The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-01-10
Richmond and the Surrounding
Country.

A correspondent, writing from
Richmond to the Baltimore Gazette,
gives the following interesting de-
scription of that famous locality. The
picture will be recognized by thou
sands whose weary feet have trodden
every foot OF the country described:
Richmond itself is now fast being
rebuilt, and there seems every pros
pect that in a few years the new town
will equal or srtrpass the old. But
while this is true Of the city, the
surrounding country presents q far
different aspect. The section lying
below the city must figure so largely
in all future history that few words
about its present appearance may not
be unacceptable. Once out of Rich
mond and the change is apparent. 1t
is change from the hum of business
to the silence of deserted country.
The houses stand out solitary and
silent; no fences, no gardens, few OF
no out-houses, no cattle, no fowls,
and many wanting even the thin
streak of smoke from the chimney
that still proclaims them to be the
habitations of men. Almost as soon
as you pass the outside limits of the
city you find a line of Notifications,
and for many miles you will rarely be
out of sight of some kiud of work,
from the strong battery that frowns
from the crest Of the hill to the small
pit Of the skirmisher in the hollow
beneath. There seems to be some
effort to re-occnpy the country, but
only by the poorer class of people,
who come from the old battle-fields of
war to begin a new struggle with want
and famine.
The lands lying along the banks of
the James, so celebrated for their
richness, are now but waste fields.
There are but few cases where the
owners of the land are found on
them few Of them have the capital
necessary to work their farms, and of
those Who have, very many have had
their houses destroyed, and will not
consent to inhabit the small and i'll
built cabins they are able to put up.
Thus the land is mostly occupied by
men paying shares of the profits for
the use of the land, and they are un-
able to work any large part of the
estate, but simply try to earn O. sup
port for themselves. These lands
present, if possible, even a more
melancholy appearance than the back
country there, SO much of the coun-
try is covered by pines, that but a
small portion can be seen, but on the
river we see at once vast traces of
open land, overgrown with the tall
weeds and grass, showing the rich
ness of the soil, which is left untouch-
ed by the plowshare. OF very many
OF the old houses, the chimneys are
the only marks visible at any distance,
and there are very few cattle to mark
the presence of thriving farm-yards.
This is not true Of this section alone,
but of almost all of Eastern Virginia.
1t is in substance the picture OF a
whole country, and by no means an
over-drawn one. It is to be hoped
that it will not long continue so. The
bes be9sPHe pnpeded aaf En by the 60 Governmen n will
soon restore the country to better
state. Politically, they feel their
state to be that Of defeated party:
and, as they must live under the ex
listing Government, they would do so
in good faith, and in obedience to its
laws. But if they are to be again
prosperous and contented, they must
have the countenance of the Govern
ment, and not be interfered with by
radicals and demagogues.