The Portland daily press., 1864-08-25
Thursday Morning, Aug. Is, 1864.
The Condition of the South-The Duty
of the North.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM GEN. sEYMou
wILLIAMsrowS, MASS, Aug. 10, 1864.

INTERESTING LETTER FROM GEN. SEYMOUR.
WILLIAMsrowN, MASS, Aug. 15, 1864.
My Dear Sir: Yon ask for my impress
sions OF the present condition of the South
ern Confederacy, and you shall have them.
For the benefit of our cause / wish they
might be imressed upon every soul in the
land, that the confidence begotton Of my
three months observations in the interior of
the South, might be shared by every man who
has the least connection with the response
bilities OF this struggle. | am sure that these
opinions are not peculiar to myself Every
one OF the hfty officers just exchanged will
say the same--every one of them, whether
from the jails OF Charleston, or the pens OF
Macon and Andersonville, will confidently
tell the same story. The rebel cause is fast
failing from exhaustion. Their two grand
arm es have been reinforced this summer
from the last resources of the South. From
every corner OF the land, every old man aud
every boy capable of bearing rife has been
impressed, willingly or uDwillingly, and hur-
ried to the front, Lees army was the first so
strengthened. 1t was at the expense of Hoods
Gov. Brown told the truth with a plainuess
that was very bitter, but it was none the less
the truth. s The following is a let-
Ter written by one rebel TO another, that ac-
cidentaly fell into the hands of one OF my
fellow prisoners, and for the authenticity Of
which i vouch:
Very few persons are preparing to obey
the late call OF the Governor. His summons
will meet with no response here. The peo-
pie are soul-sick and heartily tired of this
hateful, hopeless strife. They would end IL
IL they could; but our would-be rulers will
take good care that no opportunity be given
the people TO vote against il. By lies. by
fraud and by chicsnery this revolution was
inangurated; by force, by tyranny and the
suppression OF truth it Is sustained. Ii is
nearly time that it should end, and Of sheer
depletion IL must end soon. We have had
enough of want, of woe, enough of cruelty
and carnage, enough of crpples and corpses
There is an abundance Of bereaved parents,
weeping widows and orphaned children In
the land. III we can, let ms decrease the
number. The men who, 10 aggrandize them
selves, or to crafty their political ambition.
brought this cruel war upon peaceful and
prosperous country, will have to render
fearful account of their Inissdeeds to a wrong
ed and outraged people. Earth has no pun
ishment sufficiently meet for their vilany here.
and hell will hardly be hot enough to seattle
them hereafter"
1nere is certainly no small proportion of
the Southern people despite the lying declar-
ations of their jonrnals as we have had good
occasion TO learn,l that not only favors the
progress of our arms, but that daily pray that
this exterminating war may soon be brought
10 hnality by our complete and perfect sue
cess. They have had too much of despotsm
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 at
not having been acknowledged by foreign
powers-mOre bitterly disappointed IN their
expectation that Northern cowardice or dis
sension would secure their ends-but a sim
gle chance remains, and that is the result of
our merit Presidential election. IL a Demo-
crat succeeds Mr.. Lincoln, they profess to feel
sure oil negotiations, and sure OF their con-
federacy. They believe a Democrat will be
elected. In Mr.. Lincolns reelection they
see only subiugation, annihilation, for the war
mnst then continue, and continuance Is their
failure and ruin. In military affairs, it is an
excellent rule never TO do what the enemy
desires-is 1t not equally true in politics?
Certainly II Is that the onig remaining hone
Of The rebels lies in Mr.. Liacoia's defeat
Now l am not enough OF politician TO
know whether the election OF a democrat can
result as iayorably TO the south as 1t antiei-
pates. The wish alone may be the parent OF
their belief. But assured all who expressed
that belief that the north, as a mass, is as
elected on peace platform-and any presi-
dent who would inaugurate any measuIe lead
Ing to peace on the basis OF southern indie
pendenee, wonld be promptly hung, by loyal
acclamation, 10 the lamp post In front OF his
own presidential mansion. However that may
be, il we are true to ourselves there can be
but one result. What zee notc need Is men
only men-not substitutes or hreli lgs who 90
forlh lar any motive but the eountry's good
and producing but little beyond depreciating
our armies-but MEN-such as really cousti-
tute the state, and boast OF being freemen and
sons of freemen. Ii these fail 10 support
their countrys cause Ia the hour of her peril,
they are unworthy OF continuing ireemen, and
should blush ever TO exercise u freeman's
privileges.
But II bounties must be paid, let it be in
southern land not in northern gold. and ar
mies OF emigrants, whose sons may aspire to
even the rule OF the nation, will cross the seas
TO win the broad acres disloyalty has forfeited
TO the state. TO every Intellectual soldier who
has fought through all these indecisiye cam
paigns an almost numberless indecisive fields.
the question constantly arises, why we do not
oyerwhelm our enemies. Tens of thousands
OF lives are lost because our array of strength
il so disproportionably less than that against
which we battle. Everywhere We meet on
nearly equal terms where we might well have
four TO one. The cost 10 us OF blood and
treasure, of 3 prolonged war, can hardly be
foleseen; the economy Is Infinite OF such an
effort as the glorious north should put forth
The south will fight as long as the struggle is
equal; ii ,ctu submit to such preponderance
as We should show in every field.
Glance at the summers campaign. II
Sherman had but $4,000 or 75,000 more men
near, the south would be lost, because Hood
would be annihilated. Ii Meade had moved
~ the spring with reserves of 5000 10 lt0,-
Ooo men, Lee would have been hopelessly
crushed. Even at this moment third column
OF 10000 to 10000 rightly moved would give
nnopposed blows 10 the confederacy from
when she could nevfr rise. What folly then
TO struggle on In this way, when we can send
to the field five times the force alreadv ,haro
What weakness to think we cannot eoroue,
the south. Behind the James only bovs and
old men are TO be seen, while here men buy
and sell as In the olden days Of Quiet and
regiments of able bodied citizens crowd the
streets of our cities. There is but one course
consistent with safety or honor, Let the peo
pie awake to sense of their dignity ant
strength, and few months of conpara,ivel,
trifing exertion, Of such effort as alone /
worthy of the great work-snd the rebellion
will crumbe before us. Fill this draft prompt
ly and willingly, with good and true men
send few spare thousands over rather thai
under the call, and the summer sun of 1S6
will shine upon a regenerated land.
1t has been with trust that renewed hop
and ylgor might be given, when vlgor an,
hope are needful, that have written, and yo
have my consent to using this as you please
and am very truly yours,
T. SEYMOUR, Brig Gen. U. S. Vols.
To w. Z. DoDeE. Jr., Esq, New York.