The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-08-02

Mr.. Stanley, of whom / cherish most
grateful recollection, was then princi-
pal. At sixteen my education was sup
posed to be completed, and made my en-
tree into the world in Washington City
with all the high hopes and thoughtless
joy natural to my time OF life. did not
then dream how soon my youth was to be
BLASTED with q curse"-the worst that
can befall man or woman-the curse OF
civil war. gs,.
"Washington is SO well known to Eng
lish people that need not pause to de-
scribe the city, its gayeties and pleas
ures. In the winter of 1861, when 1
first made my acquaintance with 1t, the
season was pre-eminently brilliant. The
Senate and Congress halls were nightly
dignifed by the presence of our sblest
orators and statesmen; the salons Of
the wealthy and talented were filed to
OVERLOOKING the theatres were crowded
to excess, and for the last time for many
years to come the daughters of the North
and the South commingled in sisterly
love and friendship.
81 am inclined to think that at the
time of which I speak the City of Wash.
ington must have very nearly resembled
that of Paris during those few years
which Immediately preceded 1879, while
elements of stupendous revolution were
hidden beneath a tranquil and deceitful
surface. Like the Parisians of that MEM
orable epoch, we were wilfully or fatally
blind to the signs OF the times we ate
and drank, we dined and danced, we
went in and came out, we married and
we're given in marriage, without a
thought of the volcano which was seeth-
ing beneath our feet y :.
BELLE BoYD's EARLY EFFORTS FOR THE
REBELLION.
The gayities of Washington society
were eclipsed by the disturbance which
commenced with the close of the Presi-
Dental campaign resulting in the success
of Mr. Lincoln. The position of Virginia
was peculiar South Carolina seceded in
December, 1860. Virginia and the border
States chung to the hope of a peaceful
settlement up to the attack on Fort Sum-
ter In the opinion of the great majority
of the people of Virginia, secession was
not justified by the election of Presi-
dent under all the forms of the Constitu-
ton; but if South Carolina or any of the
other Southern States were of a different
mind, and attempted to secede, Virginia
would secede rather than maintain. the
right Of the general government to CO.
cree State. After the conflict of Sum-
ter, aud when the policy of the general
government had been defined, Virginia
went with the South, and Belle Boyd
left Washington, and at once lent all her
energies to the preparation for the ap-
preaching and now inevitable conflict
Her father was offered commandin the
rebel army in compliment to his social
position, but he preferred, Belle tells us.
to serve as common soldier. The Sec
ond Virginia Regiment was raised in the
valley of the Shenandoah, and was
equipped with money which Belle Boyd
and her lady associates were mainly III.
strumental in raising Her father joined
the Second Virginia as private. The
regiment formed part of the afterwards
famous Stonewall" Brigade, and n COM
pllment to the ladies instrumental in
raising it, bore on its colors the words:
"Oar God, onr country and our wOrnen."
The regiment was ordered to Harper's
Ferry as soon as it was raised. ss
CONCLUSION IN OUR NEXT.