Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-12-06
7HURsDAY EVENING. DEC 6, 1900.
nDvvIorsLy stated in the Gaz II

Aa PREVIOUSLY etateu III INC wa
Hsrowdon.n belonging to the estate OF
tina late ~ or john 8 ddon. situated
on the Rappahannook river. few miles
from Fredericksburg, and containing
anna 500 acres, was sold by public auc'
tlon on Saturday last for s. 100, This
sale possesses more than common To-
teresf. Ia ante-bellum days this estate
cor sisted. as re remember, OF some
twelve hundred acres. The family
mansion was spacious and comfortable
l, was in its appointments and manage
meot typical Virginia home and the
ssst Of a generous, gracious hospitality.
Major seddon " as a man of liberal cul'
turs had Travelled extensively in Ed'
rope and possessed intellectual and
personal gifts that endeared him
greatly to wide circle OF friends. he
was an active, earnest democrat, and
prominent figure 10 Virginia politics.
His accomplished vie was deservedIy
a general favorite, and possessed 10
rare measure the virtues and graces
which made the old Virginia home so
full Of refinement. happiness and JOY.
II would be difficult to recall al atmos'
pbere 50 replete with all the best eie
ments of country life. The woods, the
we'll cultured fields, the happy con-
tented servants. the children ID their
sports, the dumb creation. the grand
river flowing in front from the foot
hills OF the Blue Ridge to min2le
its waters with the sea-all these, and
more, made up q picture which one
who has once witnessed it would DO
willingly dismiss from his mind. Ii
was idyllic, but the same may be said oil
enany such country seats of the Od
Dominion in the better days Of her his
tory.
Then came the shock of Wharf.-The
havoc OF a cruel, unspariug foe; the
burning of the noble Homestead st
SaowdOn az a vengeance upon the own
er who bad entered the Confederate
service, the destruction OF this charm
Jag abode of hospitslitya d refinement.
This act was OF piece with many
Others all over the South. A special
expedition, it will be remembered, was
6isDa ched by General Butler to destroy
the home OF Senator Hunter, OF Essex
county, lower down the river. Neither
gentleman was at home when the |
raiders came. both being 10 public SER
vice. Msjor Seldom died during the |
war, the victim of exposure 10 army
life, but at no time did the wrongs OF
the enemy sbate one jot of bis patriotic
devotion to the cause of Virginia. The
people who perpetrated the savagery
IF which we e,and their descendants
Of today, are proud Of all these cruel
act5 aud have caDoDlZed the Snermans,
Grants and Buffers. under whose orders
.nese crimes were committed.
We need not pursue the history fur
her than merely to allude to the fact
hat an estate which In 1860 was one
II the best in Virginia. worth probably
iftv or sixty dollars ner acre. sold the
,ther day at about six dollars per acre.
By this fact we are able to measure thu
ruits and bene6cerce of republican
ule and policies in the agricultural
Iisiric!s OF Virginia aud other portions
( the South. Clearly If we owe eny-
hing to our couquorers it is not affec-
on or graf tude. Grievious injuries :
lay be forgiven, but, unfortunately,
icy cannot be forgotten.