Litchfield enquirer., 1859-02-10
Correspondence of the Enquirer.
NEW HOLLAND, O., Ja,

Correspondence of the Enquirer
 NEW HOLLAND. O., Jan. 1859.
 In passing from the northern to the southern DOT ton of Ohio, the stranger is struck by the naked contrast between the two sections of the State AL most as soon as you leave the Reserve you see in stead of the small, welltilled farns with their at tractiye, home-like dwellings, the broad fields of larger estates, dotted here and there with un- slightly log dwellings or occasionally with the larger houses of the more well-to-do farmers. The light wagon, drawn by the muscular, active team, gives way to the heavier vehicle, with the sow-coach movement of its ound-bodied, lazy horses. The bustling activity and hurry of the Yankee gives place to the slower motion of the Pennsylvania Ger man, or the free and easy spirit of the Virgnian.
 The character. habits and manners of the people indicate their origin In the North they are mostly of New England ancestry, and their farms and vil- lages have thrifty, New England look and give evidence in their whole appearance. that the people retain much of the enterprising industry, economy and energy of the Puritan foreathers Churches and scbool-houses every where manifest this characters tic esteem for these active agents in building up and sustaining good order in society The people belong to the reading thinking classes, having, with rare executions. the advantages of at least q common school educatiun-they are the best kind of mud sills' of society Shrewd. economzing, and some times close, they add individually to the general wealth and prosperity of the mass.
 Here in Southern Ohio the inhabitants for the most part are from Virginia stock and her sister Southern States Quite tract of country between the ncioto and Miami Rivers. known as the "Virginia Military lands" was originally set apart for and settled by those who hal served the Old Dominion in militia ry capacity. As warrants were ssued each indlvld- ual located to suit himself respects the shape and situation of his tract. In this way the farms and highways came to be laid out with total disregard of any regularity. Highways are yet in some sec tions very unfrequent, and there are hundreds or farms, and in instances, whole school districts lying entirely off from them. Communication in such cases is facilitated by system of wagon tracks crossing every farm in different directions, whose serpentine warlerings any is left flee to follow, who chooses to open the gates that occasionally cross his way.
 Many of the farms arc large, and leased out to renters, who not generally tavorably situated as to ever become landowners themselves. Land monopoly here-as every where where it exists-is drawback to the development of the resources and wealth of the country. On the fertile river bottoms, thousands of acres frequently held by a few in- divduals whose greatest effort, in too many cases. is to obtain the highest remuneration from tenants and the land, at the least outlay on their part.
 Wherever have been, have found the people, even to the poorest, of ungrudgng and open handed hospitality. The stranger among them would very rsrely have any occasion to complain of unfriendly and inhospitable treatment. Education and general intelligence not so widely diffrsed as farther north, but the schools are not falling much in the of those in any part of the State. But even of late years, school director who could only sign his name with |" his mark D has been no novelty. The school houses are almost universally much better specimens of architecture than the majority of pri- vate dwellings, and have many, almost in the woods, which would put to shame scores that wot of among the hills Of L.chfeld County.
 While you in Litchfeld are shivering with the mercury at 20o below zero, and the editorial scis sors awaiting the arrival of snow-blocked up mails, we, thirty miles south of Columbus, are in the midst of frequent rains, thick, fathomless and adhesive mud, and mildness of temperature which would do credit to the most genial phases of April weather. Croakers are prophesying cold Spring to pay for it" but it will have to be hurryng along if it compensates for the mild pleasant weather which we have enjoyed all along since the middle of November.
 Hoping that the Editors wood-shed is we'll filled during the {" cold term,'' Yours, M. r,
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