The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-20
Correspondence Of Neto York Herald
ERE CTS OE SECESSION

EFF LCTS OF SECESSION.
Is ABBEvnLE, S. c., March 13.-Our postmaste
l. here has just received from correspondent in Bal
IS timore the following article, said to have bee
q written by Judge Robert Lyon, of this town.
d LETTER FROM JUDGE LYON, OF soUTH CAROLINA, TO
a FRIEND IN TEXAS.
d From the Waco (TeraS) Gazette.
The following letter from Judge Robert Lyon
S of Abbeville Court House, South Carolina, speaks
p for ITSELF
5 ABBEvILLr C. H., January 24-DgAR s1n:-l
. desire you to procure for me and send by mail
= Texas almanac. Six months since felt perfectly
willing to remain in South Carolina, but can re-
: main here no longer AT the election of Lincoln
r we all felt that we must resist. In this move
A placed myself amongst the foremost, and am vet
determined to resist him to the bitter end. | had
: my misgiVings at first Of the idea of separate
secession, but thought it would be but for a short
time, and at small cost. In this matter, together
with thousands of other Carolinians, we have been
mistaken. Everything is in the widest commotion.
My bottom land on Long Cane, for which l could
G have gotten $50 per acre. now cannot sell at any
q price. All young men nearly are in and around
Charleston. Thither we have sent many hundreds
of our negroes q have sent twenty to work.
Crops were very short last year, and it does now
seem that nothing will be planted this coming sea-
son. All are excited to the highest pitch, and not
4 thought of the future is taken. Messengers are
running here and there, with and without the
Governors orders. We have money. A forced
; tax is levied upon every man. have furnished the
last surplus dollar have had about S27 900 in
bank. At first gave check for ten thousand, then
i've thousand, then the remainder. 1t is now esti-
mated that we are spending S25, GOO per day, and
no prospect of getting over these times. 1t was
fu understanding when we went out of the Union
, that we would have government of all the
Southern States. Our object was to bring about
a collision with the authorities at Washington,
which all thought, would make all Join US. AL
though we have sought such collision in every
way, we have not yet got fight, and the prospect
is very distant. want the almanac in order to see
w a ma n fna cuit | ont
to raise cotton principally but must raise corn to
do me. | will need about a thousand acres of good
land. My force is increasing; many young negroes
are coming on. | can send to the field about sixty
five, big and little shall make no crop here this
year. L shall start my negroes from here to John
Brownlee, at Shreveport about the first of April.
will leave my lands here to grow up in pines
When we all getto Shreveport John Brownlee
SAYS he will go with me all over Texas | cannot
live here and must get away. Many are leaving
now; at least ten thousand negroes have left al
| ready, and before long third of the wealth of
South Carolina will be in the West. | desire you
to look around and help me get home. AS ever,
yours, ROBERT Lyon.
This article is supremely ridiculous, and is
nothing but tissue of fasehoods from beginning
| to end.
1t is lie, in the first place, because we have
never had Judge Robert Lyon at Abbevie Court
House, in Abbeville district nor in the State of
! South Carolina.
1t is lie, in the second place, because there is
positively such distress as the writer speaks of
in the State of South Carolina.
1t is lie, in the third place. because not soli-
| tary negro has been sent from Abbeve Cotrt
House, from the district, to aid in the work at
! Charleston. few, perhaps dozen, have volun-
tarily gone as body servants for some of our Off
| GERS.
| 1t is lie, in the fourth place. because not one
| dollar has been levied On any individual, nor a
dime taken from the pocket of any man, without
! his voluntary consent.
1t is lie, in the fifth place, because money has
| been much more plenty since the State seeded
than before; and as an evidence of it not dollar
of the bonds of the Confederate States have been
sold below par, but of the other hand, they have
generally commanded handsome premium. st is
astonishing that slaudering. fictitious lying letter
writers cannot let us alone. We are out of the
Union, and intend to remain out, and if black
Republican administration will make no attempt to
coerce, we will trade formerly with the North;
but let coercion commence, and we will first pay our
debts, and then bid long adieu to Northern
neighbors.
AS am personally known to fifty, perhaps one
hundred New York merchants, will subscribe my |
own name to this article. ISAAC BRANCH, NJ. d.
