The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-09
EULOCY OF
old VIRGINIA
Thoughtful and Eloquent III
butte by a Son of the State
ADDRESS TO KENTUCKlANS
Professor William A. Obenchaln's His
torical and Patriotic Speech Before
Teachers Institute in Ken
tucky-CIam to Greatness

Wherever virginan may go, and IN
| whatever portion of the hapitaple glope
! he may make his home, he never ceases
| 10 love and to be proud OF the iand OF MS
nativity, Its history, achie'enehts ana ira
| ditions. No true Vlrgnian ever bushes
| for his native state, and, on the other
hand, proclaims with pride his loyalty
to her
This is strikingly exemplfed In the case
of Major William a. Obenchain, schol-
arly Virginian. now president OF ogden
College, Bowling Green, hy. Inc ADDRESS
is worthy of careful reading, for 1t is
a compact resume of historical facts
with which every Virginian should he
familiar, and of which he should be proud.
In addressing the Warren county Teach
ers' Institute Major Obenchain said:
have chosen for my theme on this
occasion Virginia, and trust that IN my
eulogy upon that grand old common
wealth, brief as 1T shall BE- may Do
able to utter some thought that Will IN
spire YOU fifth loftier patriotism and
stimulate in you q greater desire Tor one
Of the noblest Of studies, the history OF
our own country.
a book agent who stopped recently at
one of the hotels in our little city said to
tho clerk the next morning that he had
had a remarkable dream. He dreamed,
he said. that he was in heaven. and that.
to his great surprise, he saw me standing
near by, heavily chained In answer TO
his inquiry what that meant, st. Peter
said: why, If we were to turn mat
fool fellow loose he would go sralsht
back to Virginia"
haye no recollection Of any conversa-
ton or remark on my part that could
have suggested such dream. am PROUD
of my native State, but have always
been modest in her praise. am lnc!ineo
to think, therefore, that, IN the words OF
Sheridan, In his speech in reply to Mr..
Dundas, the gentleman must have been
Indebted to his memory for his Jesus
and his imagination for his facts But,
dream or not. 1t is q good story
Whenever I think Of old Virginia, land
of my birth, I feel that
"Where'er roam, whatever realms to
see,
My heart. untravel'd, fondy turns to
thee"
Why is 1t that every Virginlan is SO
PROUD of his State? THAT he loves her
fields and forests, and streams, her mus
and valleys and mountains--every foot OF
hen soil, In fact, from the lowest lever
of her sea-beat shore to the SUBMITS or
her highest peaks? Why do descendants
OF virginians, wherever found, and how
ever remote, speak with pride of their
Virginia ancestry? Why Is 1t that even
those who fought against her feel for her
more tenderness than for any other StateI
1t is because of her chivalrous, high
minded men, her true, noble hearted wo-
men, and her grand old civilization, with
its hospitality and graciousness of social
life; of the great statesmen and soldiers
she has produced, and the splendid part
she has played, and played SO magnani-
mously in the history of our country. The
soil Of no other State has been the
theatre OF so many great historic events.
The history of no other State is SO full
of romantic interest. Her citizens have
been the pioneers of other States, and
they have carried with them her tradi-
tions and the impress of her institutions
wherever they have gone
Virginia was the FIRST settled OF all the
colonies, and the first to establish repre-
sentative government on American soil.
Her loyalty TO Charles H.. In tho days Of
Cromwell won for her the proud title of
the Old Dominion. Her Nathaniel Bacon
struck the first blow against political and
religious injustice and oppression in the