The national Republican., 1861-06-15
MR.. RUSSELL'S LAST LETTER TO THE
LONDON TIMES.
MoNTocNRnr, CAPrAt OF THE CONFEDERATE
STATES OF AMERICA Nav g. 1891

MoSroonERr, CArnAt OF The CONFEDERATE
STATES OF AMERICA, Aay 8, 1854.
In my last letter l gave an account of such
matters as passed under my notice on my way
to this city, which ! reached, US you are aware,
on the night Of Saturday, May 4. / am on
difficult ground the land is on fire, the earth
is shaking with the tramp Of armed men, and
the very air is hot with passion. Ny commu.
nicatons are cut of, or are at best accidental,
and in order to reopen them l must get further
away from them, paradoxicsl as the statement
may appear to be. 1t is impossible to know
what is going on in the North, and it 10 almost
the same to learn what is doing in the South
out Of eyeshot; it is useless to inquire what
news is sent to you to England. The tele.
graphic communications are now broken, 80
are the mail routes. Newspapers and letters
now and then reach well-knOwn people here
from New York in six or seven dajs. Events
hurry on with tremendous rapidity, and even
the lightning lags behind them. .,
The people Of the South at last are aware
that the Yankees" are preparing to support
the secession can only be maintained by victo.
ry in the 6eld. There has been change in
the war policy. They now aver that "they
only want to be left alone," and they declare
they do not intend to take Washington, and
that it was merely as feint they spoke about
lhe fact is, there are even in the compact and
united South, men of moderate and men Of
extreme views, and the general tone of the
whole is regulated by the preponderance Of
the one or other at the moment. have no
doubt on my mind that the Government here
intended to attack and occupy Washington
not the least that they had it much at heart
10 reduce Fort Pickens as soon as possible.
Now, some of their friends say that it will be
a mere matter of convenience whether they at.
tack Washington or not and that. as for Fort
Pickens, they will certainly let it alone-at all
events, for the present-inasmuch "a the men,
acing attitude of General Bragg obliges the
enemy to keep squadron of their best ships
there, and to retain force of regulars they
can i'll spare, in a position where they must
soon lose enormously from diseases incidental
t, the climate. They have discovered, too, that
the position is of little value, so long as the
United States hold Tortugas aud Key West.
They firmly believe the war will not last q
year, and that 1862 will behold victorious,
| compact slsveholdiug Confederate Power Of
fifteen States, under q strong Government, pre-.
pared to hold its own against the world, or that
portion of it which may attack it. o..
now but repeat the sentiments and expect.
ations of those around me. They believe in
the irresistible power of cotton, in the natural
alliance between manufacturing England and
France and the cotton producing slave States,
in the force Of their simple tariff and in the in.
terests which arise out of system of free trade
which, however, by rigorous legislation they
will interdict to their neighbors in the free
States, and only open for the benefit of their
foreign customers. Commercially, and politi.
cally, and militarily, they have made up their
minds, and never was there such confidence
exhibited by any people in the future as they
have, or pretend to have, in their destiny.
Listen to their programme:
1t is intended to buy up all the cotton crop
which can be brought into the market at an
avarage price, and to give bonds of the Con.
federate States for the amount these bonds be.
ing, as we know, secured by the export duty on
cotton. The Government, with this cotton crop
in its own hands, will use it as formidable
machine Of war, for cotton can do anything,
from the establishment of an empire to the
securing Of a shirt button. 1t is at once king
and subject muster and servant, captain and
soldier, artilleryman and gun. Not one bale of
cotton will be permitted to enter the Northern
States. 1t will be made an offence punishabl.
with tremendous penalties, among which con.
fscation of property, enormous fines, and even
the penalty Of death, are enumerated, to send
cotton into the free States. Thus Lowell and
its kindred factories will be reduced to ruin,
it is said, and the North to the direst dis.
tress. lfManchester can get cotton, and Lowell
cannot, there are good times coming for II Q
mill owners.
The planters have agreed among themselves
to hold over one half of their cotton crop for
their own purposes and for the culture of their
fields, and sell the other to the Government.
For each bale Of cotton, as l hear, a bond will
be issued on the fair average price of cotton in
H. IL. l..
as a circulating medium within the limits Of
the slave States. This forced circulation will
be secnred by the act of the Legislature. The
bonds will bear interest at ten per cent, and
they will be issued on the fAith aud security of
the proceeds Of the duty Of one.eighth Of cent
on every pound Of cotton exported. All yes.
sells loading with cotton will be obliged to enter
into bonds or give security that they will not
carry their cargoes to Northern ports, or let it
reach Northern markets to their knowledge.
The Government will sell the cotton for cash to
the foreign buyers, and will thus raise funds
amply sufficient, they contend, for all pur.
poses. ~
One great fact, however, is unquestionable-
the Government has in its hands the souls, the
wealth, and the hearts Of the people, They
will give anything-money, labor, life itself
to carry out their theories.
"Sir," said an ex Governor of this State to
me to day, "sooner than submit to the North,
we will all become subject to Great Britain
again." The same gentleman is one Of many
who have given to the Government large por.
tion OF their cotton crop every year, as free.
will Offering. In his instance, his gift is one of
500 bales OF cotton, or $4,000 per annum, aud
the papers TEEN with accounts Of similar "pa.
triotism" and devotion.
The newspapers contain the text Of the dec.
laration of state OF war on the part of Presi.
dent Davis, and of the issue of letters of marqus
and reprisal, &c.
The refusal to admit the privateers of The