New-York tribune., 1869-05-29
THROUGH THE SOUTH.
VIRGINIA.

mond by Acquia Creek and Fredericksburg, when
Southern travel fairly commenced. Between the
Creek and Fredericksburg the country would be
called rough most Of ii is covered with growth OF
small pines, and the soil and houses are poor in one
or two valleys some fair-looking farms. Coming
near Fredericksburg, the soil was comparable to the
red shalo of New-Jersey, and good wheat was grow
ing The elevated ground across the RappahannOckls
looked upon with interest 1t seems productive but
it is bare and destitute of timber and almost OF
houses, giving it wide horizon. Some two miles
below the city, this river the mother of Washing
ton lived and there she found, when visited by
Lafayette and other distinguished men, working IN
her garden, and dressed in hOmespun llnsey; but
nothing remains Of the dwelling, nor even of the
cherry orchard into which the youthful George en-
| tered with his hatchet The National Cemetery, n
little southwark of the city and upon rising ground
is marked by its neat appearance, and perhaps by
nothing than the green grass on the graves for
scarcely anywhere else is grass or even clover to be
een and both the graves and the grass teach lesson
| that should be needed.
Proceeding onward to Richmond the stranger
waits with an expectation that terminates in weari-
ness. for the sight of thriving villages, farms, snug
outbuildngs and orchards, for instead, the long
stretches Of old field pine occupying the site of plan
tatons, the productions Of which ireighted English
ships with wheat and tobacco $50 years ago. sta
ton which one may have heard of, and which was
supposed place Of Importance has its dignity de-
rived from a water tank, n rough depot and wood
pile and the general appearance is not idissimar TO
that presented in the remote timber regions OF new
settlements in Michigan OF Wisconsin. However, on
nearing the city. cultivated plantations appear on
some of which are old orchards, aud often the red
earth of forts and rifle pits mark the locations Sc
leced TO meet the invader. Coming into the city
hclstranger is pleased to find beautiful and well
built town Of perhaps G00JO Inhabitants and If he
nquirrsI where the country people live who support
it, no will be told that they are to be found in the
Piedmont region Of the Blue Ridge, where fruit
poultry. grain. and fat cattle, and whatever that
makes q country rich abound.
All Virginia. and Richmond in particular, are
waiting to bo reconstructed Only a snail portion
Of the burnt district has been rebuilt and vast
water power made by the falls Of the James, rolls
unhecdel away Emigration also waits reconstruc-
ton The amount of land for sale astonishing, and
10 may be said that threo-fourths OF all land Is IN tho
market | visited the several real estate agents
and find that what they call good farms can he had
for $40 Ia $j an acre. but whore tho soil is good and
the climate heathful, rs in the Piedmont region and
in thc valley" it's hgher-some so an acre. Tho
OLD field pine land is held at from $ to = per acre
Ifmauagcd by men who know how TO farm. it could
be cleared restored. and kept fertile by the negroes
and naive Virguiaus 10 viii grow corn fOw years.
and die again.
As regards the chances for Northern men 10 60 into
business in Richmond, did not learn much that is
! favorable. As understand it,. Confederate officers,
and other Vrpuuus wish 10 do the business of the
pacc; they feel that they have claims on the people
since their losses have been so great and when a
| Northern man undertakes 20 share with them,
M. "a. inf, lp
newspapers or Otherwise that 10 patronize him will
not b, patriotic. may mistake in TINS, bat was
! told OF several Northern mon who had brought on
stocks Of d,Gcrrnt kinds OF goods and failed because
they could get 30 trade. Still It must bo confessed
that if such course has been adopted II Is not un-
natural and It ought 90 have been expected; but
much would have bacn saved had it been known. 10
Is true that Northern immigration u invited; indeed
have been repeatedly told that they cannot prosper
! without It. They want Northern capital ana skill
and also Northern farmers to cultivate their lands.
had an interview with the agent of real estate
house established by a well-kuOwn Confederate Gem
eTal and was told tat the proper way for Northern
farmers to come is not in colonies, but sngly that
tbry should settle here and there among their people,
10 avoid becoming clannIsh The agent mentioned
the case Of the Germans who went % North Carolina
ono sindred years ago and thcy are Germans still
that Is 10 say. Northern men should come singly so
that they may improve aud keep mp with the spirit Of
the times. When | remarked that Northern people
should come in colonies that they might have good
roads. and schools. and meetings, was agrceably
surprised o learn that they already have the best of
roads and that mills and meetings are frequent.
Another real estate agent had different views and
they arr 10 be given after have visited the lands he
has 20 sell.
As 10 the society Of Richmond which Northern
people enjoy found il entirely uucXcop optIonable for
DO is confined wholly to themselves, and, ~ they
value themselves. they ought not to complain. The
same is 10 be- said Of the native residents. Whether
the Northern and Southern element ever will unite
depends upon the tone of their press Mt present II Is
rs bitter as II well can be. Still in the ordinary in
tercourso between individuals there is the utmost
cordia.ity. and, within such bounds neither can
complain. After reconstruction, and after important
questions shall have been settled much OF all this
will pass away. for both are willing 10 stand upon
common ground, and this sooner or later must be
found, If life is 10 be tolerabe. As 70 danger
Of personal assault nothing of the kind exists, and
one may as safely travel anywhere IN Virginia as
in NcW-York city.
Tie condition of the colored people is hopeful. At
Navy iIill is a large school, and at Lumpkin's Jail
which was the slave-market, is n theological sem-
mary for colorod young men, A State Superintend-
crt Of Education with reference to the colored peo
pie lives in Richmond, and funds which remain Of
the Bureau appropriation are applied for the partial
support of schools. and also something from the
Peabody fund. The widest difference OF opinion is
expressed bv the old masters and others as 30 the
conduct and industry of tho blacks-for while some
say they are mainly doing well, and that from the
BEGINNING of the war they behaved far better than
could have been expected Others say that they are
growing worse: ,hat they are idle, improvi-
dent, and vicious; and that they arc