Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-08-29
Tide Water Virginia.

| ", ico'.-ut dpihCally, hiiu ihu0ou SSoioS'
cally, the character of the cUuntry hereabnut,
and throughout the tide water section OF Flr-
ginia, is very nearly the same with that of the
tide water sections of maryland, Pennsylvania
and New Jersey. The average level OF the
country, however, is considerably higher
above the water level of the rivers, than 1t Is
at the same distance from the sea, in the two
last named States. The price of land here,
about, (and perhaps it may be said, general
ly in this section of Virginia. ranges IRON
SIS to SIS an acre for the river bottoms, and
from about S. to SIS for the uplands Except
near the water courses the land Is poor,
though susceptible Of considerable improve
ment.
This is not, by any means, the most plctur-
esaue or most fertile section Of Virginia. 1t
is not comparable i'll beauty or fertility to the
upper belt of the Piedmont section or the al
lev section, which lies between the Blue Ridge
and Allegheny mountains. Still 1t IL not
destitute Of natural beauty. 1t is far more
picturesque, fertile aud well improved region
than one would suppose who merely glIded
through it along the great north and south
line Of railway, which, by the way, Is emf
nently untavurable for Il lair or Just view oil
this portion of Virginia. for 1t traverscs the
water courses ut right angles, whereas the
finest portions of every country are generally
to be seen BY following the water courses.
That which renders this vicinity most IN
tercstiug and most particularly noteworthy
is, that il still retains, in It's social habits and
character, much that assiinulatcs 1t to the old
colonial times. The names, indeed, not only
of the counties, but Of the country seats, hear
testimony to the ori gin OF the inhabitants.
They are, for the mos: part. emlnehtly Eng
llsh, "a. for example, the counties oil stafford
King George and Caroline. all oi which, by
the way, are visible from the country seat III
which this is written, which Is Itself IN spot
sylvania county, fact which may serve To
Indicate well how very extensive are the pros
poets 10 be had from some these old man
sions. The names of the country seats them
selves speak To the same point. In addition
10 Belvoir, Eastern View, Prospect Hill and
Forest Hill, which suggest appropriate IDEAS
of the prospect which they command, ana St.
Julien, Mount Zion and Travellers Rest,
which suggest other ideas, we lind here,
Mansfield, Smithfed, EPSON; Nottingham,
Rumford and Snowden Ncarl Y all OF these
country seats, and u good many more, are ylsl-
bic from this place, which is itself one "i those
named.
Of all these country seats the most note
worthy, perhaps, is Nottingham, which IS
distinctly visible ut 4 distance of about three
miles from the window at which these lines
are penned. This WAS the family estate oi
one of the Old Colonial Governors oil virgin
ia, Governor Spottiswood, or, rs the name has
been subsequently, more commonly written,
Spotswood, from whom this county was
named Spotsylvania. The estate remained
in the hands Of his family for more than 4
century, but has now, Is might be expected
under our system of property, passed INTO
other hands. The old Nottingham house
has disappeared within Il few years, and less
recently also has disappeared, partly by
demolition and decay, IL still more ancientre resi-
dence on the same tract, known by the name
of Newpost, one Of the very Oldest settlements
in this vicinity, and from which the fam-
ly. of Gen. Spotswood grandson of Gov:
Spotswood, removed to the residence styled
Nottingham.
This old residence, "Newpost," was the
scene of an incident which has become clas-
steal in Virginia legends, and which the old
negro nurses in this neighborhoOd have al
ready, it is said invested with the drapery
of mythology, or, at least, poctical fancy,
One morning, long time ago. as these Old
nurses relate, Il carriage, drawn by four
black horses, drove up to the door at New
post Four persons, all dressed III black,
three of them ladies, with long mourning
wells, descended from the carriage and
without inquiring for any one of the family,
entered the house, passed through every
room, and, without saying Il word to any
one, returned to their carriage, drove on
and have never since been heard OF. The
incident to which this story relates is refer,
red to by DR.. Caruthcrs, in his novel, styled
The Knights of the Golden Horse Shoe,
though he locates it, enormously, III VIII
liamsburg-
Some remarks on "thc peculiar lnstitu-
ton" of this section, trte as is the theme,
would not be out of place here This much
will be said that, however great may be
the evils Of savcry-and, doubtless, they
are not Observation-Disclosures are not very
conspicuous, or readily discernable, III this
vicinity, least of all on the score OF human
ity. 4 better provided, more contentcd,
more orderly, tractable and well behaved
laboring population, is not he found III tie
world, than these Virginia slaves, except IN
the free States Of our own country, and not
there, assuredy among the blacks.
Indeed, it is difficult for one here not 10 ne
reminded forciby of the remar x OF a certain
gentleman from Pennsylvania, who, some
years ago, moved TO Virginia. and bought a
farm in the adjoining county Of Orange, anu
after trying his experiment, advertiser MS
land for sale, in the National mtellIgencer,
and in his advertisement remarked that, Tor
the sake of his northern friends, 1t any OF
them should think Of bnying, it WAS proper
for him to mention that I'm Virginia the
master is the only slave
Nevertheless. it is proper to observe, IN
this connection this observation Is
founded upon IL tolcrably intimate ac4u"in'
lance with southern not less than northern So
,ety, i'm it's interior rs well o. It's exterior re-
latiGns-that the slave within the last ten
years, has not only improved in hls own con
diton, but has become OF Increased value 10
his master. To what great general cause
this double improvement IS attributable an"
what is its ultimate tendency, your corrcspoli-
dent will not. at this time, venture an opinion
4 MAD BULL escaped from IA slaughter
house ON Wednesday and rushed about the
streets of New York, doing "A great deal "i
damage. He Knocked down man, child,
negro boy. and broke into tallors shop
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