New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-11

Foa1Rrss aosROS, OH PolsT cosrorr
March !, 1862
The season ia at hand when those who plant
usually begin to prepare tie ground for the seed.
This year. however, no seed will he Gown In this
part Of Virginia, which is productive as any. Tie
peninsula lying between James and York Rivers ia
deserted region, save only as 1t is occupied 10y
,odiers. who have desoaied it like field that has
been burned over in Summer. Comparatively few
families now remain, where year ago thnved
populous, rs'ocratio, and wealthy community.
Broad fields that were then cultivated by thousands Of
slaves and that produced large surplus " most
grains now constitute broad waste; the slaves
have mostly fed and mansions Of the deecendanis Of
the earliest settlers Of the Old Virginia Colony that
have escaped the torch are now either occupied by
soldiers or entirely forp,ken. Even the ancient seat
Of learning, where Washington snd many Of his
cotemporaries were educated, Las been turned into
barracks.
| In the part of Virginia 10 which refer, eman-
cpation act thai could be framed could add anything
10 the completeness Of the extinction Of Slavery.
The slaves that were not taken away by therowner.
when they fed have fed themselves and there is no
probability that they i'll bear pant in the restors
ton of the institution within this territory. This has
been the necessary fate Of Slavery wherever the
hostile armies have approached each other Here no
one has aimed any direct blow at the institution. IL
bas fallen as the ripe apple falls by the slgb'es.
blow on the trunk OF the tree. IL would be as im-
possible 10 restore the apple TO It's original thIlDess
as TO restore Slavery when thus it has been de-
strcyed.
am informed that few only Of the rebellious first
So,,J;os bo AL in aarlv Summer Loaf tool ttI
the spy considerable amount of property, and that
consequently most of them are now in a condition
bordering on destution. Subscriptions are in crcn
la,ion on the Peninsula, in Norfolk and the vicinity
for this class and the Hampton sufferers." They
are paying dearly for their own folly and wicked
ness no, sny as actors in the rebe Zion, but more
especially for the stupendous vandalism Of burning
the village act Of a once-respectabis people instr
gated by drunken General.
II is understood that the Rebel have Of late been
very active the peninsula at Yorktown, Norfolk,
Suffolk, and along the line Of their defenses crcing
from Linn Haven Bay to Yorktown. Their force
within that range is from forty to fifty thousand.
An aggressive movement is expected both by Ma
gruder and Huger, the latter Of whom appears TO
have been stimulated 10 considerable activity either
by the suspicious which Of late have been directed
against him, or some other cause. The that
Magruder had been superseded WA false, for il 10
known that he ia at Yorktown, drunk as ever.
The increasing strength of the Union feeling in
Norfolk and Portsmouth,, Us in Richmond, has led 10
martial law for the district ten miles around tie
former city. Extra precautions have lately been
taken relative to intercourse by Gags Of trnce, lest
the Union men 10 Virginia shall hold communication
with others in the loyal States. We may expect that
the devoted Bolts will soon have companions in i'm
prisonment-
The Rebels few days since tried second time
10 Int the Constitution on her way from Newport
News. -Four slots were fred from the Sewall Point
battery. Two shells passed between her smoke-
stacks the Others were wide Of the mark. Just at |
PRESENT, however, the Kebels have the advantage of
u.s. to bad shooting, in being able TO throw in our
lace the way the Nashville ran into Beaufort, N. C.,
without being bit by as many as one Of the twenty
'boIs fred by The AIbatroes.
The Suwanee, which left here for Hsteras last
evening, returned this morning. When short dis.
ance below Cape Henry abe found herself in peril.
'us situation, and for some time it was doubtful
whether she would 90 down, ashore, or make head
way enough 10 weather the Cape in returning.