Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-05-25

Affairs at NOrfOlk-Scarcity or Pros
visLOns-Groat suffering among the
Poor People.
BALTIMORE, May 24-The following is taken
from the Americans Fortress Monroe cores.
pondenee: s-.
There is but little change 10 the condition Of
affairs at Norfolk. The Mayor and members
of the City Council still refuse to take the oath
Of allegiance. General Wool bad an interview
with them yesterday, but they continued In the
snlks, 30 that he now refuses all intercourse with
the people of Norfolk and Portsmouth,; even
the little business they have been doing in the
way of Strawberries and peas, is now stopped
General Wool sent up proclamation to Nor
folk this morning, notifying the people that the
matter was entirely in their own hands. So
soon as they would acknowledge the supremacy
Of the Government they will enjoy its fostering
aid; but while they remain in their present re.
bellious mood, they will be cut of from all ad.
vantages Of trade and commerce, and the city
will be governed by stflct martial law. He also
assures them that no contingency can possibly
arise whereby Norfolk will again be given up
to the control Of the rebel government, and that
those who entertain Union sentiments can give
expression to them with ample assurances OF
protection of oil their rights 40 citizens Of the
United Statea.
Most OF the stores ere now open, and the
sale Of such goods es they have is progressing.
AS far as cen be sscerGaiaed no one Is now will
ing to receive confederate notes at par. Bust
ness is mostly done in small notes Of Virginia
banks and other chartered corporations. Gov
eminent notes sre received with great avidity.
| The Union men Of Norfolk still hold back,
afraid to express sentiments openly in defiance
OF the rebellious spirit around them.
| Quite an enthusiastic Union meeting was
held at Portsmouth on Thursday night. Not
less than eight hundred were present, including
many Union men from Norfolk. The course
OF the Government in refusing to allow provis.
ions to come there for loyal people, was severely
criticised, and the propfiety of such course by
no means approved. The scarcity of provisions
and necessaries OF life are so great, and prices
30 high, that the poorer classes have to live al
most entirely on fish and oysters. The secess.
ionists are nearly all wealthy people, who can
stand high prices, and have laid in their stocks
long since.
There is no doubt that the decision OF Gen
Wool is leading to great suffering among the
poorer classes. They have suffered beyond al
endurance for year.
II was reported at Norfolk yesterday thai
Burnside had taken Welden.
| Az 70 cnhmateu buhb tneEe are now III NOrtOlh
and Portsmouth not less than one thousand de-
lerters from the force with which Gen. Hugel
left Norfolk. Those who have come in and ara
still arriving in squads Of tens aud tWeniep, did
not succeed in escaping until after they reached
Petersburg. They are in most deplorablt
condition. A party who came in to-day sayl
there must be nearly one thousand more scat
tered through the woods behind them. AL
willingly take the oath of allegiance, aud ap
pear most happy to have escaped from the rebe
army.
| The Minnesota will proceed to Norfolk to
morrow morning, and the whole feet will hav,
abandoned Old Point and taken up position a
the old naval station. The walls of the navy
yard buildings are in solid condition, and car
soon be put together again The machinery
was taken out of the buildings before they were
fred, and packed up with the intention Of being
removed, but the rapid action Of Gen. Woo
prevented the removal.
Numerous wrecks sunk in the hArbor ant
river by the rebels are all to be removed forth
with, including the wrecked Merrimac.
large number Of fuses and shells were obtained
from the latter yesterday.