Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-11-11
For the Telegraph.
Letter from Virginia.

forty thousand inhabitants, fifteen thousaed ofwhich
are Slaves. Richmond is situated at the head of
navigation on James River, about l4O miles from
Chesapeake Bay, into which it cmptes. Vessels
drawing seven or eight feet of water, can come up
to the city, but above the city there are rapids,
prohibiting navigation, but furnishing good water
power. This water power is improved to n con-
siderable extent supplying of the largest -four
ing mills in the United States if notin the world.
These mills situated in this city, and consist
of twcnty-siX runs of stones each. Each is capa-
BILE of making twelve hundred barrels of -four per
day. Most of this flour l am informed, is sent to
the Mexican, and Californian markets, and sold
in the aggregate at great profit. However, to-
bacco may be said to be the staple of the state !;
some of the largest warehouses for which, arc in
this city. 1t is estimated that fifty two thousand
hogshcads will be the crop this year, which rcck-
oned at fifteen cents per pound, will amount to
nearly half million of dollars, This is a low
cStimatc.)
t Ipasscd down James River from this to Norfolk
Il few days ago, and found the river to widen as
we approached the the mouth, from four hundred
feet, to fire or six miles Near the mouth is stu
ated the Grip Rap" fertilization, erected during
the administration of G N. Jackson, and dcnom-
mated his pet fortifcaton 1t is situated in the
middle of Hampton Roads, D." which together with
the fertilization on cold Point Comfort" com
pletcly command the entrance. Norfolk has a
population Of about fifteen thousand, nearly half
of which are blacks. 1t is handsome town and
we'll built. Opposite to it is Portsmouth, which
includes Gosport, where is the Navy Yard belong
ing to the Government, including splendid Dry
Dock. The water is deep enough in this harbor
to float the largest ships, and here lies the Old
/ Pennsylvania, a One Hundred Gun Ship, fully
equipped though it is said she never was out ofthe
River. On going on board of her, as she is anch-
orcd in the stream, you acquire a pretty correct
notion of what q Man of War is There are sew
cral other large vessels of war lying here either
afort or under cover, one of which is said to have
been thus housed, forty years. The various shops
in the yard, for carrying the business of ship
building, and the large guns and other weapons of
death used in the Navy, present an interesting spec
tace to the visitor | here learned what | never
knew before, that the masts of large vessels are
made by uniting from three to six separate pieces
Of timber, longitudnally, spiked and banded to-
gcthcr,
Norfolk is not place of so much business as it
formerly was, though it has one of the best harbors
in the world,
On both shores of James River there are many
very large and productive plantations, stretching
far back inland; with often standing in sight,
venerable mansion, large and old fashioned, the
residence ofthc proprctor while abouton the plan
tation are houses for the "pcopIc" some of which
are very comfortable. At one of the landing places
cX-Presdent Tyler came on board our steamer,
from his plantation near by but l did not discov-
er that he excited any particular attention.
Among the most interesting points upon the the
river, about one hundred miles below Richmond
is Jamestown celebrated in the history of the set
Element of Virginia the first position occupied
by Capt. John Smith, and his associates. Here is
now standing on the spot where jamestown stood,
the front part of the brick wall of the first church
(epscopal) than was ever erected in the colony
Within some twenty or thirty miles of this place
inland, is the spot where Capt. Smith was taken
prisoner by the Indians and carried to Powhattan
and where he was defended from the blow of the
y
ting daughter of the Indian Chief The remarka-
bic story of this savage female is familiar that
| will not attempt even a sketch here.
Virginia is in many respects highly rcspecta-
bic state Her sons are, many of them, intelligent
valorous, cntcrprsing and yirtuous, but it seems
to me that her adherence to her system of slavery
is a dead weight upon her energies, incumbcring
her resources, and greatly diminishing her pros
pcritv Virginia is too far north to be proftably
a slaycholding state. Her productions could be
better rendered through free labor She has not |
the advantages of the Southen States to keep
her slave laberers proftably employed, Hence /
the increase of this class of her population is only
so much added to her embarrassments. except by .
selling she gets rid other surplus slave population
to other states, which alternative is unworthy her
high position.
Within few days Ihave visited Charlottesville .
Va, one hundred miles from Richmond, the seat
of the University, projected by Mr. Jefferson
The situation of the buildings is of great beau
ty standing as they do in the midst of the area of
some thirty-six acres of land, twelve of which are
occupied by the spacious edifce used for Lecture
rooms, Library containing some twenty thous-
and volumes and magnificent hall, used on com
mencement days and other like occasions. Also
there is a small chapel on the ground, and ten
houses for the residences of Professors, arranged
five on each side of beautiful lawn. The Instr
tuition receives fifteen thousand dollars an
nuiy from the State, which, together with the tut
ton and other perqusites, furnishes good sup
port to fifteen Professors and teachers. There are
now in attendance nearly five hundred students.
including those of law and medicine; and the
course of instruction is said to be thorough and
ample. DIR. McGufy, gentleman of high attain
ments and liberal views, with whom l had previ-
ousy some acquaintance, and who is a prominent
professor, took me over the premises and showed
me, from the top of the Rotunda, at a distance of
some five miles the celebrated Monticello, the for
mer residence of Jefferson and the place of his
grave This view IS ono of surprising beauty, oy-
erlooKing, it is said portion of the best part of
Virginia In the distance is seen the Blue Ridge
and the intervening mountains, presenting an ex-
,auded IaDdscana nf eyreat variety and fartiI;t,.