Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1867-04-12
LETTER FltoM VIRGINIA.

LETTER
CAPEvI1I.E, NORTHAMPTON Co, VA !
April @. 1867.
DEAR JouRNAL.-R Rain rainl rain! was
the order of the day, all through the month
of March, but thanks to the broad Chesa-
peake and still broader Atlantic, we have
felt no bad effects from the storms; the small
creeks that indent both shores OF this county,
took off the surplus water about as fast as il
fell; only some of the lower lands in the
upper end of the county were under water
q day or so at a time. For strange as 1t may
appear to you, il is nevertheless true, that the
highest land In the county IS nj or near Cape
Charles, there are ridges of land there from
50 to 60 feet above tide water, although the
average of the county is 90 % feet. There
are some of the finest views from those hills
that you can imagine. OF n clear day Cape
Henry is in sight while the mouth of the
Bay, lined with vessels and steamers going
in and out, and Smiths Island Lighthouse
towering up TO 1875 feet high, looks almost
like Bunker Hill Monument; the light is
revolving one, and MS il shows clear over the
tall Pine forest around ii at night looks like
shooting star
Cape Charles is pretty place to build Il
town, you have natural park already
grown in beautiful Pines, Holeys and other
eveTgreens, and the eye is not panied with
the dreary waste of land like Cape May or
Atlantic city Beautiful farms cultivated
clear down to the cape. The land bought
by the Richmond Company, to build on, was
last year in cotton, and yielded the best
crops in the county.
The farmers here are just getting the
peach fever; | planted 400 in March, and
am getting ready TO plant 1000 this fall, Ii
has set them TO thinking. There is no place
that | ever saw, can equal this tor peach
growing, The ocean keeps off late Spring
lrosts; the trees here are now in full bloom
l enclose one in this to show you that We
are ahead of you IN Delaware. We can rur
peaches to Norfolk in three hours, and here
connecting with the New York and Boston
steamers one of which leaves Norfolk every
. morning, and at lower ireights than Phila
{ delphia; MS mn instance, we have just pm
4 up large Steam Saw Mill, the mill wa
@ made in New York, and delivered here 70
Q thriy-five dollars freight, while tue boiler
i one of Harrison's patent, was made in Phila
. delphia, and Cos, ~ inllars to get 1t here
Q while Philadelphia shipowners charge dOnbl
e prices for freight, people will buy and sci
. in New York. The whole mill cou Il hay
G been built in Wilmington, but 1t would hay
il to be sent 10 New York 10 get here, Il
e vessels trade from here direct 10 that place
II So you see the need of the railroad runnin
4 down to Cape Charles, or Il boat from Cherry
ia stone up TO Crlstield, If you want or eXpeC
II to get any trade from these two counties
N they are the real market gardens of Phili
D. delphia and New York US soon as the peopl
l. will abandon their old notions of hog an
hominy.
Labor is cheap and plentiful, and if yo
re can be with the negroes they will do you
N fair day s work, but they have not got OF
at of their old habit of skulking. When the
g. toll brought them no reeompense there WI
I'll some excuse for this. Tho average wagi
is on farms IS per month and r.tions a
es farmers issue rations to the negroes, wi
ly cook for themselves The months ration
es consists of one bushel of corn meal al
en- titeen pounds OF bacon, nothing else
H. any kind that ia the whole months Twin
IN and you can at Il moments glance kno
rh what living costs per month. The pr
"a sent price of bacon here and corn max
is it cost about $3.37 per month to live far
m hand, and as he has to cook Mt night or OF
'sa er times, no cooks ure required; so almC
all the negro population are employed
n the field, females as well as males and Il
81 is the system from here to New Orleans.
mr.. One OF two days spent anywhere in the Sou
H. gives you an idea of the whole of II; 1t Il
hs unit on almost all subjects; the natives a
ai 10th TO make any change, whether fire.
,se want of energy or fear of its not succeed
- | cannot yet decide. They have learned |
IL negroes to raise them Il living and that
.rv about all they look for. Now they have
' go to work, they will have TO do like oil
people and use labor saving machinery, a
in lay by their old antiquated notions
nc 1t was amusing, month or SO ago, to ht
ler them threaten another rebellion if Congr
md passed the Military Reconstruction Bill;
for now it is as calm o. Summers eve. III
of at last have found out that they will be co
as PEELED to do as the North wishes them 10
tail or in other words, that they are conquer
lth and now that they have realized that fact
the lrst time, they will go to work in earn
nm. to put up the state goyernmentins ometh
~ like Republican shape, Heretofore, 1t '
~ only in name; for a more despicable desl
-, ism than ruled here could be hardly
80 agined. A few men made public opini
',i1 and 6ll he'd to agree to il or leave; no to
ors alton was allowed TO any dissenter, and
one dare take paper out Of the Post OF
y if sent by friend from the North unit
- was scrutiuised by these gentry Nov
and can get my papers without any black 10
go from P. NJ, Uhich was more than the {
nicb last Summer, while the lrunkard from
ing White House was gong around tho cir
~ Then there was deep feeling among Il
eek gentry, and il the north had yielded to A.
was the Northern Ilen here would have had
leave, but the Northern elections and
action of Congress have at last cuf6d th
0! and they now confess that they, up to n
tates never douhted that thew could do like [
lday did before The rebeijion Old II. A. v
sing comes on here sowing his pestilential
'afs, tripes, and the people here almost wor
him; but nov they begin TO doubt his il
men, libiTty and are studying for themselves,
d at give them one or two years more and Il
they will come out right good citizens.
! said in former letter, il they once II
rena ny Ihev Vii de- la they viii not pra,
nond dssao,;on, thew ara onen rebels on stra
out Union men--that is one trait in
with character adnire-thcy tell you nj
,xico what they mean so you can unders