Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-10-07


President Condition Of the
People, DC.
The Fribanss Washington correspond
ent, under date of October 2, thus reports
the results of an interview with highly
distinguished Georgia gentleman
The uncertainty which of these direc-
tions he will take will cause Hood to divide
his army INTO three bodies. With one OF
these covering the Georgia road, and an
other the Atlanta and Macon road, and the
other the road from Atlanta to West Point,
neithsr will be strong enough to resist a
formidable attack, nor near enough when
either Is assailed to be concentrated in time
to prevent disaster.
The rebels well understand this, and
will, no doubt, make superhuman efforts to
recover the fallen city.
Mr.. Calhoun, Mayor Of the town, the
day after its occupation by our forces, said
to several prominent citizens that the
south might as well succumb first as last !;
that in yielding Atlanta to Sherman, they
gave him passport to 90 wherever he
pleased; that there was nothing to pre-
vent him going south to the Gulf, or east
to the Atlantic, thereby cutting the Con-
federacy in two more effectually than it
was cut by the opening of the Mississippi.
He cursed JEFF Davis as a knave, and
damned Hood us q fool. He declared that
if Johnston had been left in command of
the army, Atlanta could never have been
captured, and that the only way remaining
to save the Confederacy now was to retake
the city at all hazards. ear
As soon as his honor was informed that
General Sherman intended to remove all
citizens from the town, ne raved like a
maniac. He swore that had he suspected
such inhumanity on the part of the "Yan-
kee thief" he would have poisoned every
well and fred every building in the city.
My informant says it was we'll UNDER
stood to be part of Johnston's plan, if
compelled TO abandon Atlanta, to complete
ly destroy, in his retreat, the railroads lead
ing to West Point, Macon and Augusta,
and take up and carry away the track for
use in other places, leaving Sherman to re-
construct the road or draw his supplies after
him in wagons; and he believes that if Hood
finds it impossible to recover the lost city,
he will follow the plans of his predecessor
in this respect. Railroad iron has become
very scarce throughout the Confederacy.
The roads generally are in miserable
condition, and the trains in passing over
them are obliged to move at a very low
rate of speed. The rebels manufacture very
little railroad iron, and the supply they
obtain from Europe through the blockade
is wholly inadequate to keep their roads in
fair running order. In many places on the
Central Railroad, running from Savannah
to Macon, the track has been repaired with
wooden rails plated on the top with iron
about third of an inch in thickness. Full
ly half the rails, on the Washington branch,
d road little used at present, have been Ia
ken up, wooden ones being substituted in
their places, to repair the Georgia road
running from Augusta to Atlanta.
At Macon and Milledgeville there are
also quite a number OF factories for the
preparation of ordnance stores, ammuni-
ton, and equipments for the army. At.
the former city is a Government establish
ment in which disabled soldiers, such as
have two hands, are employed in making
shoes for the army. The Rebel Govern
ment does not discharge such of its crippled
soldiers as can be made useful to it in any
branch of duty, In the manufactory re
ferred to upward of three hundred manned
soldiers are engaged. Many of them were
entered as apprentices, having never
touched clamps, or awl, r last. This
arrangement may not be altogether with
out merit. Some Of Che unfortunate VIC
Tins of secession may gain knowledge
enough of their new trades to enable
them to procure livelihood after the war
by cObbling rather than by begging Or
Stealing. Other establishments are To be
started for the pur pose of employing Grip
pied tailers and artisans whose services at
their original avocations can be rendered
valuable to the Government.
But notwithstanding the energy and
enterprise displayed by the Rebel Govern
ment in Georgia, the people OF the State
do not heartily second their efforts. There
IS no State in the so-called Confederacy of
which so great portion of the subtantial
citizens were at the time of the secession of
their respective States, loyal to the Gen
eral Government as Georgia. The same
citizens though some Of them are in the ar
my as officers and privates, ever since have
been loyal in heart, and are 50 to-day.
The politicians carried the State-so far As
resolutions on paper could do tout of the
Union; but they utterly failed to carry
with them the good will Of the peO-
pie, whose affections had irrevocably been
given TO the old Government of their faith
ers. Alexander II. Stephens, an opponent
co secession, the most distinguished man
in the State, and Unionist at hegrt but
withal vain and ambitious office-seeker,
was selected by jeff Davis and his coad-
tutors, who knew his vanity and weakness
and that he would sacrifice everything,
even principle and honor, for exalted posi-
Lion-as Vice President of the Oonfederacy.
in the hope of drawing with him the IN
on men of the State and of the South. |
.hus reconciling to them dangerous DO.
itical element.
Mr.. Stephens could not resist the temp |
alton set before him, and outstripping in
1aseness Essu, who sold his birthright for |
mess of pottage, he pocketed the thirty
pieces of silver, the Vice Presidency. and |
betrayed his friends and country. But |
hough he proved a willing tool, he failed |
o supplant the affections of the people for
he Union. He helped greatly to place
hem in the power of jeff Davis, but he
allied to make them revere the tyrant or
lis bogus Confederacy.
To-day more than two thousand citizens
f the State are suffering and dying bv
nches, from hunger, exposure and despair
4 rebel bastiles The penitentiarY and
rsenal at Milledgeville the Capital of the
tate, were nearly three years ago convert
d into political prisons. The penitentiary
isgorged its felons for the army, the ar
email gave up its arms to equip them; and
be cells and rooms of both institutions ara
ow crowded with citizens too honorable
nd patriotic to assist the rebellion against
le government Of their country. Among
lese victims are many who, before the re-
silion, were political and personal friends !
Mr.. Stephens. They were imprisoned,
OF upon evidence that they had aided or
oetted the enemies Of JEFF. Davis, but on
ere suspicion of being dnfFiendly 70 his
warn Tnnnt fTha-- ooliof4o1 |