The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-05-15
Away down. south in Dixie.

Proceeding, systematicaly ipmy narrative
If events, I woul ,ay that It was aft r I ar
rived Sontll that the Neral1 lent its whole
aid to the present national adnini .ration IN
is etfpr's t, crush out bold anarchy and re
belion. The news of this fact came upon
the Southern people like a thunderboi', and
It's leading n,n appeared mace Ike men
doomed to be hanced, BY their elongated
countensnces. at what they chose to cal an
abandonment Of its Southern principles
The news Of the fact referred 10 was not ONLY
communicated through the ordinary chan
ne,s Of inrorna'i n. but was & leg aphcd ia
every important city anil leading politician
in t',e South. The latter seemed as asthouyh
they hal 'o.t their has.. friend, with ,l.is ey.
cep,i n, that bitter curses and oppro'r ous
epi,hets ftll fon their lips, with all sorts O.
threats of annihilation, in'er,liction, &C.
/ Proceeding from Savannah through the
/ central rart Of the State of Georgia. pas ing
througi, Macon. Columbia. and other larg,
cities and towns toward Montgomery, 7 care
fully examined into the political sentiments
of the people as progressed. found on
my tonr, and very shortly after left Savan-
nah, that the sentiment of the people of The
latter city. and which seemed cool and dclb.
Grating, was entirely OF another type in the
| interior of Georgia. Crowds of people at
every s'aiioa oa The route assembled ms each
train arrived, to hear tie latest news; but
their whole anil entire principle was to ami,
hilate the damned Yankees forthwith a: all
hazards, in order to pu. down what thev term
an interference with their local RIGHTS and in
stitutions. They spoke of hang ging ihc North.
erin people with ~ much confidence as
though Il were feat easy OF act1mp'ish.
ment, and that the North was merely living
on sulfprance. To attempt 10 combat any of
these erroneous Impressions would have been
like throwing firebrand into powder mag
aZ;ne, aS would not have been permitted TO
have stated a proposition without incurlin-
the hot diSp!caSure OF men VIII, seemed t.
look upon Northcrnrrs, OF fwhatever political
sentiments. in the l:ght of ialical abolition.
lists. not to be tolerated nor permitted to live
Ny journey from Savannah 10 Montgomery,
distance of nearly four hun lrcd miles, was
eventfuf. and one which I shall never forget.
Every passing train Of ears seemed to have
lesSer or greater number of newly raised
volunteer troons. who. acting under orders
Of President Davis, were vending their way
towards Washington or Richmond, to take
part in the combat, which. I an assured, viii
positively occur within fex weeks. refer
to President Davi>'s dcsrenthpnn Washing
ton city. These men seemed to me to have
come pr:ncinally fr,m the yeomanry Of the
CO, ntry, whose athlete frames, homcspun
uniforms, coarse language and invs te,ate kve
o. whisky, combined II impress a stranger
with astonisfment and disgust. The whole
tendency Of their conversation turned upon
loudly expressed hatred ofevery and
everybody from the North. Pres;den. Lin
CON and his administration were particularly
spoken Of in n, complimentary terms, and
promise was given now an then from
stentorian Voice, that he would scalp them
before the Fourth Of July. in the city of
Washington. They spoke Of NorthernerS as
they werc mere puppets, who were to be
as readily put ont of existence as a squirrel
from the rih. Of q good ,nartsman. They
boosted of their superiority AMI prowess in
mmksnanship, anil their perfect confidence
to walk into Washington city. when the APP
pointed time will have come. with as.nuch ease
and freedom as would BE- enjoyed in coon
hunt. The drift Of the conversation If these
President slayers seemed t. me to be the in
spiration or imnl,lse Of the whisky jng. d,s
void OF that c,olness and delib,ration which
insure success. -:
On reaching Montgomery, folnd the no
tels filed with strangers, sahiividel into Of
fee seekers AMI military aspirants, fr,r, the
grade of filihusterS totAe mpre acc ,ynplishea
IN the art If arms Evpryb >dv seemed to
have some military title. from hish privates
to Major General, princ p,llv Of he higher
grades. fun President Dav'S's Cabin t
in profound studg over the future course Of
action. OF course, thei, procee iings wore
to them strictly secret but enough wou'd
transpirc nov and then to give the Knowing
ones sufficient information that some great
movement was on foot, and that nothing
more or less than the captur, of the city of
Washington The plan has been decided.
and will be attempted This step may scem
rash on the part of President Davis to North
ern readers; yet tifthey coul but understand
the precise sentiment Of the mass Of the
thinking people of the South, they would at
once realize the nece ,sty Of the measure.
and with full crntidtnce Of success, in or
der to restore seeming c,ni lence in the
present ADMINISTRATION Of quasi Southern
republic. Already the great avenues of trade
and commerce have been closed to the South;
trade Of all kinds has diminished; a.ricn'-
,ural interests are neglected.. with no posi-
bic hope for relief but rather probability
for succession Of still greater hsrdships. 1t
viii be but a few months before the South
crh republic i in a state of anarchy The
] nervousness of the great planters is ohscrya.
bls to the more intelligent slave and gen.
eral uprising Of the slaves, when seas ma
ble opportunity may occur, is locked upon
with alarm.