Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-11-14
Terms OF SUBSCRIPTION.
The Old Dominion.

|
representing tWo principles, sailed from the
mother country. Ono landed on Plymouth
Rock, the other at small peninsulain the > amts
river. The latter was the first e1fectua set
tement of an English colony in America, and
here were built the first capital and the palace
Of the royal governors and council who, With
| mimic pride, emuated the grandeur and pa
geantry of Whitehall The town, or "cltle,
as it was called, was laid off 10 streets and con-
taiued many houses OF architectural preten-
| sion.
! The first Colonial Assembly ever convened
! ia America was held at Jamestown June %,
| 1916, and it is matter of surprise to visitors
that the site of this city now contains but one
house of slight pretensons and tho entrance
tower to the old colonial church. The sole
owner and occupant of the island, which tho
| peninsula has now become, tills the soil and
fsstens the bow line of the steamer Arlel, which
| daily stops at its pier.
In 1920 Dutch ship from Africa landed
| and sold to the jamestown colonlstsS twenty
| African slaves, and here, but two aud halt
centuries since, was laid the foundation oil
American slavery, and the soil OF Virginia,
where it had it's birthplace, has drunk more
deeply of the bloody sacrifices offered Iii
wiping out the stain than that OF any other
State of the Union, and is still paying the
| bitter penalty OF her wrongs. 4 land lying.
talloW and at rest; plantations OF thousands OF
acres untouched by impllmcnts OF agriculture,
and thousands more by rude cultivation, ~
| to so years behind the age, yielding measro
crops of tobacco, peanuts, corn, and wheat =
The wealthy, hospitable planter, With bis thou
sands of acres and hundreds OF slaves, and un.
limited credit, has now his acres, but his slaves
ere Uncle Sans treemen, and their aonual
increase cannot be sold TO make the balance On
ses of his family at the White Sulphur Springs
or the White Mountains The Virginia plant.
er's acres give him no credit at bank, as did
Virripia Triggers" He has no money to pay
for filling the soil, and had he the money the
uncertainty of the crop would not justify the
investment. Virginia negroes do not care to
work without pay, and the mass OF them have
not much desire to work for pay. Along the
scashore and irland waters if they can raise the
! means to purchase peck OF corn meal, and
pound of bacon with daily catch of oysters,
thew are proyisoned for week, and are more
| independent than tho former master. Whites
and blacks may be seen driving jag ot WOOD
| or corn fodder loaded upon cart with shafts
| in which is harnesseda a dlmlnutiVc steer with
| bits in his mouth, to which arc attached
| lines of bed cord by which he is drlVen.-
| Drivers Of lank, lean horses, with harness
tied together by strings, and vehicles OF az
| cient make aud 10 dilapldated condition,
| solicit custom at prices to correspond. Outside
| the prominent cities thrift is not to be found.
| The mother Of Presidents and the mother OF
States is barren and unfrulttul : and thus tar
! tho delightful climate and cheap lands nave not
| been sufficient induccment to numerous north
crn or western immigrants to take the chances
Of isolation from society for opinion sake. or
| TO undertake the extraordinary cost Of reclaim
! ipp the tobacco and slavery mpovershcd acres.
| The principles that were landed FROM the May.
! flower on Plymouth Rock and stony SOIL Of
Massachusetts, were victorious at Ficksburg and
Gettysburg and Petersburg, and Wbllc Massa--
chusetts is first n religion, in literature, IN ed
ucation, iu the arts aud sciences, IN public
credit, 10 everything that gives honor and
and grcatncss TO State. Virginia, hrSt settled,
thc Isrgest Of the first thirteen, with the mild
est climate, tho best SOIL has not credit sutElcl'
! ent TO borrow $200, 900 TO continue opea her
scattered ond poorly y-suppcr.ed public schools
! ior the remainder of the year aod not untll
thn fertile acres of our western States become
moro fuly occupied vii! emigration seek the
| oriv-milIion-debt. burdened State OF Old Vlr.
| ginia.
The above thoughts have been suggested by
a trim down the James river oa the steamer
Ariel, plying between Richmond and Norfolk.
| E,vprv milo bas "reminiscences OF colonial times
~ nj the war Of 'Gl-G4. Near RlchmoDd,
Powhatsn was the site Of the residence OF the
old chief OF that name. whose war CLUB, raised
| to infiot the death bloH upon Captaic John
Sm;th, came slowly to the ground as the form
| of his daughter Pocahontas was intcrposed be-
tveru the club and his victim. But not al
| Powhatan She WAS afterwards married to
Cantain Roifa. apd her blood still courses IN
the veins of proud Virglulane.
Dutch Gap canal, an hours ride from kio@'
mond. gas enc of Buffers unoorlpleted enter
prisep. 1t was finished by the Government in
1871, end saves seven miles run the steamer.
Passing through this canal gave Use to the fol,
loving conundrum :-"Why is the water Of
lanes giver like lager beer? nBecausc II
Ellis the Dutch gap. Malvern Iill, where
McCIellar made his last stand, and Bermuda
| Hundred, where Butler was "bottled up; Clty
Point, where GraDt had his headquarters
during the siege Of Petersburg, and whero
| President Lincoln was on 8 VISIT "hru
R;chmood was evacuated; Berkeley, tEc
h;rthnlace Ct President Harrison, and
near the point where was given Mcclellan :
c@onprstulatory @ order of 'change Of base By o
aank movement" WcstoVer. General Pope:
% headousrterg, in the residcnc, built Of E1g;i'F
bricI Wiloozs landing ard Fort ,1os,e6 pow6aisn an
where Grant laid bis pontoors and crossed 5'o
GOO men 10 fcrty-sight hours; Lower BrandGp
+ the home Of the Harrsors, IN "noso hospnltap;
dwe!lipg have been entertained every ir:sl
dont nf The United States from Washington t
, I;D,oln: I; HAMPTON, where Butler called the re
fugee slaves "eontraban Of war; 1aES Ne"pol POI
fou%bt uSbI the great naval battle between th
Snited St scs vssc;s Congrese Cqm9s1.afa1 Ganfad
Minnesota and St. L'Tteoce; ana .n' uy1'hc hc
etato tao nts brow into the Cumberland an
snn!p snnE her, The Congress was disabled, ra ~
saSora sann N and SURRENDERED. The next day th
i511o asIo'N Monitor a came into Hampton Roads, ap
\. in her the Merrmao found her matcu. .n ,h,n i
latter never Left the Roads. AI @ sno ,.t,;" ap''