Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-10-10
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE AND VIRGINIA NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Letter from Virginia,

Correspondence of n. Y. Journal of Commerce.
VIRGINIA. Oct. l, lS59.-It has become an
established fact, that those who are born on
Virginia soil, or even resided for much time
III Virginia, ever love the old State with IN
| extinguishable affection, mourn it when abb
sent, and return to it with a keen and undi
minished relish. We not unfrcquently meet
with decayed families in the Old Dominion,
who cannot obliterate the marks of true dig
nifty and gentility, that cling to them, though
they have long since sunk their revenues.
A negro or two perhaps remain, but what
ever they have, or have not, the old spirit Of
hospitality never dies.
/ | left Lcesburg in spacious old craft of u
wagon, and numbered along to the Potomac,
the driver locking the wheels at every gentle
declivity, down which Yankee driver would
have let his horses run, and that with mo-
mentum which would have taken the stage
half up the ascent of the opposite hill. But
some people are slow to adopt reforms
Having reached the Potomac, which ut this
I point may be one-fourth of mile wide, we
! found fat-bottomed boat, guiltless of steam
or horsepower, which ferried us across. with
] the aid Of the ancient instrumentality Of pole
/ pushing the water being no where over six
feet deep, and of course there being but little
danger of drowning, even if upset. The
tedium Of the passage was relieved by the
presence and playtulness of two sprightly
ladies, who were bound in the same direction
with ourselves. The Virginia girls exhibit
great modesty and dignity, in spite of all
the ridiculous knight errantry of the young
men, who assume pompous titles, ride fast
horses, and affect to revive the exciting days
of chiyalry. tournaments" are the rage
in some quarters and if these young Nir-
ginia bellies had not sterling qualities, they
would be ruined by the hattery and adula-
ton inflicted on them by these love-sick
knights. They had a great Tournament at
Arlington Springs, Il few days ago, in sight
of the capitol. One or two knights carried
off the prizes, laid their honors at the feet of
the queen of love and beauty" and rejoiced
in their victories, while one unsuccessful
chevalier, riding into Washington, perhaps
in doubt or despair, rode into Il carriage, rs
the horses were trotting along Pennsylvania
avenue, by the dim light of Governmental
lamps, probably installing it for windmill
or Il castle, and was severely wounded III the
leg, so that he was obliged to be carried to
the lnfrmary.
At Edwards ferry, we took a canal steam
packet, an uncomfortable thing, with thirty
passengers. especially at the dinner hour,
and pulled away in the style of u steam-tug,
thirty or more miles, until wereached George
town, the terminus of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal-a work that has cost millions,
and is now beginning to yield something
that may be called revenue. Every year has
required costly repairs. The Aqueduct across
the river, communicating with the Alexan-
dria Canal, is "a stupendous work, every way
worthy Of that liberal city. Twenty years
ago, Robert H. Miller, in a lecture before the
Alexandria Lyceum, predicted that 100000
tons of Cumberland Coal would be brought
down this Canal in year. This prediction
is likely to be fulfilled in 1860. This steam
packet runs to llarper's Ferry, and even to
Cumberland The Georgetown heights were
never more beautiful. The series of pros
poets from that elevation constitute sue
cessiun of connected pictures, which shed u
perfect, an expanded charm over the scene.
1t has ever been appreciated by the foreign
minister's who have often chosen the locality
for their residences Mrs Bodisco resides in
this quarter in that portion of the year
which, with her two sons, she does not spend
in Russia, ID.