, 1863-08-05
IMPORTANT FROM THE SOUTH.
The People in Favor Of a Recon-
struction Of the Union,
THE ARMY DISHEARTENED.

kE EUU 1QE QeQpul9 DullEL103 aug. 1Et.
During the last day or two Nc have bean
favored with opportunities Ut converting With
gentlemen who represent nearly i'll Of the
original seven seeded states. These gentle
men were, As general thing, Intelligent, ro-
flcct1ng men, who have watched the course Of
events In the Southern States, With hope Of
ultimate success. Several Of those with whom
ta1J service Of the Coufederacy for more than
two years, thus proving how sangulne mere
their hnpes Of establishing the Independence
Of the Confederate States. But recent events
have 1IesirAted these hopes, like mist before
the morning sun.
One Of the gentlemen with whom We con
versed WAS from Georgia, and had been ono
Of tho first to take up arms In behalf Of what
he deemed tho 1acred rights Of the South. He
now frankly acknowledges that hc acted more
from impulse than from mature Judgment.
He acknowledges that he was mistaken in
another important particular; that was, he
had unde1e.timated the character and feelings
esflmated the -proWcss and, abilities Of tho
people Of tic South. When the question OF
secession was brought prominently before the
people on the election Of Mr.. Lincoln a.
President Of the United States, current Of
excitement srept over tho country with irro-
They {the people Of the South) have meas
ured their strength with the power Of this
GoSerDment, and h4ye found themselves
wanting In 80 many things essential to sue.
cess against great power, TINT many persons
vito twelve months ago teprobsted Tie idea
of restoration with n,ost bitter Indignation,
aa!c now ready and waiting for soma proposals
from the Government looking to restoration
>of The Union as being the best and only wav
Of alternating the distfess Of the people.
In The opinion Of cur informant, the time
for deluding the people BY boastfut claims Of
Copfederato Victories, Is past. It Is hsrd to
make them believe The reports which arc daily
circulated by the newspaper press, of:victo-
1ies achieved BY Southern arms. So long as
Vicksburg held out, there was hope, for they
regarded It rs fmpregnablo; Jet when the
news ofite fall became known, the people at
once gave up all hope Of final success. Nor
WIS tbls feeling confined alone to the citizens.
It was SHARED by the armies Of the Confed-
eracy. The veterans who had fought the ad
vanciug Fcdera1s at Fort Done1son, Shiloh,
ard Stone River, and had seen all their cff3rts
prove to be vain, at once became dtshoaftened.
These events, continued our lnformer.
hare brought the people, both citizens aud
soldiers, to reflect calmly upon the present
aspect Of our political affairs. Patriotic man
Who, although they were the most ardent sup,
porters Of tho Southern cause, began to noe
tie terrible error into which they had fallen
and are now willing to acknowledge thai
error, As ho has done, and are now willing to
Dc all that yet remains IN their power 10 cor.
rect the political mistake which they &C.
knowledge to have made. 'Tis useless to dis
suIse the fact that the people Of the South arr
| earnestly anxious that the United. State.
should make come proposals Of peece.i on The
lasi9 OF restoration Of the Union. MOI
vtl they be guided by the opinions, views, Of
feelings Of those Who have led them tastray,
The newspapers do not repreaent the Rentl
ments Of The masses Of the South. On the
contrary, they Uhe ne"spapers) are Ignored
/ and their sentiments cured by large pro.
portion Of the people. Our Informant has
Travelled through Alabama, Georgia and
l. Western North Carolina, and has come to
| the de}iberlte conclusion that tho people are
| ripe for restoration Of the Union On any.
| thing like an hono1able basis.
l. The army 1e wea1fed ind worn. The men
! are disheartened aud deserving By the scores.
Tbs CONSUMPTION laws are Ineffective where
tEcrc IL not force to enforce It's provisions.
Tic people are tired ont with tho contest.
They feel that they have been mistaken In
their views, and the best thing they can
rake Of bad undertaking is to return to
tEeir allegiance and duty, and thus relieve
TIER country, as far as possible, from the ter
rible cs14mities under which she is at tprese1t
auffhrfDr.