Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1890-07-29

from tue wood of this famous tree !;
thus do they preserve in the memory
of their people the history of this
venerable oak. 1t is said that Hart
ford, for its size, has more wealth than
any other city in the United States.
This, one of the prominens citizens
seemed to think was an eSaggeratioh,
he however said, "that there Is o
great deal of wealth here, but it is
equally distributed, there are but
comparatively few.poorpe6pie and but
one millionaire, condition of affairs
that is healthy to say the least OF it.
One of the attractions of the city
is the State Capitol, said TO be
one of the finest buildings in the
country. The citizens OF Hartford
seem proud of it and of the fact that
it was not only built with the appro-
priation of two and a-half millions
made by the Legislature for that pur-
pose, but it was completed and q
considerable part of the appropria-
tion returned to the treasury of the
State, having been built for less than
the estimates called for. / tried TO
Hind the contractor but failed, which
| sincerely regret, for it would have
been a pleasure to have looked upon
the face of such man. Not finding
him 1 tried to console myself with
discovering his birth place, but
failed in that. His history ought to
be written; monument erected to
him at Washington. Such an ex-
ample of honesty and integrity should
be exhibited to the gaze of all gen
erations. 1t is the most refreshing
instance of honesty in manipulating
public money, and so far as know
without precedent. 1 said that the
people of Connecticut are proud of
this building, and well they may be,
for it seemed to me the finest piece
of architecture ever beheld. Sur
rounded by beautiful grounds, we'll
kept and studded by luxuriant elms
and bordered by small river which
winds through them the building
stand on commanding eminence. AT
the front entrance to these grounds,
which are very extensive, is n me-
mortal arch, recently erected to the
soldiers of Hartford who died in the
last war, and passing through this
the driveway winds along the grounds
to the capitol itself, 1 will not un-
dertake to describe the building for
it would be impossible tc do so, but
cannot remember of ever having
seen anything that equaled it in ar
chitectual beauty. Within one OF
the apartments are the portraits of
all of the Governors of Connecticut,
the last one deposited in its place be-
ing that of Governor BuIkley the
present incumbent This gentleman
is the president of the -astna Life In
surance Company. In tho prosectl-
tion of our business here / had the
pleasure of meeting him and found
him as he was represented by his ac-
quaintances, very pleasant and
courteous gentleman. He had visa
tied West Virginia and seemed much
pleased with our people and had q
forcible view of our future prosperity.
In our soiourn here we have found
the people kind and polite, the busi-
ness man courteous and liberal, and
nothing of that miserable spirit of
sectionalism which exhibits itself in
the political world and especially in
the halls Of Congress. Some of the
gentlemen of this city have been in
YestIng in the South, some of their
families have moved there and some
southern men are here in active bus.
mess. A clear case of rsViroinia
never die we found ut our rnoaIs!
all of the walters were darIries and
SO are many Of the porters and ems
plogeeS on the railroads. At our Ia
BILE at the hotel was a waiter of dusky
hue born in the northern neck of
Nirginy," as he styled it, and ready
at all times to say, HBoss, how is
youY, must stop, however, before
L get ON politics, sectionalism, or
sentiment. 1 could write you a host
of things that are before me but l
fear that l have already written more
than you care to read, my purpose
was and is simply TO fulfil my prom
ise to write you something of Hart
ford when / reached here. I have
done so hurriedly and under
sort of whip. The whip being nv
friend calling me to go to bed after
hard days work, and as this is not
intended for publication and this
travelling companion is getting some
what ambitious for bed, l will bid
you goodnight. We leave to-mor-
row night for Athens-I mean the
American Athens. Before 1 close,
however, let me say that the more I
see of the people Of the various sec
tions of our country the more 1 am
convinced of the fact that the differ
ences of opinions and interests in
various sections can be easily recon-
ciled. If the government could be
brought to keep its unconstitutional
fingers out Of private business under
the guise of protection. If the work.
er at the Southern outrage mill could
be silenced, and his sectional parti-
san and narrow and selfish atnbi.
tions he frustrated, If politics could
be renovated so as TO meet the busi-
ness issues of all sections alone, and
bigotry, fanaticism and boodleism
extracted therefrom, the people of
all the quarters of this country would
soon understand each other and unite
as brothers in a common patriotism
respecting each other for honest diff
ferences in the Oast fSir yDay,I1, on,