeeded
in getting the courthouse about half full.
AT the close OF the speech the supcrin-
tendent Of the asylum made another little
1uUlttS. IOlOlfu NOttlS Oh'
TO picnic and promised them all badges.
1t Is said here that not even q scullion can
get place in the asylum kitchen unless he
will give his vote to the superintendent
brother, and saw an old colored attend
ant who had served there faithfully for
twenty-siX years, who had lost his
place because he would not desert
his friend and pastor John NJ. Daw-
son and 90 with the asylum peo-
pev. met with this Straightout Dawson,
too, yesterday, and though could not SYM
pathize with him in his sanguinc eXpecta-
tions OF an election to Congress, | could
but respect the spirit and candor OF the
man. lie is not in very good health now,
being troubled with 4 liver complaint. but
he is working hard, and says he would not
swap his chances with Wise or even Mas
sic; and he has a strong support, 1t must
be confessed, in his own county and dis
trict. / am told on authority | cannot
doubt, that while many Of the negroes in
and around Williamsburg, within the in
1uence of the patronage OF the Eastern Lll-
matte Asylum, are opposed to Dawson, he
has the great majority in this county and
in York-at least three to one. He has
thirteen hundred members in his
church, the First Baptist" and they
are scattered all over James City and
York counties. Down on York river
there are great many of them-oyster-
men and boatmen; they are independent
OF any patronage, and WELD a large in
fluence for Dawson and DeZendOrf. Fred.
Smith Norton, late State senator, and one
OF the colored Norton brothers, is using all
of his influence for the StraighOut cand-
dates. DR.. Norton tells me that Dawson
will get large vote from the cOlored pco-
pie, who will make Use OF this first 0ppOr-
tunity to vote for one OF their own race
for Congress, and well-informed Demo-
Gratis place Dawson's vote in the district at
from 5000 to 10000. He is now at home
getting ready for another tour; says he
will 20 to Petersburg next week to be
present at a meeting held in the interest Of
Branch, the Farmvilc StraighOut candi-
date; after which he will 20 TO Harrison
burg.
Dawson is quadroon, and apparently
Ibout fifty years old, but quite gray. lie
has a good face, and impresscs you at once
rs thoroughly amiable and honest man,
md very determined. The white people
who differ with him in politics, and will
neyeryOte for him, sly he i honest, reliable,
md consistent both in religion and poll
lies, and they respect him highly. His in
luencc upon the negroes in the commune
" has been very beneficial. His physician.
IN intelligent and highly-respected men,
Der OF the profession, said to the writer
That when Dawson came here sixteen
years ago his discipline and Teformatory
measures with certain Of his congregation
were new and aroused great deal Of op-
position. The Doctor kindly mentioned
o the new pastor the criticisms that some
If his people were making. the dissalisiac-
ion expressed by them, and cautioned
lin against drawing too heavy rein all at
nee. His reply was: "Dr. H., | did
lot come here to make any compromise
With the devil. / cannot do it, SIR" So
ne built up his church, and by his con-
istent course has won the confidence of
he community. both white and black.
But one OF the police says he knows OF
our cases that have been brought before !
he Mayor-all OF them ReadiusterS-and !
hree of them fined, and the Mayors son |
ays he reckons the old man must have for
rot. Names can be given il necessary.
The equinOctial storms have been very |
cyere in this locality. The severity OF the |
forms was felt mostly Friday and Friday |
light and Tuesday and night. Colonel |
venerable citizen Of seventy |
light years, says he never witnessed any |
hing like the rainfall OF Friday night.
The whole face OF the country was Hooded. !
nd when the news had come in from the |
ountry it was found that four mill-dams |
lad been washed away-WaIlcr's, four
niles from the city; Fcntons, six;
larbrough's, eight; and Cranston's,
line miles distant. Great inconvc-
hence will be felt by the community in
,ctting their grinding done, aS JOncs's
Mill is the only one easily accessible. At
he Eastern Lunatic Asylum large eXca-
alton had been made and walled in for the
OF new chapel and amulsc-
nent hall. This was filled with water to
he depth of about seven feet. and it has
aiken several days to ditch and pump it
mt. By the sudden rush OF water i'm the
leep ditch a hand who was overtaken was
Knocked down, turned over and over, and
vellnigh drowned before he could get ont.
The season has been fine for sora-hunt-
ng, the tide being some days unusually
Ugh, and both gunners and clappers have
lad fine success. The express messenger
IN the Chesapeake and Ohio tells me that
ne day he took from Lanexa station.
'hesapeake and Ohio railway, on the '
500 dozen birds, weighing
Yer 700 pounds. This is, however. the I
est point on the road. Yesterday birds I
'ere so plentiful here they sold at twenty t
We cents per dozen. $
Ihere Is no newspaper in williamsburg, '
Ut very fair substitute is bulletin l
oard which Mr.. III. ID. Cole has in front OF 5
Is store, and keeps posted over with local '
OTIS and clippings from his favorite papers. I
he Richmond Dispatch, Baltimore San, 2
nj stanton Vindicdtor. His gleanings l
e eagerly scanned by the citizens. and v
lie writer Will venture to predict for the n
)ung man creditable journalistic career ii
the future. NJ a