Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-09-30
OLD VIRGINIA.
Correspondence Of the Journalcf Commercial

Correspondence Of The Journalcf Commerce.l
ROANOKE HuNDREps, (va.) AUeusr, 1s4s.
"The Old Colony and Dominion Of Virginia, as it was
gravey styled in old wrs and charters has still many hooks
and which might afford good picking for the tourist
But all Israel which Called there are places
in Virginia which Virgnian. did not come to the
State to Northern improvements, Yankee farms,
theshng machines and Quaker aborer such they have
in Fairfax, but to get glimpse Of the genuine unsophca.
ted old Vrgnianism which smacks of slavehodng CAVALIERS
Ell i'd genus And therefore very speedily extricated
myself from the starch responsibilities Of counties
and hurried down towards tidewaer where have for
month been revealing peaches sweet potatoes and gigantic
melons, Let abolonst risk his equanimity his aIgu-
by coming hher Here am among hundreds of bond
men, ye! have lash and heard cry The sleek
full oily faces Of the creatures afford receipt in full for the
supply Of their physical necessities They assuredy have
clothing enough and nlerrmen enough for hour the
night go without hearing banjo and song, and some
times the wekn rings with that long, loud daphragm-
cachnaion, which peculiar to the African Remem-
berng the hundreds Of Irish paupers whom last
me landing in and yphus from the seerage of egiant
vessels, cannot but think many of them might willingly
change places with these chaes" But these de-
batabe points, especially my object is description rather
than argument.
Colonel DIS plantation contains about two thousand
upon the banks of the Roanoke OF ths-Virgnia
fashion-only part under tage large extent Of tim
Der still remaining with unreclaimed marsh, and good
deal Of what here called that is, exhausted land,
oyorgrown with young pnes which shoot up spontaneously
Some and cotton "made, the Virgnians
say but the chief growth s tobacco, which, this time Of
the year. of the most succuen and uxurant growhs
which the eye of man beholds pass daily through fields of
several hundred acres and observe from the stubbe that
there have been wheat6elds Of equal extent The is
high in South Carolina. The chief defect to a
Northern eye the absence Of that rich greensward which
the charm Of fields and pastures For Of this
ted covering the ground is washed into gules
which sometimes become deep almost to prevent age
On arriving Peasaunce, the seat Of my friend COL D.,
struck with field Of MAIZE reaching down
gentle decvty, plain Of half mile square, toward the
river The green Of rank foliage moved under the
wind like lake Of verdnre Making my woy through a
shaded lane, along the edge Of the cornfej sight
Of the house. Here disappointment not, indeed,
the ed6ce this well enough, being long brick
ture, with high and beetng roof and cluster Of irregular
appendages and struggling offices every hand, among
clunps Of oak which doubtless survive the original forest
But dissatisfied with the absence Of certain appearances
which commonly associate with wealth graveed
walks circular drives porters lodge, gateway,
picket fence. The only separation from the aforementioned
confield zgzag fence, OF chestnut rails Be-
yond the buildings the backcned houses of the negroes
peeped through the In these and stranger STILL in the
mansion ITSELF the chmneys all stood outside the wall
slightly protubeance but furnishing interior without angles
0dme Virginia frepaces wide and high,
and duly repenished with great logs and bets without
stint. find enormous woodpile in the midst Of the
grounds supplied by constant carng and resored to by
in their houses during the hottest weather. and carry the
field with them bake their sshcake and light their pipes
have negro who does not smoke chew tobacco
and above thirty who does not smoke 1t seems
agree with them. II we've put TO my oath could not deny
having the pipe in the mouth Of ladies' This however,
is not common.
Ii worth Journey OF thousand miles have Virginia
welcome You are carried in with sort Of triumpha ubla
ton which tells you that your host is the favored par
ty and that you expected 10 abide year and day.
troop Of silent and observant blacks await your bidding with
oriental and almost gaceuness Of produced
by long practice Of the functions among gentlemen and
ladies'. was at home in a moment After passing through
the wide and lofty ball, where got glimpse Of old paint
ngs, rifles fishing rods landing nets whips spurs, anllers,
for fails and the like ushered into large paro
carped but with floors highly polished that found my
self fairly sliding the stately portraits heavy
buffet Of black wood and grand piano Alas
how shall say Pompey aud Caesar, longer at enm-
y shortly in with store Of today and min, ulep highly
iced N b. The ice Is shaved of inverted ackplsne IN
fakes like said to be very delicious in their properties
remembered my pledge but country gentlemen, in buff
wacoa rundown collars, and spurs made up for any de-
fault Of mine and chuped Justify their cups as they
told Of glorious stump speech made Beverly Court House
in favor Of old Zack who appears to be great svore IN bis
native State.
When adjourned to the dining room, found things in
Of prncey any LONELINESS bad observed
the Due Formally in leading in the ladies the
fair and majestic Mrs D. was on my arm Much plate
on the table and do-boads and array Of ootmen which
reminded me Of England am inclined 70 think that South
Americans The number Of courses small but the table
groans with esh fowl game, vegetables Pastries and fruits.
With such and peaches they have here at this
SON Il seems PROCLAMATION be doing much else the way
OF dessert yet Southern housewives do it. Yrgnians
hot dinner, though wheaton bread is offered.
Bacon or they the word in its strict English acceptaion)
is uniformly the head of the table, and homny ndis
penssbe potatoes with The Irish potato inferior to
the sweet potato much superior Roasmea is new
served There Is general Of milk at dinner,
and even buernik sometimes used Varieties OF vine
less obuded than among persons Of the class IN The
Northern States. delightful freedom Of ntclgentn-
ercourse certainly witnessed than here the union OF
modesy and cordiaiy in the beautiful daughters and nleces
Of my host threw charm the society, and TO tell the
TRUTH little turned my head. The ladies here all rlde and,
am TO be squire Of danes this evening" (ecerng
afternoon In Virginia. be about the stables picking out
horse that will not throw On" yesterday (another
Southern emendson Of the Queens English which funny
enogh) was so unfortunate to be grounded by colt Of
the tavern keepers, whom most nsaney mounted You
must expect my further notices in another letter.