mora ir, I am : this is e been ou buy nice." '(hand wish to nake?" the inbench7, being v in the its thin: distur uppress geous" Iged by de Sabcontend slaves eir pronight's rers and for Sunthe magins at Jay, exnine o'ring for rom the those , and be do this, -e busihe poor ouse is ore than Dup and of enjoia. bread for those who are unable to work. They attend daily, and carry home the amount of that day's provision, and so on. Alexandria, though generally a healthy town, was visited by the yellow fever some years ago, which swept off a number of its inhabitants; since that, the corporation has been very careful and attentive to the means of health. Fountains and Baths. There are no springs in the city; the citizens procure good water at some expense from a fountain in the suburbs of the town; for ordinary purposes, however, they have fountains in abundance. There is an elegant bathinghouse, but the price of bathing is so unreasonably high, (fifty cents,) that it is of no benefit either way; whereas if it were within bounds, it would prove a fortune to the proprietor, and tend more to the health of the citizens. There seems to prevail amongst the citizens of Alexandria, a deep rooted enmity against the Federal city; they sigh to be reunited to the state of Virginia. They are now engaged in an attempt to separate themselves from the District of Columbia, by a petition to Congress. The merchants suffered greatly by the late war, particularly in the loss of their shipping. On the day that succeeded the capture of Washington, the British entered Alexandria; the citizens capitulated upon conditions not very favorable, for it seems the British burnt their shipping, and plundered the stores and ware-houses. The citizens, however, were not guilty of abandoning their city, as were those of Washington. It was amusing to all (except the owners,) to see with what liberality the British dealt out the sugar, coffee, flour and blankets, to the poor, and the negroes. These articles were turned out into the streets, and all who wished might come and take what they pleased. It is said that the flour taken off by the British was considerable; but the Americans attacked them after clearing the port of Alexandria, and destroyed the whole. The Potomac at Alexandria, is rather over a mile in width; it is celebrated for its beauty. It is certainly a great blessing to this county, in supplying its inhabitants with food in the article of fish, and for commercial purposes; without it, the country would not, it could not exist, the soil being nearly good for nothing. But Potomac, the only tide river I have seen, yields greatly to the western rivers, in point of beauty. It is always turbid and rough, owing, I suspect, to the wind from the ocean, and the ebbing and flowing of the tide. The tide, I am told, extends as high as three miles above Georgetown. Notwithstanding the visible decline of Alexandria, the number of strangers who pass through it, the number of stages, carriages, waggons and drays, rattling on the pavement from moruing till night, and almost from night till morning, gives to it a very lively appearance. All travellers going from north to south, or from south to north, and so of the east and west, have necessarily to pass through Alexandria. Yesterday, 22d Feb. the militia companies turned. out, preceded by a band of music. The Artillery, the Blues, and the Independent Blues, were distinguished by very handsome uniforms; the Independent Blues made a splendid appearance-as respected their equi page, they were second to none that I have seen. But in manly size, they are children compared to our men of the west. They will not do, too effeminate; otherwise they are handsome-looking men. They, with the clergy, proceeded to Christ's church, where an oration was delivered by S. Cox, Esq. They then returned to the hotel, whence they set out; after firing twenty-four rounds, preceded by the hand, with banners flying, fol lowed by the clergy and the citizens. When they arri ved at the hotel, they formed in two lines; the clergy walked bare-headed through into the hotel, when they dispersed on Monday (to-morrow) a splendid ball is to close the celebration. During Saturday, national flags were suspended from the east and west fronts of the market-house. These flags are of the richest deep blue silk. floating almost to the ground, the centre being ornamented with a white eagle, with twenty-four stars of the same. They were trimmed with a border of brill jant deep red. The celebration is over; the ball took place last evening, at the city-hotel, agreeably to arrangement. Notwithstanding a very unfavourable evening, upwards of two hundred gentlemen and ladies at But Po reatly to rays turfrom the e. The 's above ecline of through d drays, zht, and ry lively to south, est, have s turned lery, the nguished nt Blues eir equin. But our men ; otherwith the oration urned to nty-four ing, fol. hey arri e clergy hen they ball is to nal flags > of the eep blue сер eing or r stars of of brillball took ly to arble eve adies at tended, amongst whom was the Vice-President and sev eral other distinguished characters, from Washington City. A splendid room was prepared for Gen. Jackson, (who was expected to participate in the celebration,) but was prevented by indisposition. His destined apartment was ornamented with national flags, suspended at each end; but to our great mortification, the General was unable to witness this testimony of respect. Mr. Clagett, the proprietor of the city hotel, received great applause for his promptness and skill in providing a supper, in which taste, elegance, and profusion were displayed. The national flag floated at each end of the table, which was upwards of an hundred feet in length; this was the most superb supper I ever beheld. In Alexandria, dwells John I. L., brother of him who signed the declaration of Independence. He has nothing engaging in his countenance or appearance; on the contrary, he has a sly, cunning look. He is of middling height, about fifty years of age, sallow, spare, and thin visaged. Though much disappointed in Mr. L., I was pleased with his son, a very promising young man, upwards of twenty, of genteel manners, and very enga ging figure. I should, very probably, have quitted Alexandria without having either the honour or the pleasure of knowing it contained such an august personage, but for a mere accident. After spending some months at Alexandria, I took my departure for Richmond, Va. in the steam-boat "Mount Vernon," intending, on my return, to visit Washington City. The Mount Vernon carries, the southern mail when the river is open. The boats commence running the last of March, and continue till middle of December, when the stages take up their line till the return of spring, and so on. The Mount Vernon leaves Alexandria at 2 o'clock, P. M. and arrives at Potomac creek from 6 to 8 o'clock, same day, as the wind is more or less favorable we arrived at the creek about 8, the wind being against us. Here we quit the boat and take the stages, which wait for us on the bank of the river. The boat takes in the passengers going northwards, who ar rive in the stage, and turns back without delay, going A all night, she arrives at Washington City about day- After quitting the steam-boat, we had eight miles to Fr W ga of bu lin of bu an gu new two ed the B. dist blac His taki rast יT crac ·D. whi the the ner $30 ·H. thet OUS nes Stat Con ble alar grac lati pite in th but dayto put After ving Al: Wash›n, eight ty smart presente farms houses, clusters soil. A have the rge, but nted, or the fort boat, I nor Barlooking ation rein terms Mr. Bare years, h of inot know I been subject. fort to Fredericksburg, where we were to lodge. The stage :' |
