Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-11-15
ROUGH TIMES IN ALABAMA.

Had 1t not been for the loud and in
sulting gasconaie INDUCED in by the rebel
leaders at the outbreak of the rebellion,
their bombastic talk about five to one"
and conducting the war on Northern
SOIL" knowing grass in Broadway" and
the like, we could hardly refrain from
being moved to pity at the scenes of DESC
lation which their revolt has brought upon
the Southern States. There has been but
little fighting on the soil Of Alabama; the
Northern armies having never invaded
that State to any considerable distance ;
yet the sufferings of the people and the
desolation of the land have been most
.rlevous. We find in late number of
the Louisville Jouraa! the following ac-
count Of the condition Of things in Ala
bama two months ago. Il is given by
LADY, who had recently arrived from what
was once the wellthiest and most pros
porous portion of the State. She says:
The desolatiou of the Southern States beg
yars description. Destitution and poverty
have taken the place of opulence and pros
lerity. Men that were worth hundreds OF
thousands are reduced TO utter poverty. As
for the luxuries OF life, formerly so abundant
IN the South, there are none. Those former
Iy the wcalthiest have nothing to sustain life
out what the country affords, and not enough
Of that, for By impreSsment it is taken from
them for the army Their garments, even
their shoes, the families have to make them
selves; they spin, weave and dye their cotton
md homeSpun cloths, rich and poor. Tea,
coffee aud sugar are not to be had; milk and
water are the only beverages; Indian corn is
their principal food. The families are broken
Up and ruined. You seldom meet with
male inhabitant, and il you do he is either
Inhrm or cripple. A large portion OF the
male population are killed in battle. many
more crippled for lifetime; many patriotic
onion mcn died of broken heart. What
remain are in the army, Or in the employ
nent of the Government. Nevertheless,
Jress-gangs cross the country in all direc-
.;ions, in search of men for the army. All
les of social life are completely dissolved.
No courts Of justice or equity are held; JUS
rire is melted out by the military. Universe
The country, in many places, resembles
wilderness. Wherever the armies march,
iaerc everything is ruined-the crops de-
Stroyed, fences burned, trees. cut down, do
nestle animals killed, robbed, or taken for
the army. But whatever the Southern peo-
pie NAV suffer, they bear il with heroiSm and
resignation they have little hope Of success.
Hard times those; but the programme
which has just been laid down by Grant,
and is being carried out by Sheridan and
sherman, will make it worse still. The
whole Southern country viii soon be in
;he hands and at the mercy Of thu nation
al troops; the power of the Conf4ieracy
over those States will be forever broken;
and removed from beneath the incubus of
that despotiSm, the different State govern
nontS will have the liberty and the power
" Judge for themselves whether they will
adhere to the Rebel Confsderacy which
AN afford them NO protection from utter
4nnihila::on, or whether they Will tear up
he rebel Aa-, return TO their allegiance,
md once more enjoy that peace and pros
parity which will be theirs a. portion OF
what has proven itself the greatest, frceSt,
md best governed nation on the face of
the globe.
We believe that. the great mass OF the
Southern people see plainly where their
rue interest and true happiness lie, and
hat once the yoke Of the Confederate
Government IS removed from their neckS,
nd they ar, free from apprehension of
no!es:a,ion from thn: Governm mt, they
viii gladly returA - the old Union and
Hose their eyes forever against the syrcn
ong of Secession.