Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-22
SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER %, 1894
Appomattox and Surrender.

Public sentiment in Virginia revolts ut
the idea Of Appomattox Courthouse being
baptized by an order OF the Post-Ofiice
Department as Surrender"
Appomattox should be its name forever.
But II new name had to be given H.
we should not have chosen that of "Sur-
render" At Appomattox our people did
something more than surrender.
Time after time has the Dispatch had
TO protest against changes made In the
geographical nomenclature OF this State
by the Post-Office Department, but never
has the department wounded us so much
as In undertaking to give to new rail-
way town the dear old name OF Apo
Hattox.
The defence that the change was made
upon the petition OF citizens counts for
little, for we all know how thoughtless
most people are about signing petitions.
We dare say. too, that the proposed
change was never publicly discussed In
the county. and we believe that 1t would
have had hundreds Of directors had 1t
been so discussed.
No; Appomattox Is the name rightly
belonging to the historic site and should
so remain. That the county seat has been
removed to the line of the Norfolk and
Western road affords no adequate reason
for carrying the name of Appomattox
with it. Let the old place be Appomattox
forever. and let the people of Appomat-
tox Station (Nebraska is the post-ofiice
name select some other name for the
county seat and post-ofiice.
Since there have been an Appomattox
Courthouse and an AppomattoX station
(Nebraska), there has been much con-
fusion in the mails. and II is to remedy
this that the change of Appomattox to
"Surrender'' has been made; but We sub
nit that the railway company should
have chosen some other name for its sta
ton than Appomattox. and then special
post-office name would have been unneces-
sary.
"Appomattox" should have been left
TO designate the spot where Lee made MS
last stand; the spot made sacred by the
yalor, sufferngs, and tears Of the Army
of Northern Virginia; the spot which Is
the Appomattox of history. and whose
honors never can be lawfully divided with
n village whose chief distinction is thdt
oeople leave the railway trains there to
visit the real AppomattoX. This we say
without discrediting the new county seat
II is a pleasant place filled with pleasant
people: but ii is not THE AppomattoX
Courthouse There is but one Appomat-
fox Courthouse, and it makes little DIFF
ference that the buildings have been
burned and the county seat removed there
from. Besides, the name Is now always
shortened TO Appomattox. and Tor years
mast that has been its post-ofhce name
Other Virginia courthouse towns are not
10 be compared with it. None but Itself
can be its parallel.
THE fact that the county seat Of APP
oomattox county is now at the railway
station does not necessarily entitie that
station TO be called Appomattox. or APP
oomattox Courthouse. Berryviile Is the
county seat OF Clarke; Bowling Green oil
Caroline: Boydton, of Mecklenburg'
Rrentsville. OF Prince William; Chatham,
of Pittsylvania;. Clintwood. of Dickinson;
GOurllaNQ, Oh
Allegheny; Eastville. OF Northampton;
Emporia, OF Greenesville; Fincastle. or
Bo,etourt; Front Royal Of Warren; Gate
CITY. OF Scott; Haymarket. of Prince VIII
liam 90; Heathsville. of Northumberland;
Hnlsyille. Of Carroll; Houston. OF Hall
fax: independence, of Grayson: Jonesvilie.
Of Lee; Lawrence. OF Brunswick; Lebanon
OF Russell: Leesburg, OF Loudoun; etc.
etc.
And now, why should not the Norfolk
and Western Railway Company. the
county people. and the Post-Ofiice De-
partment agree upon name for the
new county seat which would leave un-
touched the honors OF Appomattox Court
house. and possess some real and de-
served local significance?
We. of course. understand that to have
IN Appomattox railway station and an
Appomattox post-office Is confusing. ne
cessltating the use of Nebraska to repre-
sent the former, but we insist that unity
OF name should not be sought at the ex-
pense Of the Appomattox Of history.