The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-12-03

/, "A correspondent OF tho New York 4pf6-
mie, writing from nSar Frederitksburg, va,
November 81, gives the following picture
of Virginia as it is; So ssi.,s, o-r---,
The further We get into Virginia the
moro am struck by thc.piter desolatlon Of
the country and tine evident poverty OF, its
inhabitants, One must If from Yankee
land see. the degradation OF the inhabi-
tants to comprehend Il. Used to smiling
and productive farms, cultivated with all
the aids aiid appliances OF modern agrivtiiL
ture; to thriving villages, where the me-
chanic arts flourish and give wealth aud
ease ~ the citizens; to the welcome church-
spires that stand on every hill and in each
valley, and to neatly painted school-houSes
At every four corners. this utter want Of
all the evidences of civilization Is most
striking and depressing i,.s..,
Here are no -wel-cultvated farps--fve
| hundred acres barely support a small fam
| lily OF the better class of whites no achoO4
houses at the cnrners, for education would
| elevate classic whom the habits and cus-
| toms of the ariStocracy forbid the opportu-
hitics for Improvement; none of the me-
chanical or elegant arts. for the households
ot the f. f. Wis purchase, with blgntted
blihdncss.all their elevatiug necessares and
enloyments from the despsed "mudslls "
of the North.
Slave-breeding supplies Tor has supplied)
the purses of the upper classes. while their
farms, dcteriorating from year TO year,
have barely yielded them the cummprcst
hog and homiuy "reQnired tor the home
diet OF the section Al books, alt music,
all wines, all luxurios of every sort, have
been the product of trade in souls--tpo
frequently of trade in the offspring Of the
trader. Now that all this is cut IN. even
the Weather citizens the arstocrncy of the
land, must revert to the original hog and
hohlny OF the country and leave ltXuries
to some dim, eIys,an future. .r,
nave often wondered how the "white
trash " live. They do not ,corb, nHless the
planting OF lIttle coru. tie grazing of Il
horse or mule, and COW. and the IA 5 NJ ot'a
tew hogs and poultry-whiclI run nearly
wild--may be called work" Still they
live, and they raise many tow-hea led chill
drcn, who perpetnate the uuwholesome
stock. have ofteu, | say, wondered how
they live. | have asGertaned. r.Hf f.i. f.
THESE poor whitcs--ignorel by the ar,s-
tocracy and despised by the hlirks2cx st
on whisky. III this wise: Scratching to-
sether lew dollars (eight or ten was suf-
iic'ent m tune of peace they purchase a
barrel OF two ot cheap whisky. TIE ne
.,rnes always fond ot liquor, aul lever
honestly getting any except during " the
holidays --Steal from their mtsters corn,
wheat aud chickens. These things they
trade y with the poor whites for drink.
They will give two or three Bushels of corn
or wheat, aihog. half de2en chickens for
IA pint OF poor liquor, and III tins way the
| degraded white men that iuiest this country
! exist. 'N .." .'.s s...- o."
! 1t is a terrible style of Gfe-the natural
result of slavery. Ii With paid labor, and
amy sort OF encouragement to others than
landed propriet0rs, these men might be
small farmers, mechanics laborcrs Of all
sorts--honest men. Then Virgihians wonld
| be Independents of other poopls for their
| Injuries aud reiinements. But slavery
bights all the land prevents competition
IN trade, mechanics, or agriculture, and puts
| veto on Improvement of every description.
They cling it as q "patriarchal nlstitu-
ton AZ they cling to all other exploded
and useless ideas. And while slavery con-
| tnues to blight the land, even the return of
peace will fail to place Virginia where she
might be. Once the proudest Uf States,
her clinging 10 a barbarous and wicked in
stitutiOn has brought her so low that moth
ing can now save her except al: utter revo-
luton in her economy, her INSTITUTIONS, her
manners and customs. She needs tho iniu-
sion Of hardy Northern blood She must
be :" Yankeeized," and, please God, she viii
he. Is there not land enough lying idle
here that shall give farms and pleasant
homes TO All immigration equal to the whole
OF the great Army of the Potomse?f ... ..r
| When the day comes that witnesses the
endsof slavery il Virginia, weJshallsee tho
| opening Of "a now iIahd rvigmous life, for
which her great extent, the natural fertility
of her soil, her varied surface aud facilities
for Improvement give ample scope. TIL
then she is indeed drsuiate and ruined
commonwealth. God grant that We may
live torejoiee over her regeneration. ...,-