The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-05-30
From the Philadelphia Press, May %.
The Condition of the South.

"A gentleman JUST IctuIneu lIOiH W"
Orleans via Montgomery called on us
yesterday, and Communicated many
important and interesting items OF IN
telligence as to the operations, etc., OF
the Southern rebels. He informs us
that it is generally understood in Mont
gomery that Immediately upon the
passage of the Secession Ordinance by
Virginia, the seat of the Confederate
Government will be changed to Rich
mond, and it has been proposed that
the Confederate Congress shall con-
vene there on the 5th of next July
All through the South they are album
IDENTIFY supplied with firearms OF the
Minnie Enfield patterns. Since Sep
TENDER last there have been large and
steady importations of English and
Belgian arms into New Orleans, Mo-
bile, and other Southern ports. They
have ample supplies of powder, and in
fact of all the munitions of war. The
cannon seized at Norfolk have been
conveyed to all important points in the
Seeding States that would be likely
to suffer from an invasion.
As many guns as could be spared
have been removed from Charleston
Harbor and sent to Pensacola, where
they have been mounted on batteries.
Gen. Bragg has sixty mortars bearing
point blank upon Fort Pickens. The
railroad from Montgomery to Pensa-
cola was completed two weeks ago
yesterday. Large numbers of cavalry
are now concentrating at the latter
point, and the infantry are being with
drawn and sent North. The object of
concentrating the cavalry at Pensacola
is probably more effectually to resist
the landing of the u. S. troops. For
q similar purpose sand-bag batteries
have heen erected for a number of miles
along the shore.
For number of months past the
women and children have been busily
occupied in sewing and filing these
sand-bags. Nevertheless, Gen. Bragg
does not deem it advisable to attempt
the capture of Fort Pickens at this
time, and the project has been deferred
indefinitely. His whole attention now
seems directed to opposing an effectual
resistance to any land attack of the
Government troops. The latter, under
Col. Brown, have been equally busy in
throwing up sand batteries on Santa
Rosa Island, having been provided
with sand-bags by the U. S. transport
Atlantic. Their exertions have so far
proved successful, that all the outworks
of the fertilization are thoroughly pro-
tected. The rebels have an especial
dread of the United States troops
which recently arrived from Texas,
having witnessed their flying artillery
drill on Santa Rosa Island. The rebel
force now at Fort Pickens under Bragg,
is estimated to be about 5000, one
fourth of which consists of cavalry.
The authorities at Montgomery esti-
mate that, with their present organiza-
ton they are able to put Us, 900 men
into the field fully equipped and armed,
with ammunition for one year. Our
informant states that he has every
reason to believe that they do not ex-
aggerate their strength. His opportu-
mites have been such as to enable him
to become thoroughly "posted" on
this point, and being strong Union
man at heart, his statements may be
relied upon. He states that there are
still many friends of the Union, even
in the Cotton States who have enter
tanned no doubt as to the result of this
contest, since the decisive action of the
Government, which has inspired them
with feeling Of greater confidence in
its stability. Numerous cases are
instanced in Which they have refused
to liquidate the debts contracted with
the rebels upon the ground that the
latter have repudiated their just debts
due in the North. They declare that
they took no part in bringing about the
present troubled State of affairs; that
they do not intend to contribute to the
support of a Secession Government.
On his way up, our informant noticed
at the different stations large collec
tons Of troops, who appeared to b.
moving toward Virginia. AT Memphis
the Disunion spirit is daily gaining
strength. Deep Indignation is felt ant
expressed in consequence of the stop
page of boats on the Ohio and Missis
sippi at Cairo. AS soon as the block
ade is rigidly enforced, however, an6
the rebels are compelled to depend
upon the direct taxation and levies fol-
the support of their forces, our inform
ant is of opinion that the Union feeling
= will at once manifest itself in wa,
particularly unsatisfactory to the rebe
leaders. As far as provisions are con
cerned, we are informed that all through
i the Cotton States the crops are very
promising, thus in measure confirm
:. ing the statements heretofore made
that the cotton has been plowed up ant
supplanted by corn. And we are furth
er told that fresh beef is now being
brought from Texas to New Orleans
by way of the Red River.
~ A Deplorable Exhibition.
The Baltimore correspondent of tn
New York Tribune says that the Uniol