Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-05
Gernan-Day.


No people emigrate in such numbers rs
the Germans; none carry TO tner new
homes more intense affection for their OLD
ones. The songs. stories, aud customs oil
the Fatherland descend 20 the children
and bind them TO the old country; yet
they all easily accommodate themselves to
their surroundings and quickly merge INTO
the general community wherever they
take up their residence.
Their calm Judgment, steady purpose,
thrift. and industry have done muchfor the
progress of America. Every State owes
them obligations and gratitude, and IN
some of the newer commonwealth OF the
West especially they may be said 20 have
crowded out the Indians and replaced
sayaeery with civilization. As early as
i7l4 they had q colony in Virginia, and
many of their countrymen spread out from
Pennsylvania down the Valley Of Virginia.
acquiring possession of fertile lands, filling
them with great skill, and establishing
families which to-day are of the highest In
fuencein many counties. and whose names
clearly tell their Germanic origin.
The Continental army was an ill-dlsci-
pliped mass Of raw recruits when in 177S
Baron DE SrEUBES gave up an honorable
title and lucrative rank, and came 20 TINS
country TO serve q nation engaged IN the
noble work of defending its rights and
iberties.n and for which be asked mel
ther riches nor honors." He Joined the
American army at Valley Forge. and was
sstounded to find in what wretched con-
dition our troops were. He was appointed
major-general and assigned to inspection
duty. and under his direction thorough
system of discipline and economy was es-
tablished, until the whole army becamea
single machine in his hands" WASHING
ToS and HAMILTON and many Others OF the
patriot fathers have left upon record their
high appreciation of the services OF this
chiyalric gentleman. He was real ln-
spector. The thoroughness of his work,
the ardor of his devotion to our cause,
largely contributed to make American
independence possible. 1t Is little TO
the credit Of Congress that it was slow
and scant in returning to him at the
conclusion of peace the moneys by him
expended in our behalf. Unlike LAFAY-
ErrE he made his home with our people.
In this country he lived and died.
MuHIKsBUEa, preacher and soldier, Is
another German name associated with the
heroic DAYS of the Revolution. He was one
of the German colonists who came from
Pennsylvania TO Woodstock, Va. He 1T
wns who babe farewell to his congregation,
saving; There is a time for all things-a
time TO breach and time TO pray; but
there is also q time to fight, and that time
has now come" Then, dismisslng his con-
gregation, he threw of his gown, display
ing a full military uniform" Colonel
MuHIENBuRo, with WAsHISoToS's commls-
sion IN his pocket, at once marched with
his men TO the relief Of Charleston, S, g.,
and his German regiment" the Eighth
Virginia, gained great renown for bravery
and discipline. At the close of the war he
was a maior-general and later went to Con-
gress from Pennsylvania.
STEuBEN and MUHLEsBUEG were types OF
the Germans who for love of liberty and
because of their interest in our land gave
TO WASHINGTON the support of their loyal
hearts. clear heads, and strong, steady
hands.
Within the past sixty years about 4,5OO,-
900 Germans have landed upon our shores
intending to become residents.
recent estimate makes 20, 100000 OF peo-
ple in the United States who are descended
IRON parents who were wholly or partly of
German blood. 1t thus appears that one
third of our population is connected with
that great family, which, under the name
of the German Empire. numbers 60,0O0,000
souls.
According to religious confessions GIG
per cent. of tho German people IN
their native land are Protestants, 35.9
per cent. Catholics. and IL per cent.
Jews. While German is spoken by the
Ink of the inhabitants there reside
in the empire 100000 persons of other
nationalities-viZ., 2,500.000 Poles, 100
Ilthuanians, l40 Wends, $4,000 Chechians.
l4O Danes. and 220, 900 Wallones and French.
There are n towns of over 100000 inhabit-
ants. Berlin has 100000, Hamburg
Altoona $50. 600, and Breslau 100000. About
IS per cent. of the population Is supported
by agriculture. SO per cent. by mining and
industries. aud 10 per cent. by commerce
and transportation. The army numbers
800 900 on peace footing and /, 5Oo,0 200 on q
war footing.
These are but scant elimpses of one Of
the greatest empires of our age. 1t ~ glo-
rious not merely in military achievements.
II is in the front rank in education, in
science, in historical research and discove-
ries III all lands; while its preachers and
poets, musicians and dramatists, and labor
ers in every useful field of human enter
prise are numbered by the thousand. IL
impresses its genius not only upon Europe
and America, but upon every continent.
and everywhere its SONS and daughters
lovingly think Of the Fatherland. In
great many cities Of this country to-
morrow will be celebrated as the ami
versary of the pioneer German settlement
in what now constitutes the United States.
The citizens of Richmond Of German
nativity and descent have arranged q
programme of exercises Of which a full ac-
count is given in another column. They
have the reputation OF doing we'll what
ever they undertake. and therefore we may
rely upon it that their first public OBJ
seryance of the day will be creditable alike
70 their judgment and taste and to their
enthusiasm for the old and new country.
tBourbons Amongst Us