The national Republican., 1861-06-18
CONDITION OF THE SOUTH.

tress to which the seeded South has been re.
duced, aud the character OF the hopes which
sill keep up some little lingering remnant OF
their courage. The secessionists have already
arrived at a knowledge of their own thorough
helplessness, but they still cling to the delusion
that England and Francs will come to their
rescue, under the pressure Of necessity for
cotton. Drowning men catch at straws, Eng.
land and France know we'll, that their only hope
of getting cotton from the South, lies in keep.
ing their hands of, while this rebellion is being
put down, and they will soon manifest their
policy in way not to be mistaken. Indeed,
they have already done so, and no reasonable
expectation of European aid can remain to the
secession chiefs.
From the Chicago Tribune OF June IL
EFFECTS OF THE BLOCKADE
A gentleman who has resided in Madison
county, Georgia, for year past, Ia former citi
zen Of Chicago places us in possession of some
important facts concerning the effects Of the
blockade. Having been engaged in mercantile
pursuits there, his opportunities for observing
the sudden and appalling advance in the prices
Of all necessaries of life, were abundant.
Our informant left Atlanta on Monday, the
Sd instant. At that time, the price of bacon
was 20 cents per pound at Wholesale, and fast
rising. The supply comes wholly from Louis
vile. Flour, such as sells in our market at
1925 per barrel, was last quoted there at $40.
OF late, however, it has nearly disappeared
from the market. Coffee was retailing at 40
cents per pound. Salt was worth $3.50 per
bushel. This important article rose one dollar
in single day. Gunpowder was nominally
nine dollars per keg, but our informant was re-
fused single keg, in the Augusta market, at
| any price. Corn, the great article of food for
all classes, was quoted at $l.25 to $l.45 per
bushel. Calico prints, the products of those alb
clifton hotbeds Of Manchester and Providence,
had risen from IL to II cents per yard. But
perhaps the greatest distress arose from lack
of medicines to arrest the progress Of disease
and to cure the sick. Several physicians had
Joined the army as soldiers, from inability to
continue their practice-the stock of medicines
having dwndled down to few "roots and
ysrbs' of Southern growth. These are a few
samples of the alarming rise in the articles Of
prime necessity. The whole reliance of the
State and Of the South is upon the aid of Eng.
land and France. Everybody tells everybody
else that those powers are sending across the
Atlantic prodigous fleets to break the blockade,
and honey. Some of the wiser ones, Ex.Gov.
Foote, Of Mississippi, for instance, admit that
there is a bare possibility that England and
France may stay at home and mind their own
business, in which case, it is conceded, the
Confederate States" would be at their Wits
end. Every pound Of provisions, every article
of merchandise that goes down from Louisville
has to be paid for in gold and silver, and thus
the country is being rapidly drained of its
specie. Georgia currency is nominally at 10
per cent. discount, but the banks will not part
with their coin at all except where it is impcra.
lively required to procure tho necessaries of life
or imperatively demanded by JEFF. Davis's Sec.
retary of the Treasury. =
The scarcity Of money has, in great de.
gree, demoralized the army. The New Orleans
Zouaves, who were withdrawn from Pensacola
and sent to Virginia, passed through Mont
gomery and Atlanta. At the former place, ,hey
demanded their pay in such mutinous language
that the citizens became terrified. Their Off
GERS assured them that they would be paid in
full Mt Richmond. Some OF them declared
that if not paid at Richmond, Immediately on
their arrival they would burn the town. The
majority, however, would not be put off any
longer with promises. They would not budg
an inch from Montgomery until they should re
ceive their arrearages in full, in unmsta akeablt
specie. They thus carried their point and
got their money. Before they moved on, six o
them were shot by citizens Of Montgomery, iol
breaking into their houses. The fame of these
Zouaves echpses that of Billy Wilson's regi
ment. so great was the terror inspired by thei
plundering and rufiianism, that the citizens O
Atlanta would not allow their train to stop il
the town.
THE REAL STATE OF THE ENEMY.
The New York Tribune of Sunday pubshe
letter dated in this city on the 18th instant
and written by a gentleman who left Fort Mon
roe on the lst of June, arrd made the circuit Q
the military positions in Virginia, coming ou
at Harper's Ferry. We believe it to be relia
Bile, because it agrees with the best information
we have received all along, and upon tn
strength Of which We have constantly assure,
our readers that the forces of the enemy hav
been grossly exaggerated. This writer says:
"Cntil within the last week, nothing wha,
ever has been done by way of making Rich
f mond delensible, and assert positively, tha
|, if an advance is made upon it within reason
ably short time, it will find that city completed
unprotected. Some time ago movement wa
made to fortify Richmond. About 200 negroes
taken from the tobacco factories, were set a
work in the erection Of batteries, but being ur
, accustomed to laboring in the sun, they accom-
pished almost nothing. About nine o'clocl
they were mustered to 60 to their labor al a dis
,ance of two miles from the city. The marc
was made the occasion for general jollifca
ton on the part Of the negroes. They forme'
companies chose officers, and with hoOting
and shouts, bearing Confederate flags, marche
cut, reaching the place where the works wer
being thrown up, between ten and eleven o clocl
Twenty ordinary laborng men would have don