Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-08-20
VIRGINIA ELoQUENCE WON.

a dispatch from Washington TO tt e
New York Sun says: Virginia has a
purilauical village. II is Falls Church,
seven miles from Washington and witt
10 short distance of Camp Alger, re-
Gently atandoned by the volunteer
soldiers. The town regulations are
ridiculed and fought by the native Vir-
giuiac, aud since the arrival Of the troops
~ the State open war has been decars d.
A vioator of the blue law appeals his
case 10 the 5 ate authorities, secures a
iu-y, and is sure of aCquittal.
Falls Church is strictly II northern
settlement, and the southerner resents
the New E3gland idea there. ProbiDi-
ton is hobby with the villagers, and
as Camp Alger was within prohihi
zion jurisdiction the soldiers were dis
appoiuted in not beirg able TO parlake
literally of famous southern decoctions.
Recently the town council MADE it an Of
f-se for any one 10 sell ice cream, candy
and soda water on Sunday. Fruit and
ull d. licacies were also prohibited. The
temDation to violate the law was great,
though, and the boys in blue some
Times found "mountain dew" in the
goods aud behind stone fences. Ar
r,s's were numerous and all offenders
were promptly punished by htav!
lin imposed by the prohibition magis-
"a OF Falls Church.
Oly ten miles from the village is the
historic county seat of Fairfax county
1t is Fairfax Courthouse, and Attorney
a A. Lipscomb, typical southerner,
representing the defendants, appealed
his case to the court there, wnere he
received q jury trial. The jury Was
composed OF native Virginlans, and
their animosity for the purItanical town
was evident.
The defendants did not even deny "a
sistiug the soldiers to aliay their thirst
Ia fact, they admitted that they had
prepared that seductive drink, u mini
iulip. The lawyer hoped for light
iiue in place of the one of $500 nd a
ia,l sentence imposed by the Falls
Church Justice. He depended upoh
ais argument.
He began by saying "When God
Almighty created man he created hin
nieh thirst" The jury smiled. The
cour-room was filed with the resi-
Ieris OF the county and they listened
a,tentively 20 the next remark. The
lawyer pictured the German in his beer
pardan and described the FcenchmaH
dra wing "the soul from the grape
''In our country we have the noun
tain dew and some of our lips have
tasted it,"
The jurymen moved uneasily in their
eats.
"The fragrant mint springs flom the
grave of every true VIrgnian, and
blending with the essence of the corn
and rye makes the julep, Americas ma
ii al drink"
The courtroom was filled with al
p!ause at this and the twelve men look
ed very dry.
'V.rginia's historic hospitality is in
iAop4,dv," continued the lawyer. The
year drums beat, and tie soldiers OF the
North. South, East and Yves are camp
en on Virginia soil Is Justice Crocker
-jusiice Of the peace by the grace OF
God Of Falls Church, Providence di'-
tIict Fairfax CUuniy-to compel Is 20
rcpudiate our time, honored and sa
cred traditions? Is he to force us TO
dash aside the warm welcome OF the
iulep Iur the fetid water OF Camp Al
rel? Shall the Third Virginia FoIur
teers FORGET their early training? Tplk
ing about drinking, | want to say that Ii
was the groggy sailor and the tipping
soldier that pulled down at Ssutlaeo
the Spanish fig and hung o d Glory o
the breeze to fl at forever, ask You
again, Are we to taboo our mint lulep,
ried chicken and corn poue, and live
on Boston baked besns?'
When he finished the spectators
shouted with applause, and the jury
men solemniy filed from the room to
return q miouie later and announce
that the defendants were mot guilty"
IN Y sun