Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-03-16
Letter from Florida.

JACKSONVILLE, March 18th, S6.
To the Editor Of the Spirit:
Amid the cold winds of March
in virginis, thinking you would like
to hear something of cline whose
8. ethereal mildness" is not tradition
nor only poets fancy. L send you
these sketches of travel hither. left
Baltimore on Friday last, amid the
bitter blasts of Old Boreas-glad at
the prospect of escaping from his
dominion for even a short time. /
tarried for two days at Fredericks-
burg, and enjoyed a sojourn at an old
Virginia home, where time had not
changed nor custom stalled the cordial
hospitality of other days. found
the old town much altered from the
battered wreck. as 1 knew it in the
war times. 1t is now busy, thirty
ing place as evidenced by great num-
Der of stores. several famous Touring
mills and other manufactures. Stand
ing upon the heights south of the
town. and overlooking the wide ex-
tended vista, memory brought before
me the scenes of the war-the cannon
crowned heights of Falmouth, the
tents and camps of Lees immortal
legions, and the vision of desolation
after the bombardment. when the
town lay well-nigh in ruins and almost
deserted by its inhabitants. Ills
well that time so rapidly heals the
wounds of war, and suffering is soon
forgotten-so fearful were the sac
rifices of that unhappy struggle thatI
trust Providence may never again per-
nit this land to be the scene of civil
war. On to Richmond" after leav-
ing f. There, among some friends,
members of the legislature, upon
whom I called. heard the debt ques-
ton discussed Gan absorbing topic
now in Virginia) until l felt that the
dear old State was inextricably strug-
Cling in quagmire, and no friendly
hand TO aid her. 1 trust, however,
that her statesmen may devise yet
some way of settling forever a diff
ficulty which demoralizes her politics
and clogs her pathway to wealth and
power. After spending day in Rich
mond, took the train for Weldon
and the South. This region of South
east Virginia and Eastern North Caro-
liga is dreary and desolate looking in
many portions. I could well under
stand how the mountain born Swiss,
eXiled from his native hills to such a
! country as this, would sometimes pine
away and die in misery and disgust
at his fate. Here you travel mile
after mile in unbrokcn mOnOtOny of
scenery-long stretches of bare and
semi-sterile plains, alternating with
wilderness of stunted pines or dwarf
ish oak, with an occasional swamp
with its silent stagnant waters to give
sickly variety to the scene. No hand
some mansions nor pretty farm-houses
greet the eye, but instead half ruined
cottages or tumble down cabins seem
the habitations of the scant and hap
less population. The only natural
growth upon the fields is the inevita-
bic sedge grass, which seems to be
useless for man or beast. That re-
minds me of an anecdote told me by
a gentleman on the train: A North
ern land agent, settled in Virginia,
was showing some friends from his
section some land and cXpatiating on
its merits, and when asked by one,
unused to agriculture, what sort of
grass the sedge was, replied, " Oh!
that is Buffalo clorer; stock keep roll
ing fat on it all winter
Throughout all this Atlantic coast
region find the ubiquitous African,
with his peculiar customs, groups
gathered about the stations apparent
~ with nothing to do, and Indifferent
about doing it. Basking in the sun
shine and careless of the morrow, he
is to this land what the Lazzaroni are.
to Italy. l am glad to say, however,
that many of them exhibit pleasing
contrast to this course. With con-
slant and commendable industry
keeping steadily at work-they have
acquired homes and property, and are
esteemed as useful members of the
body polite Notably is this the case
about the larger towns and cities, as
it is with us in Virginia. Passing
through South Carolina in the night
time, L had no opportunity to view
her historic soil and noble rivers
Especially did l regret not seeing the
remains of her famous rice planta
tions-the source of princcly revenues
and lordly living to their fortunate
possessors in the olden time. As
Charleston would be reached late at
night, or rather early morning about
4 A. MI decided to deny myself
the pleasure of seeing this interesting
city, with all its historic associations
with the Revolution and its greater
fame in the war of 'G1-65, and hasten
on to Savannah. This, the Forest
City," was entered about sunrise, and
here for the first time l encountered
the much longed for weather of the
Sunny Southland. The air was soft
and balmy, the sunshine undimmcd
in its brightness, and the languorous
warmth so soothing as to make mere
animal existence 4 delight. Savannah
is one of the most attractive of South
ern cities. There is an air of state
illness and dignity about it unusual to
even more pretentious capitals. Its
houses, with grounds and shade trees
ho1,n l,o nf J11J DC