The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-01-11
Alcbmnnh 8ispatrt.
MORNINo. Ian. HI. lssa.
OUR OWN coRREsPoNDEsr.

NORFOLK, Jan. s, 1852.
A dense fog, lacking only the name to be n
shower. hung vast and heavy over the GOOD
city OF Richmond as we.ran ont Of IT, ann
rolled rapidly into tbs country beyond
Sneh disagreeable day Closely mum al
against the cold. a few pedestrians, LOOKING
as II in the last stages Of chronic melancholy.
braved the damp and penetrating mist in
pursuit or business, or to drive away eanni
without the doors 1t was severely disasreea-
ole; within doors it was no better, ana the
" blue imps " seemed to perch in every nook
ard Granny. Mothers yawned aud aghed
over their household cares. and children fiat-
tened their noses against the window panes
In the vain endeavor to catch glim pss of
bit OF sunshine. 1t was a day of most
som bre aspect, ard man with the least bit
of trouble on hts mind would not have staked
continental brass button on the chances of
life or death
1t is curious TO notice the effect of such days
on the denizens of the larger oi iaes. In Ber.
lin. one would think the whole city was
mourning in sackcloth and ashes" In
London, the bridges are crowded, and hun
areds OF wearied, sad. eyed men and women
and upon the eddying rings which form un.
der the massive arches, then float away be.
meath the shadow of ST. Pauls. In Paris,
the ordinarily vivacious, light hearted peo.
pie are most miserable. All day long they
sigh and smoke, and smoke and sigh, walking
perhaps by the Hote: Dieu, close u nder the pom
oerous towers Of h0tne Dame, down to the Seine,
where the same band OF wearied, sad eyed
men and women cluster around the gloomy
precincts OF La NoSue. Go where you Will,
the influence OF a damp and misty day upon
the great public IL an In interesting study to
man OF philosophical turn of mind, pro-
vIded, however, he have sunshine enough in
his heart to dispel the sombre clouds that
hang about his own spirits.
AS the day wore on the weather grew coli
and the mist turned to icy sieet. We were
something over two mortal hours in going
from Richmond to Petersburg, travelling at a
rate ofspeed that would have been highly cred
liable to pair Of dashing roadsters. When
l was young one moment, gentle reader,
that was not so very many years ago-stage
coaches were in fashion, and railroads were
beginning to march steadily towards my
home. one by one the old mail roads were
shortened as the iron lines advanced upou
them, and the heavy yellow stages, the six
horses, the wonderful driver with
his long whip.and brass bngle, gradually re-
treated southward until they could only be
found somew here near the everglades of Flor
ida. In those days travelling was an under
taking, although long journeys were made
with ease Ten miles Al hour, when the
roads were good, was not an unfreqnent ra te
of speed. There are many railroads now-a-
days that make but little better time. Old
people are accustomed TO call those the palmy
days Of Journeying, and Seem to look back
upon them with a sigh of regret that they
exist no longer. Well, every one according
to his own fancy. Stage coaches were very
good in their day, they played tn cir part in
the history or civilization, they were the
"a ALI
must confess, that to poor sinner like my.
self, u good comfortable railroad car, with
no dust, no fear of accidents, an thirty miles
an hour, isquite good enough
In entering Petersburg for the first time
the stranger is forcibly impressed with the
idea thai there are two hotels in the town.
Long before the cars cease running, the
voices Of half dozen negroes are heard
shouting out the names OF their respective
inns. 'Bollingbrook Porter" "Jarratts
Ho1el"--"in the name of the Prophet - how
they do scream as close as possible to your
ears. Almost before you are aware of the
fact yon are whirling along the streets to-
wards cre OF the two.
"Where do you stop?' said an acquaint-
ance TO me in the cars.
''At tie best hotel-which is it7''
Take either you please and you'll wish
you had taken the other,' was the reply.
/ chose a honse at random, only anxious
to fin fire enough to drive of Ger tain Arctic
sensat ons, and COOS bed upon which to
"court the drowsy." Both luxur1es were
10 be had by bestowing q small subsidy of
three dollars per diem, on the landlord.
1t would be carrying Goals to Newcas-
tle'' to attempt description of a city so IA
miiiar to every one as Petersburg, and /
could at best only give she impressions of a
stranger: Suffice 1T to say, was struck with
the quietness and extreme respectability of
the place; with the n um Der of churches,
which speaks we'll for its morals; with the
beauty of the city and its surro oundings; and
with the hospitality OF the people, as exem-
plified by the charming family who made my.
short stay as agreeable as heart could wish.
Taken all in all, Petersburg is a fine old city,
and seemingly pleasant one to live in. Two
days there confirmed all the good reports cur.
rent of it, and the next took the cars again
aud at midday arrived at Norfolk, in which
city am penning these discursive and ram
bling phrases.
Ofthe city OF Norfolk shall have m uch
to say hereafter during my! residence here.
1t is an old town, decidedly European in ap-
pearance, and possessing great historic in
terest. AT present, owing 10 the passive
policy being pursued by Gen. Johnson on
the Potomac, this has become the great CEN
tire for news, and the ubiquitous, versatile
reporters are fiocking heve from all parts Of
the Confederacy, aHxiouhly watching the
preparations going on to resist the thunder
of Yankee guns, and the hoasted power of
Yankee armadas. To poor, ploddiug news
pspsr man the place is delightful, for he is,
to say the least, treated with some show Of
respect.
In my telegraphic dispatch OF yesterday I
sent yOu "straw'' from Boston, which
shows copclusively which way the wind
blows" Gov ernor Andrew, of Massachu-
setts, recommends the State to assume the
collection of a direct national tax, to furnish
its portion of the twenty million loan au-
thoriZed by Congress. From this we can
readily suppose that the bonds of the great
Yankee nation do not stand at the highest
figure in the financial market. ALI the swag, ,
and the attempts to whitewash the disagree
ble fact, have proved a failure, and the Gov
ernu ant loan despite the premiums and
great Inducements offered has failed to take
the eye of the moneyed men Of New York
and Boston. a direct call upon the State
had to be made. The valorous Governor
declares the rebellion Will soon be
crushed, and that its promoters shall be
ground to atoms beneath the ruins OF their
own am bition. What a Merry Andrew he
Is to be sure .-..
Yesterday some smugglers from this city
attem pied to run the blockade, and take
some tobacco and other con ntraband articles,
over TO the Eastern Shore for the purpose OF
trafficEing with the Yankees. In attempting
to land they run their heads into the lions
Jaws and lost the boat, thirty y-ops boxes of
tobacco, a bag of letters, and other doings.
If the men were acting contrary to law, the
will be regarded with favor on both
sides Tobacco is said TO be an expensive
luxury in the Yankee camps.
BOHEMIAN.
The Burnside Esp>a3ion- Harm Work Erpeeted in
North carofiaa-Ihs Weather--Cistern Wdter