Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-12

four-column report Of this celebration
In the Dispatch OF May Is. 1857. and u
full report In preserved in the June, 1857,
No. OF the Southern Literary Messen-
ger. Ex-Presidcnt Tyler was the orator
OF the day. and James Barron Hope the
! poet of the occasion. We reprint I'm fun
| the rythmic phrases OF John X. Thomp-
| son describing this celebration.
THOMPSON'S DESCRIPTION.
Morn broke over jamestown Island,
| slowly purpling all the landscape. shelly
| Ing beach and crumhling turret. TIL at
| last the May-day sun streamed across
the spreading wheat-flelds in a flood OF
| golden splsndor. and upon the slumber-
Gus silence pealed the heavy signal gun.
Five times nifty years had glided over
| earthly states and kingdoms since the
kcels OF Smith and Gosnold there had
grated on tho sand; when the sons OF
Ola virginia came, with pomp and mar
| tial music, to commemorate the virtues
| Of that little pilgrim band. Out upon the
tawny river (for the tide that day had
borrowed, as In token Of the Red Man,
| just the Indians copper hue) lay a fleet
OF yachts and steamers, gay with flags.
from STAN and topmast-Stars and Stripes
and proud Sic Semper-shining on a field
| OF blue. Soon the passengers were land
] ed, ana into the silent graveyard passed
| the throng. TO muse and ponder on the
! graves amid It's gloom, while the daily
press reporters copied all the pompous
Latin of the dim and quaint inscriptions
carved upon each shattered tomb. Some
| In sacrileglous fury, hammered on the
hallowed marble to obtain a precious relic
| OF the spot wherein they sat; others for
farH IL I,ty1 Il off q
| tower. but the brick, In many an in
stance. got into the pilgrims hat!
Then the throng moved slowly onward
10 the place of celebration. two miles
distant from the landing. Oh. that long
and dusty tramp, Who did not. with
| Mariana. cry, oh! dear. | am weary
| ere he saw far off the Whitley cleaning
canvas Of the camp? There the gallant
| Richmond soldiers. marshalled under
| Colonel Cary, marched ABOUT 10 lively
music played on silver Instruments:
around was their encampment. pitched in
! military order. and their war-like salts
| faction seemed TO all to be in tents dn-
| tense!
Soon, as grew the day more fervid. on
| there came a small procession. arm-in-
arm. some five and twenty gentlemen
| in suits Of black; and among them one
whose boyhood had been spent beneath
| Mount Vernon's sacred roof-7a reverend
| seignor. walking down the dusty track.
| All behind them poured the thousands
covered with the white pie poudre, lcoK-
| ing very vexed and heated-men and
| maidens, youths and years-and. with rare
"sonorous metal. blowing martial
sounds" like fury, strong in numbers
| fues, and feathers, came the Portsmouth
| Volunteers!
Presently drove up a carriage. filled
| with grace and wit and beauty-ladies
| fair and tall civilian-this the orator. they
| said and, indeed. twas Mr.. Tyler
straight and dignfied. and stately. with
| the speech in his portfolio and his nat
| upon his head. Then there gathered
around the platform all the soldiers and
| the people, while the band played Hail
| ColumD ia," with patriotic din; and the
| moment this was ended, twas announced
| 10 all that straiehtway. with solemn
| invocation the prOcee dings would begin.
| Then arose from earth to Heaven accents
| of sincere thanksgiving, and an humble
| plea for mercy TO the KING or Kings
| on high-He who watched above our
| fathers, with tender loving kindness
| in those fearful forest vigis when they
| kept in days gone by
| Now hum Of expectation ran through
| out the large asfembly, as before them
| a
| and the dally-press reporters spread
| their sheets of yellow paper, and caught
| up their trustyspea ellis, in stenograph4c
| rage. Twas very long Grafton, read
| why did he not declaim it?-and the noon
| tide being sultry it's effect was somewhat
| tame; but at times the voice mistaken,
| rising frcTn the theme majestic. reacheu
| the melody and measure OF his senatorial
| fame: and when all the fire and feeling oil
1 t. =
| ing diction found at least fitting vent,
| como who heard him were reminded OF
| the brilliant early triumphs at the bar
| and on the hastings, OF the old man
| eloquent"
When the orator concluded there was
very loud applaudilg, ana another burst
OF buglcs from the soul-nspiring band
then. with hair In wild disorder. ana MS
eyes cneath gold-rimmed glasses) In poetic
frenzy rolling. our young poet TOOK
| the stand As the tuneful ChElbobas
sang of war and gentle woman TO the
| duskv braves around him, with the music
| Of the reed-as the pleasant Minnesinger
| sang of love and knightly daring, In the
| long and pensive twilights OF the NleOe-
| lunsen Lied-so our gifted jamestown
| minstrel sang Of Smith, the stalwart cap
| tain; sang the strange and sad adventure
! of the beauteous Indian bride
4
/ own romantic legends i'm the song of Po-
cahontas. early-lost and sanctified; sang
| our much-loved Old Dominion, sang rs
past unfaded glory. and In bard-like
| strain prophetic cast its shining horo-
scope till the listening crowd, enrapturcd,
| burst into a general plaudit, and de
| ciared our Hampton poet had not proved
| a Barren Hope.
! There the speaking programme ended
| but the people. much excited, with al
| least five hundred voices, franticaily called
| iDr "WIso" and the Governor came
| forward mid the furious acclamations
| thunder seated on his forehead, lightning
| cleaning from his eyes. Twas a little
| speech he made US, but the words were
| ntly spoken. golden apples. silver pic
| tures-only they were very few; and our
| chieftain left the platform. went among
| his standing army, drawn up on the
| field of clover. waiting for the grand re-
| view
! Arma-had we Nirgirs stylus. we might
/ say-virumque cauO. and describe the
| sight imposing there upon the field dis
| played: fine and feathery Portsmouth
| soldiers, Petersburg and Norfolk sol
| diers, regiment Of Richmond soldiers
| very snowy dress-parade. In the van
| rides Colonel cary. sitting straight IN
| in the saddle, with the Portsmouth col
| onel near him. on he rides amid hi
! peers; and. although the road is dusty
| his no steod of ConestOga. but one ny
| for the commander of the Richmond Vol
| unteers.
| wen. at last the show was over, and
| the weary crowd. departing to the head
| of jamestown Island, took their melan-
| choly way. There was neither dance nor
| dinner: and. I'm hunger lords and ladies'
| sullenly rejoncd the steamers. distant
| steamers. toilsome day. But when night
| upon the island settled down. and all the
| camp-fres redly CLEANED out on the dark
ness through the tail and spectral trees,
| rockets rose from shore and river burst
| ing into starry brightness, flags of flame.
which, streaming Ger us, "braved the
| battle and the breeze"
Such the jamestown celebration, as
| perhaps we yet may see it, In Porte era
| yon's pleasant sketches done for Har-
pers Magazine. Twas highly-pa triotic
picturesque, suspicious. happy, hot, and
| dusty celebration as was ever sketcheG
| or seen.
As TO CLOVER.
4 Mistake COrrccted-IOv TO Get a
Good "Cntch."