The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-23
"A Desirable Guest.

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"A Desirable Guest.
President r. L. Blackwell. OF Randolph
Macon College, has received I, very cour-
,teous letter from Mr.. Charles Francis
Adams, Of Boston, which we have been
permitted to see, and from which we tnko
the liberty OF making n few extracts. In
q previous letter to Mr.. Adams, President
Blackwell used the expression, If you
have never been iii Virginia. Mr.. Adams
replies: This Is indeed suggcstve! u
passed two years Iii Virginia, and was at
one time much better acquainted with 1t
than have ever been with Massnchu-@
sets Ono winter i passed Mt Acquia
Creek: another winter I passed at War
rcnton; and there are few towns in North-
eastern Virginia with which I have not q
melancholy familiarity.
II passed III entire summer in front Of
Richmond; and, finally, I was one Of
those to whom it was given to enter
Richmond, when evacuated by Lee, a few
days before the final surrender at Apo
amattoS. * fis3i 5ss
''Onc OF my chief desires, therefore, in
preparing to visit Virginia is to renew the
"reminiscences Of forty years ago. The
impression then left upon me. and which
has remained there ever since, is that,
naturally, Virginia is the garden spot Of
tho North American continent L believe
/ have been In every State Of the Union
except one (Alabama), and am prepared
5now5to assert that, as the. result Of my
observation, :Virginiasis naturally the most
beautiful and bounteously endowed Of all
the Conlmonwealtlls; with an ample coast
line Incompatible llarbors, and noble
rivers. 1t is well watcred, beautifully
wooded, has vast mineral wealth. and a.
climate which, for genial salubrIty, is, to
my mind, unequaled. {.
'.As have said. this was the impression
left upon ME when canlpaigned about.
Virginia forty asia more years ago. =
would like to see whcther8tlio impression
produced upon mo then would be en-
phaslzed now"
1t will be a great pleasure to many
citizens Of Virginia at least to receive Mr.
Adams in friendship and to give him
more hospitable reception than he had
when he visited the State upon a former
occasion mentioned BY him. MI. Adams
is a student and n philosopher. With a.
view to ascertaining the truth concern
ing the principle and right ofdsecession.
Ehe searched tho records diligently, and
when lie had found the truth lie pro-
claimed it. Northern man that he is,
Federal soldier that he was, he Is not
too prejudiced to DO just.
In n published address. he said that
between, 17sS and 1851 every citizen was
not only free to decide, but had to decide
for himself in case OF direct and insoluble
issue between sovereign State and sove-
reign nation. to which his allegiance be-
longtd. and that whichever way he de-
cided he was right. THE Constitution.
he added, gave him two masters. Both
lie could not serve; and the average man
decided which to serve In tho light OF
sentiment. tradition and environment"
That being the case, with fine contempt
lie secuted the bare suggestion that men
OF tic South, entertaining those views,
could fairly be designated traitors. be-
cause they took up arms to defend sove-
reign State from invading foe.
A man who was reared in Now England,
ana who fought in tho Federal armies,
yet who is now able to rise above his.
prcjudices and Tho influence of his en-
vironment, and to do Justice to his for
mcr foes in battle, is a man whom every
Southern patriot delights to honor and u
man whom Virginia will be delighted TO
entertain in respect and friendship.
Secretary Gar6eld's Recommends
+;ore