Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-06-14
An fnrsarsrrss L.rrn. rnox Alr1AspRrA.-

ALEXANDRA, June 10, 1861.
Edtfoy star: In compliance with nv promise,
/ drop you line. j have been In Alexandria
! some DAYS and mingled very considerably with
i the people IL YOU have not been here lately YOU
would be surprised at the change that has taken
place In this ancient CITY Of " Bell Haven A
few short months ago Its streets were thronged
with happy, prosperous multitude. Early in
the morning, and late In the evening its streets
resounded with the sound OF many vehicles bear.
Ing Its height Of humanity to various points Of
the compass This was succeeded by the long
trains OF freight cars emptying their rich cargoes
rom .ae fertile vallies Of the State and the great
Southwest Alas what change has taken place.
The hum Of industry has ceased, and an air Of
desolaton has taken place People are without
employment, the little means they possess Is fast
fading away, and what Is to become Of them,
TO conjecture This il but foretase Of the bless
ings Of the damnable hesssy of secession-the be-
ginning OF the crop, resulting from breaking up
the ireest and best government ever devised by
mankind Could the evil be confined to the trail
tors alone, Ii would not be so bad but, unfortu-
nately, the Union men who did all they could to
prevent IL, must suffer equally with them have
oeen struck with the manifest difference between
are quiet aud forbearing In their department ut
tering no threats or indulging In no bragadocia
against the men who have brought all this misery
upon them While upon the part of the latter,
us no uncommon thing to hear them threaten
the Union men as to what will be their fate should
the secessionists get the ascendency In Alexan-
criai and have debated the question very often
In my mind, whether IL would not be but an act
OF justice to let such gentlemen feel little Of th
vengeance they would inflict upon the true and
loyal citizens II they had the power. Perhaps 1t
would be salutary lesson, as their course seems
TO justify the impression that the better they
treated the more arrogant they beroue 1 would
say to all such that there 10 vigilant eye upon
them, and their cowardice will be better pro-
teeted by conducting themselves with more pro-
priety.
The officers In command here have exerted
themselves with commendable zeal to protect the
rights Of all the citizens and as far possible to
avoid giving any cause OF ohense. Coils Wilcox,
Stone aud Heintzelman have, by their gentle
manly department. made many friends. Captain
wright, OF the typographical engineers, and Ad-
la'ant Fairbanks have won golden opinions by
their urbanity and soldiery conduct. The en-
tfeGchments at Shooter Hill generally called
suffers by letter writers) are Of the most formi-
dable character, and would defy almost any force
that could be brought againt them. FROM all
can learn, there are q good many Union men In
Alexandria, but the mass are afraid to take any
position until they are satisfied Of permanent Sc
CURLY. ThFre are some, however, who are not
lntlmidated; they have from the first AMI still
continue to oppose secession, In the face of all
opposition. 1t seems strange that there should be
single secessiOnist in Alexandra, when 1t Is a
notorious fact that all the t;ade Of Alexandra was
WIFE the North The northern people bought all
the surplus grain that was brought to this Market
their capital mined all the coal that came down
the canai; their money built the railroads, estab-
lsotu steamship lines; and, IN short, without
northern capital Alexandra would become a Col
Chester, or, at best, Dumfries
The New York Fire ZOuaves have been greatly
abused beyond their deserts. With the exception
o; few, they are well behaved and vigilant In
the discharge Of their duty. The few excuses
committed by members OF the regiment have
been done when under the influence Of intoxica-
ting liquors-an evil now guarded against as far
as practicable. have been informed bv gen.
tleman In the neighborhood Of their campment
mat he never saw better behaved set Of men in
his lfe-that they had not so much az injured a
blade Of grass on his premises
The Michigan and Massachusetts regiments
and Captain Ricketts, company Of artillery, are a
hne body OF men, and will give good account
Of themselves should occasion offer ROVER