Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1864-08-24
THE CONDITION OF THE SOUTH.


THE CONDITION OF THE SOUTH.
The Rebel Cause Failing from Exhaus-
tlon-Letter from Gen Seymour, Late
Prisoner OF War.
New YORK, Friday, Aug. l9, 1864.
To tie Editor Of the NetC York Times:
have just received the following
most interesting letter from General
Seymour, lately released from "under
fire. at Charleston. As an old West
Point officer, with General Anderson
at Sumter, and stationed many wears
IN the South, he knows the Southern
people well. He is brave. true sol
dier, devoted to the Union, and, al
though ut the time Of the unfortunate
battle IN Florida, he was accused CT
lukewarmness by those ignorant of his
character, he has proved, by his action
on many battlefield, as well as by
his plucky talk to the rebels at Cor
louisville, when captured in May last,
that he was every inch loyal to the old
flag. Yours, &c, W E.D..Jr.
WHLIAMsTowN, Mass, Aug. Is, 1864.
My DEAR SIR: You ask my impressions
OF the present conditions Of the Southern Con.
federacy, aud you shall have them. For the
benefit Of our cause | wish they I'M ght be i'm.
pressed upon every soul in the land, that the
confidence begetten of my three months ob,
serVatIUns in the interior of the South might
be shared by every man who has the least
connection with the responsibilities of this
struggle. And | am sure these opinions are
not peculiar TO myself. Every one OF the
fifty officers just exchanged will express the
same-every one OF them, whether from the
Jalls Of Charleston, or the pens of Macon and
AndersonFlIIe, will confidently tell the same
story.
The rebel cause IS fast tailing, from erlaus.
tan Their two grand armies have been re
lntorced this summer from the last resources
OF the South. From every corner of the land,
every old man and every boy capable of bear.
lng a rife has been impressed, willingly or
unwillingiy, and hurried to the front Lees
army was the first so strengthened 1t was
at the expense Of Hoods. Gov Brown told
the truth with plainness that was very bit.
ter, but It was none the less the truth.
There must. indeed, have been desperate
weakness when Georgia. and the Southern
cause with II, were - neglected that Lees
army might be made equal to the task Of
holding Grant to the Potomac or the James,
and the People Of the South are intelligent
enough to understand and to appreciate the
fact and they have lost heart accordingly.
There is certainly a 10 small proportion of
the Southern people despite the lying decla.
rations of their journals, as we had good oc
casiOn TO learn, that not only favor progress
,fp l,.f =.
terminating war may soon be brought to a
fnallty by our complete and perfect success,
They have had too much Of des potism-not
enough of the triumph promised them
Many intelligent Southern gentlemen DO, in
deed, express strong hopes Of their ultimate
independence, but such hope is not shared by
the masses. Disappointed from the first ia
not having been acknowledged by foreign
POwers-mUre bitterly disappointed in their
general expectation that Northern c0wardice
or dissensiOn would secure their ends. but
single chance remains, and that is the result
Of our nert election for President If a Demo.
crat succeeds Mr.. Lincoln they profess TO
feel sure Of negotiations, and sure of their
Confederacy. They believe Democrat will
be elected. In Mr.. Lincolns re election
they see subjugation, annihiIation, for the war
must then continue, and continuance is their
failure and ruin.
Ia military affairs it is an excellent rule
never to do what the enemy desires-is it not
equally true in politics? Certain it is that
the only remaining hope Of the South lies in
Ar. Liacoln's defeat.
Now, | am not enough of politician to
know whether the election Of Democrat can
result as favorbiy to the South as it antici
pates. The wish alone may be the parent of
their belief. But | assured all who express
ed that belief that the North, as a mass, is as
united as the South-that no Democrat could
be elected on peace platturm-and that
any President who would inaugurate any
measure leading to peace on the basis Of
Southern independence, would be promptly
hung, by loyal acclamation, to the lamp posts
in front Of his own Presidential ma sion.
However that may be, if We are but true
ourselves there can be but one result
Whdt are nOW need IS Ksn-only men-not
substitutes or hirelings who 60 forth for any
motive but the country's good, and produce
but little beyond deprecIatng Or armies
but MEN-such as really constitute the State,
and boast of being freemen and tn. sons of
freemen. If these fail to support there coun.
try's cause in her hour Of peril, they are un-
worthy of continuing freemen. and should
blush ever to exercise freems MS privileges
But if bounties must be paid, let il be in
Southern land, not in Northern gold; and ar
mics of emigrants, whose sons may aspire to
even the rule of the nation. will cross the s, as
to win the broad acres that dsloyalty has
forfeited to the State.
To every intelligent soldier who has fought
through all these indecsive campaigns on al,
most numberless indecisive fields, the oues.
ton constantly arises, with touching force,
why we do not overwhelm our enemies?
Tens Of thousands of lives are lost because
our array Of strength is so disproportionaby
less than that against which we battle. Eve.
rywhere we meet on nearly equal terms,
where we might well have four 70 one The