The snow.
We waked up yesterday morning to find it snowing f ma y! a very uncommon occurrence in this lan so early in the reason.
We recollect, indeed but one fall of snow at all comparable to this so early in the season, and that was in the year 1820, and on the 2d day of November. That was one of the deepest we ever saw in this latitude — the very deepest, we believe, except one which fell in April 1825. The day of the month we do not recollect; but it was the same day with the election in
Hanover county.
Elections were held at that time, under the old Constitution of 1775, on the
County Court-day of each county, and we are induced to remember this particular day from the fact that numbers of persons were deterred from going from this city to cast their voice in
Hanover.
The old freehold system was then in operation, and every man had a right to vote in any county in which he held land enough to make him a voter.
Numbers of
Richmond residents held freeholds in
Hanover.
It was on the night of the 6th of November, 1812, that the snow began to fall upon the legions of
Napoleon in
Russia.
In that fatal night 30,000 horses perished, and all the subsequent disasters of the campaign may be traced to that fall of snow — Would to Heaven that the invaders who pollute our soil might suffer as much or worse from the snow that began to fall on Thursday night. But our country is not far enough North for that.
The snow in this latitude and at this time of the year cannot last very long.
There may be much suffering, and undoubtedly there will be; but it will not be of intensity to produce fatal effects.
From our own observation at
Washington, and from the experience of others, we are induced to believe that the
Yankees will suffer more from this stern than we will.
Persons coming from the
North to
Washington always suffered more from cold weather than persons coming from the
South.
The reason assigned is, that as the traveller goes North his system become braced; as he goes South, it becomes relaxed.
Of what value the reason may be we know not; but the fact has been observed by many persons.
The deepest interest and anxiety have been felt and expressed with regard to our soldiers, exposed to the riggers of this untimely season.
For ourselves, we hope and believe that the efforts of the authorities have been unseating to procure them suitable clothing and that those efforts have been in a great measure successful.
It was anticipated that we should have an early and a sever, winter; for it never is the case that two mild winters follow each other in succession.
It is probable that the weather will arrest military operations for some days, by rendering the roads impassable.
