Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-02
And now for ",he October sun"
-. n,
HISTORY OE "SuRReNDER."
The Origin Of the retitIon for the Change
Explained Not Defended.

Explained Not Defended.
(Appomattox Times)
In view OF the many harsh criticisms
tha. have been heaped upon some OF our
people for potltioning the Post-oihce De-
partment to change the name OF Apo
mattox" to surrender" we do not thihk
that f.w words Of explanation would
prove out Of place. not that We Wish 70
defend the action but rather the reason
which induced them 10 adopt sueh a
course. ,..,
Wbsn the old courthouse was DESTROYED
by IRE come time aSo. IL WAS neciue"'
by a large majority OF the voters OF Hp-
pomattQx. TO mgvc the county seat 10
the railroad station, on ire NVIloiN az"
Western railroad, then designated pS 'he
pnst-pfice Department as NeDfaska,
and nv the railroad as "AppomattoX.
Afor this the station was known as
Annomatiox Courthouse. and was not only
SO called by everybody, but nearly al
the mail was so addressed. creating, as
matter OF course. much confusion III the
delivery Of letters and IN ordinary CONVEX
sation. Indeed. for many month 1t was
an exceedingly inconvenient ana empaF-
RAISING condition OF aiialfs.
Under these circumstances Il was deem
change. and as the station was by FAR
the more important and always spok
Of anyhow as "Appomdttox COurthcI ae.'
n petition was circulated requesting me
department 10 officially give II That name.
Seeing that this would make Confusion
worse COMPOUNDED" the people In the VI
| cinily Of the Old courthouse suggested
| 10 authorities at Wasningt1n 10 e~'Ow
upon their little town the name OF ''S1;-
I sN~N h. ala. f. l. Il
our history with a stigma Of disgrace. bit
that they might. so they thought. r,rccr
more famous the locality "heie the last
sad scenes OF tho rebellion occurred.
Prior TO the submitting of the petirion.
| there was really no AprOmatt0& Court
house, for tht old csurt-house iayin, been
burned ard rebuilt g. ewher", the original
| village could retain only the post O,l.ce
name Of "Appomattox."
The distance between tn. on AMI The
| new couri-hoGses is only two miles, and
! the site OF the latter is almost IS much
! part Of the guTTender-g-1uui as Is lie
old village itself So. to claim ;hai Ap-
! pomattox Courthouse. as applied TO the
! rcene OF the surrender could be bCr..G
! In Oblivion by the changing o. its name.
! would be simply absurd.
Ever since the fire. which was alb .ut
| two years ago, the station has been APP
| pOmattoX Courthouse, and such II HOul ,
always have been called. no matter what
! name had been applied 20 II as n post
Office, and in the very nature of our coun-
| Try and her people It would have been
| absolutely impossible 10 have induced
| them to know it by any other name. The
| memories entWinCd around Tie name are
~ dear to the hearts Of our people as the
| life-blood that courses in their veins, ami
| to the pride in the past history OF their
| country may be left the preservation Ok
! all its historic interests Every sign
| board erected by the government along
our roads viii read until the dawn OF
| eternity: ITO Oh App0mattox Court
house; every thought and word In refer
ence 10 the old place has been and always
| VIII be, Of "Old AppOmattoX Courthouse.
and, with the exception OF a few letters
! passing through The mail every mention
| Of ii In the world, in history, and in
daily conversations Of our people would
| always have been by the name Of "Old
| AppomattOX Courthouse"
In conclusion we would state that this
| much-abusel action of the instigators o,
| the petition was due rather 10 "a mis-
taken idea than to the lack OF patriotism
or 70 the interpretation of the grand
| history OF the Confederacy