The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-16
NEWS FROM THE SOUTH.
>-~co~e>~>oo~~ce~>,y,~o-
Return of a New York Merchant
from Richmond.
-@-o~-~~~~~>~~>~->~~~~-
NEWS FROM PORT ROYAL.
Price Not Superseded in Mis-
souri,.
PROCEEDINGS or THE REBEL CONGRESS-.
,,~>oy,04>-,e--~<D,1v>>e>
"AdmissiOn" Of Kentucky Into the
Southern COnfederaCy.
Important from the Seat Of War in Missouri
and Kentucky.
0~~~~~~~>~~-~~~-~~>~~-~-~~~<
The Proposed Dismemberment Of
Virginia.
The Question Of Consular Exemp-
ton from Military Duty.
e~~~>~~>~>~~>~-~~~~
INDIGNANT LETTER FROM MRS. GREENHOW,
&c, &C., DC
s'AdmissiOn' Of Kentucky Into the
Southern COnfederacy.
Important from the Seat Of War in Missouri
and Kentucky.
The Proposed Dismemberment Of
Virginia.
The Question Of Consular Exemp-
tiOn from Military Duty.
INDIGNANT LETTER FROM MRS. GREENHOW,
&c, &c, DC
NEWS FROM RICHMOND.

NEWS FROM RICHMOND.
ARRIVAL OF NEW YORK MERCHANT, LATELY
PRISONER AT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF AFFAIRS
IN EASTERN vIRGrNiA-GENERAL SUSPENSION or
BUsINESS-HoPES THAT THE NORTH WILL BE IN
vOLvED IN WAR WITH ENGLAND OR FRANCE
TREATMENT or TUE UNION PRISONERS, ETC.
A gentleman who for some years the head of re
spectacle drm Pearl street this city has just return
ed from Richmond where he has been prisoner for the
last three months. Before the wardrobe out he was in
erested in Of tho oil springs OF Virginia. and, when
tho neighborhood in which he engaged in his bust
became tho scat Of hosics he unable TO re-
turn to the North and at last captured by the rebels
and sent TO Richmond. During The last month Of his cap
tivi,y he occupied the same with Mr.. Hurbut,
recently Of the editors Of The New York Times Thu
gentleman it reported had been to South Caro-
llna-hs native State-but this untrue, and
he still remains prisoner at Richmond.
very excited state Of feeling, says informant pre-
walls in Eastern Virginia, and especially at Richmond
Those who formerly Union universally
secesh, and many OF them are very bitter In their ex
pressons Of hatred towards the North Among the PEG
pie generally intense animosity against the Yankees
has prevailed and since the capture OF Mason and Sde
their violence has known no bounds. The most horrd
threats daily uttered against Northern prisoners and
should the rebel Commissioners be hung it is affirmed
that fifty Of the Yankees shall be executed with the most
ignominous publicity All thought Of submitting to
vanished. The unanimy Of the people is to all appear
ance, unbroken; and either in principle, from fear of
punishment from the belief that conhscaton and abo
,.ion are the Northern watchwords all the people in yir
gna, 50 far informant could learn united
one to gain their independence or perish In the
attempt
Every branch Of commerce and trade which was not
connected with the demands OF the is suspended and
all available men arc pressed into the army. Ruin has
Portable circumstances Mono OF the prvaiions
however which incident to this state OF things exert
any perceplible influence On public opinion.
There is general Boosting confidence expressed in the
ability Of the South to ''kcep the invaders at bay
II is confidently predicted that before next spring
some European trouble will arise to compcate the
lions existing between the United States and either Eng.
land France and until spring the CoBfederates
leve that active operations will be practicable: for
their roads nre very bad, aud there is no continual
frost TO keep them hard aud firm On the contrary, the
weather almost always soft and frequent heavy rains
keep the roads in state fit for cthyosauri than for
horses Tho invasion Of the South, they suppose must
DO made il at ALL by land the deep limestone mud in
Western Virginia Kentucky, the bottomless foams
of the Mississippi Valley. And in parts Of those
gons Of country the roads passabe in rainy weather
after the wagons and artillery of single brigade have
gone them. II is the common boast at Richmond
that the Yankees have nowhere twenty ave
miles into the South during The eight months Of dry
weather when the roads good they hope do
better during the Of rains and mud when the
highways are absolutely impossible
Another thing which the rebels rely 10 prevent inya
sion is the noxous climate OF the South during winter
They suppose that the health the Northern troops can
not but be impaired by the sudden extreme and
frequent changes Of temperature the great fall of
and the almost constant dmpness than by the pesten
tai Influence OF the four months of summer. winter
campaign. they say, would be much practicable
the North than at the South For although the Northern
roads Indifferent yet the continual frost OF winter
makes them as firm as the solid rock; the win
ter, though cold, is continuous, and the dry
ness OF the atmosphere is favorable to health
Continuous leo and frost only more propitios to
the vigor and martial qualities of The soldiers bu Offer
more facilities for transportation than alternate rains
SHOWS, freezngs and thaws Invasion the North then
they say would he in winter much more reasbl, under
taking than an invason of the South and wond be rem
cered by the dense popua ion and the more
general distribution OF food and supplies the whole
surface OF the country.
On tho contrary they argue that The agricultars In
dustry OF the South is employed in the production food
to very limited extent. The pies of cotton and
tobacco employ thirds Of their labor Cases are rare
in which planters than their own consumption
Of food, except IN districts unsuited to the growth
bacco and cotton. To invade the south then is to
rich country dotted al with magazines Of
provisions. The invading forces must bring along and
carry with them their entire supplies both of ratons and
forage or they must operate from bases of operations
established either on the coast the bank Of
the Mississippi Under outside appearance Of conf
deuce and public security there is however, evident
fear of the progress OF the North.
Such OF the views which find daily expression
in Richmond, far tho prisoners could their ma
ture The captured Northern citizens kept close prison
They are very poorly supplied with the necessares
OF life; but il thcy possess money friends they ind no
difficulty in obtaining whiskey, segars books, newspa
pers aud any other ndugences they may take fancy
The gentleman from whom have obtained the forego
ing account contrved to obtain his freedom through the
Intervention Ct friends with whom he had done bushes.