Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-09-28

Ohuu lug uEG departments AQQ OEQeE lQtO
the field All members of it who came within
the pFnvisions of the Richmond couscrip-
ton. This department from the outset
drilled az sOldiers, and performed provost
duty, guarded railroads, warehouses, pris
ons, &c, &c. --g
Lately military necessity has not spared
even the negro, ana people have retained
house servants onlJOm- speeiaEp permits
From the beginning, whenever there was
urgent need oflabor In the qnartermaster's g
department or npon the entrenchments, 3
sufficient number Of negroes were i'm.
pressed in the streets, without regard TO
any errand they might be upon; SO that
family might send its slave TO market and
wait in vain for the dinner. ~-r
Negroes are very cheap, and small hold
era are selling in view of the future. No
insubordination is manifested by them,
though perfectly aware of the reasons for
the state of affairs. Provisions are plenty,
and there has been a4oOnstaut supply of
such Injuries -eVsn IS tea and coffee, al
prices comparing favorable with those ru-
ling here, When reduced to a1gold standard.
Coffee sold At $40 per pound and tea at $50.
There IL much suffering, however, and the
free market is in constant operation
Twenty dollars in currency is worth only
one in gold, so that the msjority fnd ii
hard to obtain enough of the former to
meet the enormous prices.
Few families can indulge habftually in
food more Injurious than corn meal and
salted meat No one, not even secession
lists themselves, trusts the currency, but
all not converted into property or gold is
spent as rapidly az it comes. Coin, green
backs, bills of local banks and those of
loyal states, are carefully boarded. Store
keepers refuse to part with goods in great
er quantities than to meet immediate
wants, and, their costliest goods have been
mostly packed away. Stores are opened
at nine or ten and CLOSED again at three
Most of the large wholesale warehouses on
Front and Commerce street are shut up,
and those streets, the Commercial and Broad
of Mobile, once go busy ,Sare now deserted
avenues. Necessity has developed won
derfully the resources of the county
Illuminating gas is made from wood, and
good oil for lamps from cotton seed. Bar
rooms have been supplied with ice from
Georgia, where much was made during the
last cold winter. The palmetto grass
growing in the sEspPs, has furnished
nice material for plated hats, the handi-
work of the ladies. Imported cloths are
discarded, and Confederate gray,"R jeans
mixed with wool, furnishes the dress suit
of gentleman. The ladies card and spin
6jtton, and knit most of the socks worn.
7 Theatrical exhibitions and concerts have
not been wanting, and the city has been
made gay, even wild, by the presence OF
the officers Of the navy and the garrison
formerly there. No new buildings have
been erected during the war, and when 8
fire occurs the ruins remain untouched
Union sentiment is, perhaps, stronger in
Mobile than in any other place in the
stranger, however, could
not detect its existence, The old bitter
ness has died out, and it is no uncommon
thing to. find families divided upon the
question of the war living peaceably to-
Cether, and known Union men on friendly
terms with Secessionists. -r------
The coming elections in North fur
nish thee only sources of hopeto Secession
lists. The peace articles in the Northern
papers are regularly and Immediately
copied, as an evidence of the growing Wea-
riness Of the North, and, it is safe TO say,
contributed more than anything else to
keep up the spirit of the South to fight
ing point.- The .Auetuations of gold are
eagerly watched, ane hope has been
buoyed by prophecies that Northern inan-
ees must soon collapse and the war cease
from that cause. The rank and file of the
army are discontented- Six or eight months
ago a conspiracy was detected, which in
volved 8 large part of the troops in the
vicinity of Mobile, mostly Mississippians
and AIabamiaus The plan was to throw
down th cir arms and make TChHir way TO
the Union lines. Tie conspirators had
grips and passwords, and secret CORES
poudence with Bragg's army. Their num-
Der was SO large thai but one or two we're
shot, and the remainder went uaPunished.
The reasons for the conspiracy were sim
ply WEAKNESS and dissatisfaction with the
absence of pay, and through separation
from suffering families, wilh the know
ledge that the man with twenty negroes
remained in comfort, while the man with
q large family of children WAS torn from
home which, without him, must become
the abode of want r--- ,--.