New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-10

RuIt Run-Mauassas-Moie Locomo'
siou-Cendition of Loud-Wnrrenteh-
The Negrees-Tbe HnPpahnnn"ch-
bitterness 30 the Negro-John Minor
Bott,,s Farm--C uIpepper Agricu'tur"i
Growth Of MaryIaud-Gerdsus
Conclusions.
y,or Our Special Correspondent
GoRDoNsvILII, Va, Feb. 10, ls6d.
1t was bright and sunny morning, though
somewhat cold. the day left Washington TO explore
Northern Virginia. The duty was not an unpleasant
one TO ne nor was altogether unified for IT. Very
sften had followed armies advancing or retreat
ing through that State b gather for the readers OF
THR TRIBUNE the Information Of victories OF defeats
"Peace hath her vi tories less than war and IT is
fr peasanter TO record those statistics which tell OF
agricultural improvement and national growth than 10
sluber the dead and count the dying. Beside this.
was interested in Virginia itself 1 wanted to know
why State that produced such men as Washing
top and Henry and Jefferson, should now heed only
Assons and Tylers and wises; why the Oldest State
IN the Union. her territory all intersectod by na'gaoe
rivers has unimprOyed than any other State
10 the Union except Texas; in other wofds why the
oldest State is hardly ahead Of the youngest
For the first hundred years of her existence. virginia
vas the first State in populations she is the f'sb
States admitted prior 70 $780, Virginia has increased in
yspulston less than any State, except her reghbOr
North Carolina She now the sixteenth State in the
Union for population To the square mile. She had even
hsfore the broke up nearly every printing in
the State lees newspapers than the yonnr state
Of Iowa. What made this retrOgrad movement Has
u any connection with The fact that IN 1919 ViIPlnia
imported her first slava and kept steadily ADDING to
the number until in 1860. she could count sy0uJO OF
tbeu Just one slave to every two free persons.
bu Justice to her 70 SOW That she raised two large and
important crops Up 10 the time OF the war she grew
tobacco aud more slaves than any other State.
One hundred and twenty -four million pounds OF tobacco
N 1901 il yon want smaller figures, t2 600 irns
Her product of slave babies cannot give with equal
certainty. can only certify her prominence In This
animal production Of the slave material estimating
each negro baby at nine pounds, rs not less than
l55 600 pounds per annum or about ~ tnns OF them
Part OF this kept os seed in The home maket the
balance sent South for sale.
Since the return Of peace the tobacco crop is aitan
ing to original dimensions: but aas for tho slave
crop The war has ruined that forever, and yet ns
walk through Virginia cannot but notice the loving
eyes the planter often casts the black growth around
Aiun now all running TO weeds. lie evidently thinks
shat the intentions Of Nature and the doctrines Of the
Bible all spoiled by these newfangled notions about
freedom and freedmen, introduced by the pestent
Yankees. "Ah, Sir" said one 10 ne, who was both
physician and planter, won cant think how loved
ny slaves treated EN- jest as did lay own children.
wish had em now" or the sincerity Of that last
wish had no doubt whatever.
Ny trst stopping place after leaving Washington,
was
ALEXANDRIA,
Qcsint old town Of $1,000 nhabitorts. Of whom
Inst 1868 tree blacks. Is il snT wcnder that the
pros pect is dark and somber TO the old nhabahts
lie perambuaes the streets and notices that al least
every other face he meets Il African Before the war,
Alexandria had many gentlemen OF wealth md culture
but they fed Southwark In s6 and have forgotten the
way back. IL was place of some arstocIatc preter
sions and its founders must have loved ROYALTY for
sbey named their principal streets Kingst Queen-st
Tsrtn e.st and nd suf
She English nobility. Here stands the old vy-co,ered
church IN which George Washington used 70 worship
most Of the pews have been moderDiztd hn his yet
mains In it's original condition. To the temperance
man. AlersBdra is n remarkable ,nstagoe 1 whisky
drinking community when the Maine Law was plGct'
eay and thoroughly carried ont for three years Such
great quantities Of army stores here collected.
chat Government felt necessary that there shond be
no Drunkenness in the place. And tbe Government
had al tho Army Of Northern Virginia and martial law
en- its side. no liquor was sold here.
Leaving Alexandra on its westward side, we pass ,
through the beautiful and popuous graveyard. Where
paternal Government has gathered thousands upon
thousands of Its brave soldiers and sailors 10 sleep till
ns rssrscnon morn E,efy crave mas its neat head
aeah This forms the enyirons Of the city s,d then
enter the country. Neat and pretty houses abound,
pleasant homes whose probably lived in Alexan
dria aud did not depend upon agricultural profits for
living But after had fairly lett the city beBiad me-
began to realize that Virginia State Of plsnta
tons and not of farms; and thai nearly six hundred Of
tsse plantations ono tho sand each ana
that than three thousand tree hundred OF these
are over uve nundreo acres eacb. AZ soon grew IRE
some 70 few houses in sight and such slight signs Of
agricultural Improvements. Occasionally would pass
house, but Yves rerely panted there bsrns
a. hnep the hay was stacked and inclosed in few
chestnut rails TO keep the cattle ayan unnecessary
preeaution. thoughts for through all that magnificent
pasture land saw but very few cattle. Those with
which the country had been well stocked had long
eeo been offered up ss bsrnt offerings 70 the God 0f
War.
walk Of absui fifteen miles brought me to Fairfax
railroad station OF shsnty the town or village Law
tng somewhat TO the right The soil rather light
and the wood had been mostly cut of for army pur
poses IL billy country. but well wacr,d and here
and there ssw.mill / saw few blacks. II was too
the dividing tine for them. The pres Of labor
about 60 month and board; bat this the highest
price and only given 70 those whose past services had
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad over which
commenced my oxcorsion, rngs through Alexandria
south " GerdonTie and thence south-east 10 Rich
Wond IL thus bsects oil ahet magniRcelt plateau that
Nee oesween the Potomac and tae Rne Ridge. Cut
from north TO south by the railroad bordore y the Pa
tonse on The east and the James the south II s also
epfersec.ed by the OccoquaD RapsshaDsock, Malta
pony. Pamonky York and Anne RIVERS No other
ron Of sini< size In the UDitod Stsses IL better pro
vtded by nature with facilities for the Of
agricultural products Not single farm Il 20
from the Washington, Richmond Baltimore aud Phil
dephs markets. Every thing that can be raised can be-
sold within three days after II IL ready for market
The land lying between Gordonsvle and Richmsud is
not fertile tbat south Of Gcrdonsyie But it has
been less devastated by the scoprge Of war having boon
mainly In the hands vi the RebeIs But the IS miles
Between Washington and Gordonsris one broad Level
Of excellent wheat growing aad. has been terribly
Aourged by wsr.
In all this distance saw but few houses and hardly
barn, fern or tree TIE SPLENDID form Of John Minor
Bt~ tho only cxceitior, having been spared BY !
ss,1ne,s telling where : village once smiled At the
sstOad depUs house occasionally remains but il in
~ sSssrnen. AID 10 looked upon a. curiosity. AN :