Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-06-28
Letter From q Member Of the Massa'
chusetts 9th.

Letter From q Member Of tho Masss'
chusetts 9th.
We copy from the Lewiston Journal the
following extracts from letter written by
Mr.. II. Bi.bcc, j., formerly OF Canton
VITO |. now member Of the 5,h Ma''achu.
.c,,s regiment. stationed at Alexandria.
CAsr Mass. ALHyiNpsis, Va.
June il,h, 1861.
We ARC stationed about half q mile n. W.
Of Alexandria. and our main business 10
guard duty. Besidco guarding our camp
our regiment with the 5,h Pennsylvania
let Mich. and n. Y. Zouavcs. have the city
Of Alex audria to guard. the guard con''
ting Of union guard. picket guard, and city
police. I Was on the latter duty last Sasur'
day. day and night, during which time
had the privilege Of running about tho city
to crafty my desire to SEQ the place. and to
glenn something OF tho customs. business.
and enterprise Of tho citizens. There are
bu, isw respectable looking buildings In tho
CITY OF Alexandria. OF which the Post Ofiee
and church now being remodeled. and
now and then decent looking building.
are oil that are worthy OF uoiicc. There is
no. q street on which you cannot observe
the gra.. growing thriftily oil along the
edge Of the sidewalk. and sometimes even
to the middle OF the street. The dwellings
are low and Of brick. Of rough unfinished
appearance, and very many in dilap'da'ed
condition. There 10 m air OF decay and
ruin not only in the cities, but in every
thing out hero. There Is no enterprise, or
industry. and but little intelligence ob-cr-
yablc among the inhabitants. Almost ev-
cry one YOU meet wears in some degree the
African hue. but there Is a universal polite.
pe.s with the eolorcd people which Is not
exhibited On tho par, Of tho few whites you
see. The Blacks, especially the males. give
you een,ecl bow a. You pass. They are
very free to converse, AMI tell all they know,
bu, there !. one question tina, they can
sarcely ever answer-,hey can't tel! who
their father was. Til. is a very strong mr.
-, :, t,,,, ., .,,,ho,r morality and
,-, ,.,,,,n u;,,
-, g., a..
o"V -" -, =, u.,.,d,i, ,rJ
there /. no reason 20 dispute that nearly the
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-, iii, 80,
~. H., ,,.t.,.
,.u,.. 81. ,,,.,,m.,, ,,d "a
-, ,,.,, lin. ho,or.I IA, !, N, sn,,
-. ..,,..a D., o. $50, o,. o,,vo
.,,,.,.,,,,. ,,,. a., at, 90 .orro,, N,
,., A.. .,,,,,. ,,,A
80 ,,.i.,.,,,.,, -, :,
-, 60 -,..i. -,
49,. S".s,.,,'.,,,,.I,., a.. d.n,n,h,,,
l., ~, nav ;in,a N. ,...l ,an., win
,,,..,.,,v -, ,,,.,,,,, =, ....,,i,,. a,
- 4, A., civ q, ,le,,na,io
,,,,,,d ma, ~ I,i.b .,,,ac,ion were
,,,..,,x ,,.nu,,,,io, n .,,.,c,b,,a,.
% ,aks n, arm. IN summon, O., sou ,hern re-
,.,,;,, I'm. ina, VA. Violently dr,rre,
FIN hi. our, hons. ,hr,, times. for refu.,nu
N throw of hi, n,,e,iane, 20 the Yedera
arm, Ia, no, having nerve 20 withstand
a., ,h,.,,.,.J o,.,a,i,n ~ branding. anJ
.,,ul.ion from the State. and the ri.s OIL
hi. Life II he eyer retained. no .ucsu mtcd
IN. i,,. election WA. An unnarioD.bl,. il.
legal and upia., imposition on the Union
,ar,y. talked with men in the city anI
,,eini,, who did no, yo,, for the reason
the, d,I no, dAr, 10.
/ visited vha, .,, amili,rly termed slave
nom, The, ara close uowp,ila,ed apart,
80. t(o, ~. victim. com,,,, i, M, con.
.n,,.Il Ado;nipc tho main pen there 1,
email vh;,ni,,.,oom. In ,bs nom IA,
-.,.,. 80. -. ,,,,.b.J
r,.t.,,s.,,i,, uh;.h :. ,,;n, eor.,,uc.
/, an advanced state Of progress. and will