Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-04

sideration. And these negroes did
not. as a rule. talk dialect, as has been
stated by my friend. Thomas Nelson
Page. in his charming work. Mars
Chan" and other productions. They
were often educated, and generally
talked as well as their owners.
NANNY"
The old NANNY" came from this class
and was loved by the white children, only
second to tneir own mO,nel. 90 ALSO uid
tho butler and the dining-room servants,
who carried themselves with an air OF
hauteur which was both amusing and
becoming. As rule, the owners were
never cruel: a whipping was rare, and
never given except for great offences.
or course. there were exceptions 10 this
rule and these exceptions made negro
slavery wrong upon principle. IL Is by
no means the object or this paper TO
defend the institution. The Virginian
was not. by habit. thriftless, as has been
stated on the contrary. In many in
stances. he was a man OF great bust
ness talent and there were few happier
I places on this earth than well regu-
lated Virginia farm prior TO he war.
the negro trader was looked upon with
horror. and sales were rarely made OF
slaves except from urgent necessity.
/
by our laws. and IL protected the slaves.
| II was one OF tho misfortunes Of slavery
| that IL gave rise TO a system OF credit
which engendered habits OF expenditure,
/ and on this account many owners were
| largely I'm debt Indeed, many Of them
/ looked upon debt as q sort OF heirloom,
upon which Il was only necessary TO
pay the interest. The slaveOwner always
/ educated his children In the best schools
! OF tho land. He fostered With a pride
/ that ysas extraordinary a love
and reverence for his ancestors
Ho prided himself. and does so
still. that he was descended from
cavalier stock. 1t was always source
Of congratulation to him that Virginia
had never yielded 10 Oliver CromwelPs
domination, and that on that account
Virginia was called "the Old Dominion"
His coat-of-arms and armorial bearing
were then and are now preserved with
the greatest care. These things uncon-
sciousiy engendered in him vanity and
egotism which Was so absolute as to be
amusing. He had no idea that anybody
on earth could be as good as Virgnians.
Any statement TO the contrary was ac-
| cepted with incredulity and with senti-
ment something like compassion.
THE CLERGY.
The old Virglnian was disposed to be
very religious on one day OF the
week-that is. on Sunday lie be-
leved in tho Established Church, and
many do so to this day. The laws OF
the old Virginia House Of Burgesses on
this subject are both quaint and inter-
esting a fine OF s. was imposed for not
attending church every Sunday. There
was an officer In every church armed
with wand. whose duty II was to arouse
| every one who went to sleep during the
sermon. and this office he Is said to have
performed with great cutlery and noise.
using such words as these: Wake up,
sinner. and hear the Word" The clergy
men were often the best fox hunters and
whist players Of their districts, but they
preached sound doctrine. and did not
often offend the taste Of their hearers.
and many were men or profound piety.
They had q respect for the May1ower
Puritans, but did not care much for them.
looking upon them as rebels against con-
stituted authority. Prior TO l7i6 many
were Iowa lists % the most pronounced
type. one Of the Royal gowns OF Charles
the Second was woven in the county OF
Gloucester. Of the State Of Virginia.
SIN. though a loyalist. a Vrgnian had
an innate love OF liberty. Other people
might be enslaved. but not a Virginian.
He delighted in placing upon the statute
books high moral statutes, which he
meant for other people. A very good
illustration of this Is found I'm law
passed by the House Of Burgesses in
Virginia at Williamsburg, the capital
prior TO 1776 relative TO alcoholic drink
ing. which ran pretty much as follows;
Albeit, the practice of dram-drinking
has become too common In we Majesty
Colony Of Virginia on we Sabbath-Day;
therefore. nasmuch az the practice or
keeping open dram-shops and tipplng-
shops or We Sabbath-Day in the Colony
OF Virginia has become too prevalent.
and it is hereby enacted that all these
shops shall be closed on ye SabbathDay.
except in ye city Of Williamsburg, whore
the same shall be kept open at all times
fer the benefit Of We House Of Burgesses."
THE L. +. V.
This shows the character OF the former
Virginians TO a fraction. They had no
idea Of cutting off their own privileges.
And in a measure. they were right. They
emphatically stated: do not as l do,
but as ] tell you" and this they had the
maniness to so state without any ny
pocrisy. But these surroundings had their
bad effects. which ! will now enumerate,
but with no unklnd feeling. The senti-
ment created by them strongly tended TO
place the Offices Of the State in the hands
Of certain families and created an dig
archy. which really caused the loss OF
West Virginia. The memorable conven-
ton which resulted I'm counting three
ffths Of the slaves as a part OF the
population was gall and NORWOOD to
West Virginia. as IL naturally ought to
have been, as ii improperly give the east
complete domination over that section
Of the State IL caused large emgra-
ton from the State of those young men
who did not belong to the IF. +. VS."
as they were termod-that is, the favored
class. 1t had its bad effect during the
war between the States of this Union. l
know now noble man who has occupied
high judicial position since the war. who
made one OF the most gallant charges
with the Confederate flag i'm his hands
a charge equal TO the passage Of the
bridge at Lodi-who fell covered with
wounds, and was made cripple for life,
who. perhaps. wa not promoted. because
he did not belong 70 the inner circle. SO
strong has been the caste feeling that We
have since the war elected many class
congressman who had as much idea OF
the true interests OF Virginia as a Figi
islander has of Greek tragedy. ! say all
this with no unkind feelings, but in the
interest of truth. Freed from the incubus
of slavery, the Virginian has started upon
a new career.
He will be heard from in the future.
The cavalier and the Puritan were both
Englishmen OF the best grade. Both are
Americans; both viii vie with each other
in advancing the interests Of our common
country. Virginia expects to win from
New England the same glorious tribute
which was given her by George Bancroft,
the historian. who nobly stated in his