Smyrna times., 1883-02-21
Letter from Virginia.

fOT tue IcWyFHu At"teS'
Letter from Virginia.
DEAR TIMEs.-The name of Virginia
naturally awakens lively interest in
the minds of every one bringing back
bits of hel Colonial history, especially
the stirring events in the adventures
of Capt. John Smith, the saving of his
life by the beautiful Indian girl,
Pocahontas, the establishment of the
English colony at jamestown, its
maintenance and growth through all
the Indian wars and contentious with
the wild beasts of the forest, the supe-
rior prowess of the British soldiery, the
maintenance of her supremacy during
century of conflict by contending
European powers for dominion in the
New World both in the political and
ecclesiastical realms, the grant by the
English crown to Virginia of the terri
tory of the Northwest out of which has
been carved four of the most powerful
states of the Union, the French and
Indian war, the gift of Washington,
the growth and advance of sentiments
of unity and independence, the speech
of Patrick Henry, the call to arms, the
success of the revolution, the recent
Centennial of York Town,-have made
redOlent the name of the "Old Domin
ion," and but for the incubus of slavery
she would doubtless hold her suprem
acy to this day. But, the facts are, tina
she was so intensely in love with tn
sacred institution" that it was though
to be decidedly vulgar to oppose an.
measure that looked to lettering NOR
tightly the chains of human bondag
and blindly followed the infatuatio
until it led to its overthrow in BLOOD
We are glad to know that the peOpl
call it happy deliverance, and war
to make amends for the past-that th
soothing effects of time is bearing i
peaceful fruits and now they are invi
ing the emigrant to their shores. The
acknowledge that the system of slavel
caused them to fall from their prou
position, and that it is the cause of
much unimproved lands and unutilizC
water power; that their rivers al
inlets might have been as white wi
the sails of commerce as Massachuset
or New York Her mineral resource
first to be explored, she could have b;
Pennsylvania proud name for veal
and population.
Virginia has beautiful diversity
surface and soil divided into thr
sections: the tidewster, skirting t
, coast for forty to fifty miles, then t
: rolling region for nearly a hundr
miles, then the mountain region baC
/, ing up to her western borders,
LARGE sPECULATIoNs.
The perspective in the southwestt
r portion of the state is unsurpassed
e beauty and graceful diversity
:. scenery, and the same may be said
?. the gentle mountain slope of No
:, Carolina. 1t is laid off in hill q
r. mound and valley as if by hun
!. hands, and is all that can be said
rolling timber land, compatible W
arability. We have seen many
lit those beautiful valleys that afford
S, almost resistless influence for sw
r. little mountain home. Large bodie
as these lands have been bought
On Northern spectators in twenty tho
ed and and forty thousand acre
al, Many persons have been surprised
or such large TRACTS of land could
bought in body in these old sta
hut such are the facts, and in addi
to parties from New York and BOs
companies of Englishmen are bu!
la immense quantities, intending to c
~ nize and develop the mineral resou
as we'll as cultivate the soil, estat
diaries, and erect villages so that
. day is coming when the South
manufacture her own cheese and
i0'-' ter as well as her own cotton and v
This section has been neglected bee
it was not adapted to the grOwt
Deal either cotton or tobacco, while
other two sections alluded to v
ARK and also capable of absorbing
phosphate than it is likely will ev'
manufactured.
THE MoUNTAINEERs.