The New York herald., 1863-08-30

Cotton was In limited request on SATURDAY, RMdNues
closing heavily u $40. CSC. moderatsS Iswas
reported in breadssuns; nour and wheat wsys sAfde
cheaper; steady and oats wertr asAef@ Fro
visions were quiet and tending dowuvs - 4Se only
active article in tho grocery line was sugar, was
nrm. Whiskey was quiet but steady. Hay. EiQ6E tsi
low and tobacco were in fair request. wpolwM MORE
freely purchased Eseights quiet, without change
OF moment In rates. There were remarkable altera
tions In other commodities.
Important from Alabama-Ths Progress
OF the Counter Revelation I'm the
South.
There are many indications Of this; but there
10 one that deserves particular attention.
Alabama was not only one of the original Sc
session States, but the first that pledged itself
In advance to revolt in the event of q republi-
can being elected President, and the third State
which actually passed an ordinance Of seces-
Bon. What is the sentiment in that State to-
day? The recent election for Governor tells
tho tale. In August, 1861, Thomas H. Watts
and John Gill Shorter were the candidates for
that Office. There never was any doubt about
Shorter's secession ideas, and hence he was
elected In the midst OF the revolutionary ex-
element Of the time, which swept everything
before It. In Thomas H. Watts there was not
the same confidence. "Hs was originally
Union whig, and led the Bell and Everett
ticket In Alabama" He was consequently de-
feated. Now mark the change The same
men arc candidates again. The contest
has just taken place. Shorter is defeated, and
Watts 10 elected by an overwhelming majority.
The result, a. ascertained in fiftytwe counties,
is as follows
Watts ...................... 22,223
Snorter. ....................... 6,34Z
Here is the clearest evidence Of the most
remarkable revolution in public sentiment
which ever took place. Shorter, ever since his
election in 1861, has continued faithful, con-
sstent and violent secessionist, true to JEFF
Davis and the Southern confederacy. His
proof of his zeal in the cause of the rebellion.
In fact be was regarded on all sides as an ex-
treme partisan of the Confederate President
and his administration. On the other hand, an
impression has gained ground that Watts is
Union man, and certain 1t is, from comparing
all the criticisms in the Southern papers which
have reached us, he is less hostile to the Union
he was elected on this ground.
The ultra secession journals, seeing the force
Of this event, are doing their utmost to explain
it away, which there would be no necessity for
doing il they felt that Watts was "all right on
the goose" One Of them says that "the i'm
preston sought to be made is that Mr.. Watts is
Union man, and that his election 10 evidence
of a purpose to rcbuke secessionists." Who
have sought to make this impression Evident
ly the Union men, the opponents of secession
lists, who claim Watts as their successful candi-
date. II is to no purpose that an extreme Sc
cession paper. the Augusta (Ga.) Constitutional
isl, makes the following feeble assertion:--
/" We are Of the impression that Mr.. Watts,
while supporting Bell and Everett, distinctly
announced himself In favor Of disunion
If Lincoln was elected President" The
writer does not venture to assert posi-
lively that Watts eyer made any such announce
ment, but 10 merely "of the impression
truly non-committal formula. II is quite safe
to conclude that Watts did not proclaim this
sentiment, or the Georgia paper would be easily
able 70 quote It. II he was man Of that
stamp, whence the doubt among the secession
ish ~ 70 what bis sentiments are and werei
They have not "the shadow Of shade, OF
doubt about Shorter. Why did they not elect
him! There can be only one answer 10 the
question, and that 10 that they could mot Nor
10 IL less certain that they are conscious Watts
s moro or less . Union man--perhaps a good
Unionist a. Governor Vance, Of North Caro-
lima, who defeated the ultrasscession candidate
10 the same way. The Kentucky election would
seem to have brought forth fruit In Alabama az
we'll "A IN Iowa. North and South Il IL all one
grand reactionary movement to come back 20
the Union M Il was and the constitution a Il n.
and secessionism, copperhcadism and radical
republicsnism are equally destined to fall be-
fore II.
II is plain that the ebbing tide Of the Union
has turned in the South, and Is now advancing
10 the food. The deceived and BETRAYED peo.
pie are beginning 70 understand their situation.
and were Il not for the military dcspotism
which still holds shsm down they would