The Placer herald., 1865-12-23
The Valley of Virginia.


A gentleman who has returned recently
from tour through portion Of Virginia,
gives the following account Of the appear
ance Of the country:
In that lovely valley Of Virginia, ex'end>
ing from Iiarper's Ferry and Mar'nshnrg.
southwark through Jefferson, Clarke, Berk-
ley, Shenandoah and Rockingham, every
hours lile brings the traveller through Sec
tions desola,ed by the track OF hostile ar
mics. Along the track Of McAdam 'ad,
from til. Potomac through Winchester, l25
miles, to S'aunton, nearly every hill top has
al some time bristlel with hostile cannon,
and nearly every valley is the scene of some
exploit Of the dashing Ashby. Stonewa!l
Jackson or Phil. Sheridan. Along the prn-
cipal roads where the armies have marched,
there ara few fences and barns. these
through that entire region (from Winchester
= Harrisburg and Sannlon) were pretty
thoroughly burnt by Sheridan under the fa'
nous order of Gen. Grant to make the coun
try $50 desola.e that crow tlring over it
would have to carry his rations."
The fertile soil has produced An abundant
crop Of grass, and what corn was planted
this last spring has brought An enormous
Weld, SO the face Of the country, however
SCARED is still brigh, and inviting. With
wonderful energy these thrift y people are re-
pairing fences rebuilding their ruined barns
and dwellings, in cheap style, with Their
own hands. assisted by many d>blnlsl sol
diers Of the Gulf States who have declined
returning to their old homes aud are delight.
cd to remain in this hospi able valley
through which they have toil-d ani fught
40 long. On every hand is heard once IN re
the sound Of axe and hammer, the p!ow boys
song and merry ring Of the anvil, while the
people. although generally d sappoin,eI in
the result of war, feel ylAl TO have peace Al
last, and if encouraged will make an honest
effort to restore the government and abide
by its laws.
With wise legislation and fully restored
rights Of citizenship. guaranteed by the Com
sti:ution, this region will soon receive
heavy tide of emigration, and with its won
derfll recuperalive capacity soon blossom
ike the rose along the banks Of the bright
Shenandoah.
In the rich Piedmont section al 'ng the
eastern base Of the Blue r dg.. from Lou'ion
and Fauqnier through R.rpahannock, Madl-
burg, the country has not suffered such gen
eral devastation, and one can ride often for
half day without much to remind him of
the late War, and in the last nanei coun les
especially all the farms are in process Of cu-
tivation, much of the wheat and oats, how.
ever, rotleJ down f,r want Of labor TO save
the crops after the negroes had been freed.
PATRIOTISM WELL PAID For The other
day Speaker Yue Of the Assembly propose
some eul"gis,ic resolutions in memory Of the
late President, and wound up with resoln.
ton to adj urn without transacting any bus
mess. Had the gentlemen also proposed not
to charge the State for that days salary, or
even that the said salary should 9" to Mrs
Lincoln. or to the Catholic Orphan Asylum,
or other charitable institutions of California
it would have spoken something for his sin
eerity. but TO propose resolution of pre-
tended sympathy Tor the decease of the late
President and then move An adj 'urnment in
respect TO his memory, and then take the
peoples money for services not perf,rmrd. a
holiday secured at the expense of the real
hard cash OF the public looks too much like
patriotism, clap,'ap and can he counted As
nothing else. This one days Legislative
holiday cost the people, the tax payers, some
fifteen hundred or two thousand dollars.
Marysoilie Express.