The New York herald., 1867-05-26
win invest largely, Is understood, In mineral lEnds m
the sec on Of country which they have just visited

win invest largely II Is understood, In mineral lands m
the sec uon Of country which they have JUST visited
Prom Richmond 10 GordonsvilDe Appearance
Of the Country-Traces OF tho WAr-State Of
the Wheat Crop-Tnlk With a Negr0-The
Colored vote-What Side Will IL be Cast
GoRDossvnLk Va, May 90 1867
The ride from Richmond 70 Gordonsville, over the
Virginia Central Railroad s at best bat very sorry
Yelling Like most Of the roads At present the South
II has spshod arrangement OF ties, tressels cuverts
and bridges united to exaspeatng slowness OF pro-
gresson in the locomotive department. that renders
railroad travel south Of Mason and Dixons line bore to
tourists and barrier to exploration. The Northern
stranger after boarding OF these Southern trains Is
rst struck by the interior meanness OF tho cars for
which, however. allowance be made in
the impoverished state Of the people, and
is afterwards less agreeably impressed with
the harsh oscillations from side to side which
keep his humanity in turmoil OF perpetual motion
Who will propose in Congress the Reconstruction" Of
Southern rairoadss might be the exclamation Of one
less interested in political theories than in the advance
OF the material comfort Of the travelling public
As tho dirty and decaying shanties that extend be-
yond tho depot and mark the limits Of Richmond passed
from view the ubberly locomotive appeared TO put
her every inch OF steam and make frantic effort to
excel the speed Of stage coach. But and on, with
Mechanicsvlie to the right ACROSS the dismal Chica
hom.ny swanps, and away TO Hanover junction. our
train kept the even lazy tenor Of her way As X TO
make up for lost tims she over and anon in making .
fresh start gave violent tug the whole string Of cars
administering at the time electric shock 70 the
frame and fbres Of each individual passenger; but no
visible advance Of speed could be detected On the con-
trary, she approached ber destination there were
evident symptoms Of exhaustion. However, this pru-
.ytfk
ont being troubled with any optical illusions,
the state OF crops and country all the way to this
poor but beautiful town.
After passing the Chicahomny fields Of wheat pre-
sented themselves stretching away TO belts OF timber at
the horizon. Human habitaions were widely removed,
and those which showed themselves either standing
the railroad bolt upright and unsheltered peep
ing through green foliage from distance, wore air
a1S o s M as
Court House in most instances very sparsey and
sprouting feebly In the neighborhoood OF Wckham's
Station the appearance Of everything looked more cheer
ing the soil underwent deeper depression and boder
elevation and far the could reach presented close
with patches Of woodlrnd. The farm houses looked
more thrifty, and the footprints OF desolatng war
mantled fort tha. had done the State some SER
vice in its time revealed its quadrangular outlines.
Charred and ricketty wood sheds blazed by the
ubiquitous federals and station houses leaving but
moudering mementos Of where they Stood marked
almost the entire journey. Wickhams station seemed
the prosperous section OF country line and
tho which had suffered least during the
Hanover junction had look of appealing starvation.
The darkies worked wood pies and the few
white looked rueful aud ndolent OCCASIONALLY negro
might be observed hoeing miserable patch Of
struggling wheat and twice noticed white woman
aboriousiy wedding among the short sprouts Of
Two large fields Of tobacco lay by the route slowly
turing in the warm slnbaze
Tho general appearance OF the country along the line
was that OF thnly peopled, semi-cutvated, though
visiby recuperating section
AT noon we came in sight Of Gordonsve, partly sunk
in hollow and partly enclosed by railway embank-
ments, from which there spread away in successvey
rising emnences the Of luxurant pastures dot
ted with trees and houses and forming the preest Of
landscapes.
Az the train drew up by the platform, . swarm
Whps ringing bes and Yelling for hoo wSs hs
latter vending all sorts Of cakes and candy surrounded
the passenger cars One unmst:kable ebony. with
huge porters shield IN front Of his hat ratified away
to the delight Of crowd Of woolly headed picannnIes
enumerang the dishes In the dining hall Of adjacent
frogs.n Approaching sensible looking darkey in
Quired political matters had been engaging much OF
the attention Of the coiored citizens Of Gordonsve
10 yas" the reply, 'deyve been doin' right smart
on do pltcal queshun lately" Chow is thatr "wai,
we been awganizn and awganizin, and gtn up s'cic.
who oa are % the rss s % WAL d.ss ~ Essae Hann
cutt; he and did right smart specialization
"be best, de- be best; soe us no. to do : ting
wrong, and dat our reward would be someting big.''
or dsy al ross ;Ss
vote for the man who employs yous'' $50 will do
dat, too" "But you said before Mr.. Hunncut"
laughing at his inconsistency. concluding by saying
'.Nebah mind, nebah mind you see no one tells how
general application to the as yet unsettled and easily
cured favor Of the black He may promise Mr..
Aunnicut bis vote in the morning and 80 with his EN-.
this such surmss win in few instances be reversed
From GordonsviIle to stauntou-Beauty of
the Sccnery-Stnunton-P0li Rules and
Degrees Of the Notorious Order OF Red /
atrings, &C., &c.
srAuSroS, Va, May 2l, 1867.
Three miles west Of Gordonsvile, on the way here,
the surface Of country exhibited gradual and de-
ghtul change from rolling wheat and forest land
TO ridges Of hills clad in the brightest OF emerald
green foliage, through which the sparkling
let's Of the romantic Rivanna shone with ad-
ditional beauty. Here also, commenced the
red land district Of Albemarle running broad
round bills and descending the distant base OF tho
Blue Ridge Mountains Stripped OF It's verdant covering
blood hued earth gared nercely in the sum-
and the eye felt relieved in wandering away to other and
less Irritating shades in the landscape magnificent
oamy soil characterizss this section Wood and water
power abound, and wide stretches OF grazing land
staunton thrown astrde Of several spurs OF the Blue
Ridge mountains presents in s first appearance most
tored around in apparently inaccessible places but il is
this very alpine character assumes that imparts TO
this otherwise ordinarily built town It's peculiar beauty
situation, and without murmuring unavaling complaints
quietly oouformngSo the requirements Of Congress-
Some OF the notorious redsrngs form part Of this
munity. Their organization has enrolled an immsnss
number Of negroes in all the Southern States.
CharIottesville-Eaects Of the war-Absence
Of Dloney-P0verty Of the Peopie-Declinc
Of the Observation-Disclosures Appearance Of
Dessitusion. &c.
CHARLoTrEsvILLs, Va, Nay a, 1857.
Before the var this picturesque but nov impover-
shed town must have been pleasant place 70 rssid
lin Surrounded By woody hiehiands. extensive rolling
orchards parks more diversified and attractive than the
costly central ornament OF New Ysrk city, the seat
Of university famed throughout Virgins for tho emil
nencs Of 10 teaching wonder n the stranger sghs
n he looks around at blessed BY nature and
witnesses svery hand the fruits Of mans mssuided
folly.
In the principal street, save the lazy rumblins Of
negro's cart and the football Of half dozen pedes-