Litchfield enquirer., 1862-07-24
OUT OF THE DEPTHS.

z. JULY a., 1862.
OUT OF THE DEPTHS.
We make the following extracts from a pri
vate letter which has reached us, written by g
lady in New Orleans, the noble wife of a loyal
high-souled man, who has resided in that city fol
many years. We cannot have clearer insight
of the situation of affairs which obtain in that
city, than are revealed to us in this letter, which
was written only for friendly eyes. 1t describes
graphically the horrible scenes and the fearful
ordeal which Unionists in the South have gone
through in this year Of hateful waf, and il shows
what moral courage IL required to resist tha
most 5sasfal dsspotism known in history. -
-. NEw osIaAxs, June 10th, 1861.
We were delighted to receive yours Of MAJ
18th. It had been almost . year since had seer
your handwriting except in the old letters
have read over, and could scarcely believe,
when held the letter in my hand, that it had
really come straight from yours. Letters from
F. aud brother W. have followed, and it is with
thankful hearts that we learn that you are all
alive.
To-day we have letters from F. & Mrs. H,
and begin to feel like learning how to write
letters again. but it will be a long time, if ever
before shall feel the regular current of life is
flowing on as before this war. The last year has
been one of painfal mental suffering. We have
grown old under it, and so has the community
around us-Secessionists from living in violent
passionate excitement, and Union loving people
from wearing, silent anxiety-suppressed emo
ton, and terrible, vague, unde6nable fear.
You can none of you realize the power Of the
intangible despotism that has been over US, and
presume after while it will appear to us like
horrid nightmare; but I tell you, it has been
real enough in its experience. can see that
our U. S. men, who have come here from free
country, marvel at it, and think we are craven
hearted and timid souls but we know from re
cords of past ages, that the Inquistion suppress
ed courage that could brave almost anything
else. and although do not mean to say that we
have had any thing so bad, yet we have met just
such an intolerant spirit.
The last ten days before the 25th of April
were the worst for us, and the only time that we
ever feared personal injury. woke every morn
ing with feeling of deep gratitude that another
night had passed in safety, and went to sleep
the succeeding night with new sense ofincreas-
ed danger. But we grew accustomed to it, and
our apprehensions were not so lively, nor the
pain so kent did not seem much matter how
much one suffered, or when one died. think
did not make C.'s trials any heavier by any ex-
preston of womanish fears-and people going
in and out of our house-even friends who felt
apprehensive for us, thought by our cheerful
calmness that we felt secure. G., think, sus'
tanned himself with remarkable prudence, though
never compromising his honor by falsehood, as
hundreds have done. His reputation for up.
rightness and integrity of character, protected
him from molestation, at the same time that he
was suspected of the great cfime of reserving to
himself the right of individual opinion, and Of
cherishing loyalty to his own people and gov
ernment. He did nothing taat could be taken
hold of; but in those last few weeks he did not
take the oath of allegiance to the c. S. as COM
manded by our rulers-and if our deliverance
had not come when it did, he would perhaps
have suffered for that.
The night of the oath of April, after we had
heard that the feet had passed the forts, and be-
fore it had reached the city, was the darkest OF
all. When our government was so near with its
protection, life began to look more hopeful and
desirable. About o'clock, gentleman of for
eign birth, and safe, called and told US that he
understood THEY, THAT invisible "they," ruled
by that Jacobin Club of secret Association, J
were going round ito take care of the disaf
fected," that night. We had been told before,
that great oaths had been sworn, that if the Fed.
erals ever did get here, not one of those "spot
ted" men should live to rejoice at their coming;
That C. was "spotted" was pretty certain. II
there was no one else to hand in his name,
have no doubt his minister, Mr.. NJ, had done it.
Well, it was a restless, wretched night-the six
shooter and the bowie-knife were all ready and
at hand. Il had learned to fire pistol with
tolerable steadiness.) c. is not a thorough nom
resistant mar, land he said he wouldn't be taken out
like dog to die, without Kidding the world of q
few base rebels if he could. But, as we hoped,
our rulers had too much to attend to that night
to notice u.s. and the spotted men lived to see the
dear old flag. The streets were busy, noisy, all
uight-drays loaded with cotton for the funeral
piles of the wealth Of the South were passing
cabs and horsemen driving fariously -the smell
and smoke Of burning cotton penetrated our
very chamber, and the blaze Of bur ming ships
and steamboats, lighted all the Levee. Obi it
was'a horrid night and this was Southern pa
triotisml
The next day, Farragpt and his feet appear
ed, and with them, still the smoke of burning
vessels and gun-carriages, and grand thunder
storms Of passion sweeping over US. .
c. is known as Union man. Though he takes
no prominent part in any demonstration, he
cannot consider it consistent with his dignity as
a man, or his duty as Christian citizen. now
that he enjoys the protection of his own Gov
eminent, to avoid giving it the small moral sup
port which may arise from a friendly expression
Of his sincere regard far it. Many gentlemen of
his own standing apparently, during the last year,
now preserve with jealous care sort of neu-
trality they call it; but it is simply an abject
Difference to the despotic will which has ruled
this community for the last eighteen months. If
he would do this-would be::carefulss mot to speak
to an q. S. man. if he could help land would
abstain from all friendly expressions towards
the Government, and keep quiet until the war is
over, and then shrug his shoulders and say,
"Well, we may as well submit to what cant
be helped, and make the best of it," he would
be all right. But that he dares, right in the
peering faces and eyes of all his neighbors, to re-
ceive Il. S. men into his house and is no doubt
glad they have come. here, is too much to bear
and his acquaintance pass him without seeing
him, or bow coldly, discuss him in their street.
corner gathering, and foretell that he will lose
his business. We are perfectly aware that " he
will lose"-means che shall lose." if they can
procure that result; but they have to be wary in
their patriotic attempts to ruin him, for they
irs form of government. \ *'*
DISPATCHES from Warrenton, Va, have beer
received. A Mr.. Scruggs, who edited the Var
rcnton Wing before the Rebel army fell back
arrived in Washington on Saturday morning di
n. <cl1