The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-06
NexnNrf.s News.
Stare super antiques oioS opf'mum EST.
PHILADELPHIA. Pa,
February. 2. 1888.


PHILADELPHIA. Pa
February, 2, 1888. J
To The Editor of the Dispatch
A writer ("virginia") in your issue OF
Yesterday advocates the propriety OF chang-
ING the name OF the site Of the embryo CITY
nj the mouth Of James river. which size
has been known for more than two ana
half centuries rs Newports News, ana NOT
| Newport News, the name given TO IL by the
Federal military authorities during their
occupation OF il in lS61-'65.
What are "Vrginia's" reasons Tor ad'o-
eating the change OF name?
First, because no one knows Win GER
tainty the origin OF the name.
Secondly, because the name IS not eupho-
Nous, as he alleges.
Thirdly, because il is not significant.
OF the many thousands who lnhaDlt Lon
don. Boston, and Hythe, in England, and
Of the many other thousands who Inhabit
Dublin, Cork, and Armagh, in Ireland, is
there one person out OF ten thousand who
daily write the names OF those places that
knows the origin Of either Of those names !!
No. not so many as one in ten thousand.
YET would single one Of those many thou
sands be willing to change the name OF any
I VI
generally known? Certainly not. This, l
think, disposes OF Virginia's first reason.
AS to his second reason. perceive no
difference, so far as euphony Is concerned,
between the four names Newport's News,
Holiness Hole, Wilkesbarre, and Baton
Rouge; vet who has ever proposed to
change the names Of the three latter places
on the score Of their lack OF euphoEy
ha io,in Of ha
barre were now lost, is it conceivable that
for this reason any citizen of the place
would vote for changing its name because
of its lack OF euphonyg Assuredly he
would not. To my ear the name New
ports News is as euphonious as is the name
Wilkesbarre.
The three syllables Of Viewpoints News
are uttered with as much fluency and facil-
ity as the three syllables of Wilkesbarre
are uttered. This, l think, disposes OF
Nirginia's second reason.
And now rs TO his third reason. We
know that the name in question was once
significant, for it was applied to the place
by the first settlers, and OF course for some
suitable reason. | advise Virginia to con-
suit on this point an article in the Southern
Historical Society Papers Qor October
News" That ought TO satisfy us OF the
present day, even if we have lost the
knowledge OF the reason why the name
was applied to the place. Who knows the
origin of the names Boston, Dublin and
Cork in Great Britain? Yet would you
change the names OF those cities because
none, except perhaps a rev anrquarlanS
Zone in hundred thousand), know any
thing on the subject?
We know from official records that the
first settlers Of Virginia, and among them
the public authorities of the colony, spelled
the name as NcwpOrt's News in their Oft
cidl reports sent over to England.
We also find the name spelled i'll the
same way, and in no other way, in the en-
acted statutes of the Colonial Legislature,
and as early, too, as 1912. Vide Henin9'S
Statutes at Large. Edition 1901
We know that this name came down
without variation through more than two
and half centuries to 1861, and that when
it was changed in that year (while the new
name was used only by a few to Newport
/ News, yet that this change was made with
out rhyme or reason by aliens to the soil,
and not by Virginians.
| We must all concede that the first SET
| tlcrs-thc men who invented and applied
4 the name-knew the origin Of it. That
ought TO be reason sufficient for us OF the
presen; day 10 induce usto retain the name
Mr.. Editor, knowing, as we do, thai
the first settlers gave the name Newports
News to the place, and knowing that con-
slant usage extending from them down
through more than two and half centuries
has stamped imprimdtur of time on it, why
then should we change it?
AN OLD VIRGINIAN,
who was born and lived for siXty-fouI
years within twelve miles Of Newp0r's
| News.