The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-10-30
"RICHMOND ON THE JAMES'
An Ex- x-COnfcdcratc Tells About
the Changes and Induigcs in
"Reminiscences of the Old
City.

"Reminiscences of the OF
City.
Anderson Daily Mail.
Richmond on the James,! What
world OF memories come crOwding t
the front at the mention of that his
toric name so ndissolubly intcrwove
with the most momentous events il
the history of the country. How it re
calls to the memories of the mon an
women of the 'GOs, who arc yet living
the story of the battle, thcSsiege, tn,
bivouac, the long and tiresomc march
The hospital and sickness, wounds ant
death. What tears and heartaches arr
wrapped up in tho very name OF Rich
mond. One can stand on the top O
tho capitol and take bird's-eyo view
OF the sceno before him, and look il
the direction of the battlcGelds, and il
does not take a great effort to imagine
the phantom hosts marshalling for tho
conflict, TO hear The boom of cannon
the rattle of muskctry, the rebel yell
and the shouts of victory, and to sec
the knightly figure of the great captain
Oh his famous " Traveller " directing
the movements of his victorious le-
ions.
Standing there one can but recall
those brave old days whom that mighty
invading host was thrown back when
1t was in sight of the spires and NINA
rets of the city, and thought it had its
prey w lin its grasp.
But "grim visagcd war has smooth
CD its wrinklcd front" long since, and
the scene IS now a peaceful one in
great contrast to what it was when We
last saw the famous city forty years
ago. Though called there on sad
mission, the serious illness of a son
with Appendicitis, his rapid improve
ment within few days after the
operation by DR.. Stuart Mcclure, q
son Of the famous old war surgeon of
Stonewall Jackson, DR.. Hunter Nc
Cure, and the more than peer Of his
father in surgery, gave us an oppor-
tunlty to revisit some of the historic
scenes and points around The city.
And tho first spot of all that attracts
and interests an old veterans is Capitol
Hill and the capitol building, where
for four evcntful years the Conf, der
ate Congress mot and gave form and
fashion to the new born uation that
''rosc 80 fair and fell so pure" that its
brilliancy dazzled the nations of the
earth, like meteor IN the heavens.
There is not the slightest change visi-
bic here.
The grounds with the walks and
laws are the same and the building
stands as it has stood for ia years,
the pride of all Virginians for its his
toric associations. There is the same
desk where Vice President Stephens
presided over the Senate, and the same
Speakers char where the Speaker
dictated tho deliberations of the House
of Representatives. Within these
walls have been heard some of the
most magnificent forensic efforts that
are known to American history, and
within these walls wcro drafted the
famous Virginia and kentucky resoh-
tions of 170S.99, the cmanations of
the brains of Mr.. Madison and Mr..
Jefferson and other great Vlrginians,
and containing the truest and most
statesman-like embodiments Of the
principles Of constitutional government
upon which the theory of popular gov
ernment was built, and to which if
there had been rig id and faithful ad-
herence there would perhaps never
have been any civil war.
The capitol building is characteristic
Of the solid character of the men of
that time. The timbers used in con-
structing the roof are solid and massive
and show today the marks of the broad
axe used in hewing them IN the forest,
and are as sound as when first put IN
place. Out on the grounds there
stands the Washington monument just
as it has stood for quite century, sur
rounded by six of the greatest figures
in Virginia history, Mason, Henry
Lewis, Marshall, Nelson and Jefferson.
There they stand as silent sentries
overlooking tho James, as though keep
ing ward and watch over their loved
Virginia, though the principles for
which they lived and contended have
long since been trampled in the dust
We said there had been no change on
the grounds but there has been one, the
statue Of the immortal Stonewall Jack.
son, the gift of some Englishmen
which stands near the north entrance
and an old soldier standing near 1t
feels an impulse to give the military
salute.
just a few blocks away stands the
White House of the (ionfederacy
where President Davis lived for fou
years, crushed by the weight of th'
cares of State that it has fallen to th,
lot of but few men to bear. 1t is nov
the Confederate museum and eacl
State in the Confederacy has q room
Of its own, which it is expected to fiji
with relics and souvenirs of the war
The Mississippi room, among q grea
many other things, shows the coat an
pants worn by Mr.. Davis when he wa
captured, made Of Confederate gra
cloth and showing somewhat the effect
of being worn. We regret to say tha
the room assigned to South Carolin
has but meagre display of relics, i
fact the most tneager of any that W
saw, and yet there are quantities {
thnn, that oloht To he there In In