! THE UNITED STATES FORTS AT KEY WEST. |
Recent events indicate the determination of the |
United States Government to retain full entire |
and complete possession of the Notifications the |
Florida reefs, near Key West. To put these works,
therefore, in complete condition of defence, they
have been recently reinforced by United States
troops, fully provisoned for a long siege, and a
supply of ammunition furnished enough to sink
half dozen respectable sized navies. Key West is |
celebrated naval station. 1t is the headland of
the Southern coast situated on the northwest end
OF an island OF the same name otherwise called
Thompson's Island. 1t is four miles long and one
wide. 1t has fine harbor, admitting vessels draw
ing twenty feet of water, and is well defend
ed, shall hereafter describe. 1t is the key to
the northern passage of the Gulf of Mexico as the
passage here is safer and ninety miles than
/ nrHT That nnfa IL
ranges from so to 80 degrees of Fahrenheit. The
whole island lies on bed of limestone. about one
foot beneath the surface.
FORT TAYLOR, WEST.
This is also new, first class, Fashioned fort, the
work of which was commenced in lS45 Like Fort
Jefferson, it is brick fort, built upon a granite
foundation. 1t is nearly nished, the barracks and
a few platforms for barbette guns being alone in
completed. In shape, the work is irregular
quadrangle, having three channel curtains of equal
length, and a guage or shore curtain of much
greater length. 1t is situated at the southwest part
of the island at the entrance of the harbor of Key
West, in from six to twelve feet of water; and dis
tant from the shore about three hundred yards
The scarp walls eight feet in thickness, and rise
abruptly from the water to height of fOrty-one
| feet The work is pierced for three tiers of guns
two under casemated bomb proofs, and the other
open or en- barbeite. 1t mounts one hundred and
twenty teninch columbiads on the channel fronts,
and forty-tve heavy guns the shore front. Its
full war armament is one hundred and eighty-fve
guns, most of which are in battery, and ready to
/
with provisions, fuel, ammunition, hospital and ar
tery stores, and has first.rate quarters for its
officers and barracks for the troops. Its present
force consists of about two hundred men, under the
command of Capt. J. NJ Brannan, of the First U.
States Artillery, and Captain L. B. Hunt, of the
Corps of Engineers.
Fort Taylor is considered the key Of the Gulf
The only vulnerable point is facing the land side
but even to make any impression upon it by au
enemy would require large force and the sacrifice
Of an immense number of lives, and the expendi-
ture of large amount Of treasure.
FORT JEFFERSON, ToRTUGAs.
This work commenced in 1916, and is now |
nearly finished. In strategical point of view it |
is designed to command the admirable harbor lying
in the heart of this group of Keys. The Fort is
an immense Fashioned work, the walls of which |
built of brick, with a granite foundation. |
Thus far it has cost the Government mil
lion of dollars The work covers an area of be- |
tween thirteen and fourteen acres. Although not
fully armed it is completely closed and impreg- |
nable against escalading party. The work is
| pierced for three tiers of guns, two under bomb
proof casemates, and one open or en- bdrbehe The
| casemated tiers capable of mounting $50 guns.
A wide ditch, communicating with the sea, sur
rounds the entire work, and this is protected by
counterscarp of great length. The guns of this
| fort command the inner harbor The outer harbor
! is beyond the reach of the heaviest guns. Fort
Jefferson, when it will have been completed and
put ON footing, will require total armament
of four hundred and fifty guns and one thousand
troops. The present garrison now consists of about
| two hundred and fifty men, under the command OF
! Brevet Major Lewis G. Arnold, of the First Regi-
ment of U. s. Artillery, assisted by First Lieute-
nant Henry Benson, First Lieutenant Quarter.
| mastery Matthew NJ. Blunt, and Surgeon Adam
| n. McLaren The fort is well provided with pro-
| visions, fuel, ammunition, artillery and hospital
stores. 1t is deficient however, in armament, hav-
| ing only seventy-fve guns in battery-but this is
| being remedied with all possible haste.
RECLAIMING FALLEN WoMEN.-The movement in
| London for the reformation of fallen women has
| been attended with remarkable results. Similar
means have been adopted in other large cities of
Great Britain with success. In Glasgow, over two
| hundred have been received in the Refuge and
| provided with employment, mainly through the
efforts of single lady, who devoted herself to this
| work. and many more have applied, but have been
rejected from the want of means for their support
| OF l63 who had been received in a twelve
month, only twenty had relapsed, and nearly all of
these had returned of their accord, bitterly
repenting their weakness, and desiring further
| opportunity of reformation. AS the most nsidous
| means adopted to lure them back to vice, the
secessions were encouragingly limited. In Dublin,
too, similar movement has been inaugurated, and
| very considerable number have embraced the
| opportunity of abandoning their evil courses.
LARGE DRY GooDs HoUsEs.-The largest dry
| goods business in the world, it has been recently
| stated, is done by the house OF Morrison, Dillon d
| Co., London, whose sales last year amounted to
nearly fifteen million dollars. The next is sup.
posed to be that of Caflin, Melen & Co., New