Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-04

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universal hilarity that prevails. Nor are
the rejocings restrained to one day. have
known them last the week, and the whole
bridal party to cross q broad river to renew
on the other side Of the water the merriment
Of the preceding day, with some distant
friend or relation.
The negro life of Virginia differs very
little, [ believe, from the negro life all
through the South. In return for food,
clothing, house-room, medical attendance,
and support in old age, about one-third Of
the labor which is required Of the white
man in most countries is demanded Of the
black. He performs it badly, and would
not perform it at all if he were not compell-
ed. The rest Of his time is spent in sing
ing, dancing, laughing, chattering, and
bringing up pigs and chickens. That negroes
are the worst servants in the world, every
man, | believe, but thorough bred South
ern man, will admit; but the Southerner
has been reared amongst them from his
childhood, and in general has tenderness
and affection for them Of which Northern
men can have no conception. Great care
is taken by the law to guard them against
oppression and wrong; and after six years
residence in the State, [ can safely say, I
| never saw more than one instance of cruel
ty toward negro and that was perpetrated
| by a foreigner. That there may still be
evils in the system which might be removed
by law, and that there may be Individual
instances Of oppression and even bad treat
ment, | do not deny, but those instances
are not SO frequent as those of cruelty to
wife or child in Northern lands, as display
ed every day by the newspapers; and in
point Of general happiness, it would not be
amiss to alter an old adage end say: GAS
merry as negro slave"
THE VALLEY FARMER.
The Western and Eastern Virginia, he
says, differ as absolutely from each other as
either does from the New England Puri-
tans. Their lineage, their tastes, their hab-
its are directly opposite. A Valley farmer
/ is noble specimen Of the yeoman He has
little Latin and less Greek, having derived
his education in an cold field school-house,"
from stern Scotch school-master, who was
conGented with hammering into his know
ledge box the great keys to other knowledge,
reading, writing and arithmetic. But
though not learned, the Valley farmer is
shrewd, sensible and refined, with just views
of human affairs, generous to- others, but
frugal himself; industrious and attentive to
business, but full of fun in his hours Of lei
sure Democrat in politics, a Presbyte-
rian N religion, end colonel in the mill
tia.
AS you approach his residence, you will
be struck with the neatness and calmness Of
his system Of farming, SO different from Che
more slovenly course pursued on a large
Eastern plantation. His gates, his fences,
his out-houses, are all substan tial and neat.
His barn is always three times as large and
handsome as his house. He is hospitable
without display, and you would wound his
feelings to the quick, if you refused to ac-
cept it. His table is loaded with abundance,
and almost every thing is the product Of his
own farm. Even the liquor though tempe
rate as he generally is he presses upon you
with no sparing hand, is wbiskey, or ZIP
pze-Jach," distilled on his own or neigh
boris estate. His dress, too, is made of
domestic cloth, unless on Sunday, Or some
important occasion, such as court-day, e.
lection or muster. On these he appears
with well kept blue coat glittering with
brass buttons, and surmounted by one Of
those immense, stiff collars, which belong
to tl1e~style Of the court Of George the
Third
He hardly ever leaves home, except on
the occasion above referred to, and now and
then to ''the store" where, with few GRO
MES, he discusses the crops, the weather,
and the news from Richmond. On Sun
day
Sat church. with meek and unoEended
grace,
His looks adorn The venerable place."
But the church itself is worthy of some
ings, in. that part of the Valley which I
have in my eyes, is built Of the native blue
}lime stone, is large and substantial, and has
great antiquity for this comparatively new
land, having been erected more than hun
dred years ago. All the iron work, the
| glass, the sashes, were, they say, carried
across the Blue Ridge from Williamsburg
on pack-saddles; and, situated just en- the
edge Of a noble forest, oak, walnut and
hickory, it presents very picturesque APP
pearance to the passing traveller. Here,
every Sunday, appears the Valley farmer,
to thank God sincerely for blessings past,
and pray with hope and trust for others to
come.
A remarkable contrast to this quiet life
Of useful moderation is afforded by the wa
tering place life Of Virginia, and as Vir-
ginia has probably more watering places
than any other of the United States, this
sort Of life is peculiarly characteristic Of the
people and the country. Some people go
to watering places in search Of health, but
many more 60 for change Of scene, and
still more for amusement. 70 the Green
brier White Sulphur, naultitudes, especial
ly from the far South, have resorted, du-
ring the summer for many years. Doubt
less the water of that Spring is highly ben
efcial in number Of cases. I cannot,
however, think it so to all who drink it;
and I imagine that the great amount Of ad-
vantage is derived from the gay society,
the fine scenery and the pure air-not omit
ting to'mention the enforced hardships which
every visitor has to bear. But scattered
over the State are springs Of every quality,
and the searcher for health may always find
some suited to his peculiar condition. Not
SO those who go to the watering places for
amusement. There is good deal Of same