The New York herald., 1864-08-20
rHUE CONDITION Of THE SOUTH.
ImportA>ns Letter from General Trumen
Seymour.

NEW YoRK, August TO- 1854
I have just rsceiyed the following most interesting
letter from General Truman Seymour. Az II Is Of the
greatest consequence should know just che condition
is old West Point officer stationed many years the
south, with General Anderson at Sumter In be-
ginning Of she war; and knows the Southern people we'll
He Of the Union generals placed under are as
Charleston and has just been released. He trave.
true soldier devoted to the Union and although accused
of too close adherence to bis old principles democrat
he proved by his pucky speech to tue rebels at Gordons
vs that h' wa, every inch oyS 1aS nonE SS s.s
sINsRAL sEYMouR's LETTER.
WILLIAMSBURG Moss, August Is, 1884
NJ DYAA SIR-You ask for my impressions6 the pre-
ent condition Of the Southern confedersoy, and yos
shall have them. For the benent Of our cause wish
they might be impressed upon every soul In tho land,
that tho confidence begoten OF my three mons obscr
vations In the interior OF the South might be srod by
every man who has the least connection with the
responsibilities OF this struggle and am sure that
these opinions not peculiar 10 myself. Every
OF the Grty officers just exchanged win express the
same every Of our men whether from the ails CT
Charleston the pens OF Macon aad Andersonve, win
confidently tell the same story.
The rebel cause is fast failing from exhaustion Their
two grand armies have been reinforced this from
the last OF the South. From corner Of
tho land every old and every boy capable OF bearing
rife has been impressed, willingly or unwlIngly, and
hurried to the front. Lee's army was the arst so
strengthened was at the expense OF Hoods Governor
Brown told the truth with planness that was very
bitter but II was none the less truth Let extract
few prominent statements from his proclamation 0! Juy
8, addressed to the reserved militia OF Georgia.
"a late correspondence with the President OF the Con-
federate States satisfies my mind that Georgia IS 10 be
left TO her resources to supply the renorcemens 80
protection OF Atlanta, and TO prevent the State being
overrun by the overwhelming numbers now under the
command Of the federal general upon our soil
s'But there lie need of further renforcemens as will be
seen by the accompanying letter Of General John
sou and IL. ! becomes ,a ONE my duty 70 cal! & out
can be armed to aid in the defence OF our homes and
affairs and the graves Of our ancestors
eff the Confederate government will not send the large
cavalry force now engaged in raidng and repelng rads
to destroy the long line Of railroads which General
compel him with the loss of his army,
the people Of Georgia, who have already been drawn
those any other state the confederacy must at oil
hazards and al any sacrifice, rush 10 the front
"lf General Johnstons army is destroyed, the Gulf
States thrown the eney and we are ruined
There must, isdeod, have boon desperate weakness
neglected that lees army might be made equal to tho
task OF holding Grant to the Potomac the James and
the people Of the South Intelligent enough TO under
stand ard to appreciate the fact and they have lost heart
accortnsy.
ancther that accidentally fell into the hands of OF
my fellow prisoners, and for the authenticity OF which
avery few persons preparing to obey the late
call Of the Governor His summons will meet with no
uaIofs rsa o this ns' haeiS aonses. STRIFE '' 1
They would end i ,hsy could but Gry " woudse
the people against it, By lies by fraud and by
chicahery this revolution was naugurated by force by
Tyranny by tue suppression of truth i is sustained
II is nearly time that should end Of sheer deple
tion must end before long We have had enough or
Of crppIes and corpses There Is abundance OF be-
reaved parents, ,eepng widows ard orphaned chndren
in the land. II we can lie. increase the nuaber
Tho men who. Aggrandze themselves, 10 crafty
their political ambition brought this cruel war upon
fearful accouu, their misdeeds TO wronged, robbed
and outraged people Earth has no punishment, @ sum.
be hot enough TO scaihe them hereafter"
There certainly no small proportion Of the southern
peope-despc the lying declarations Of their generals
We god occasion to lesrnhat no, only favors
the progress OF our arms but that daily pray that this
extempa,ng war may soon be brought 70 6naii!y BY
our complete and perfect success.
They have had too much Of despo'sm, not enough OF
gentlemen do indeed express strong hopes their u
ato independence hut such horc not shared by the
masses disappointed from the lrs, IN not-beinG
kpowledced by foreign Powers more bitterly dissppoin.
in their general expectations that Northern covardce,
or dssenson would secure e. 'her enas ID pu, snss ss
zion for President. IL democrat succeeds 70 Mf LIN
coin they profess 70 feel sure o. ard sae
In Mr.. Lucons reelection they see only fubusation
apnihation for the war must then continue, and con-
| tinuance is their failure and ruin.
In military snars il is an excellent rue never TO do
what the enemy desires ls not equally true IN pocsf
| Now, rm not enough Of politician - know whether
the election or democra, result a. favorably TO the
south az anticipates Their wish alone may be the pa
rent Of their belief But assured all who expressed that
belief that the NORTH mass is Us united tes the
| south ina. no democrat could be elected peace
platform and that any President who would nausuraie
spy measure leading 10 peace tho basis OF southern
Independence would be promptly hung, by loyal accla
nation to the lamp post in front Of his own Tssdsn'aI
However that may be- we ere but true to ourselves
there be but one result What we now need 70 men
| ouy men Not substitutes or hireiDgs WHO 50 orth
with sny motive but their countrys good and produce
bu, little beyond deprecsing our armies out men, such
men and sons OF freemen If these fail 10 support their
couptrys cause her hour of peril they ore unworthy
CONTINUING ~, bouptes 6e paid e, b.
In Southern land, not IN Northern gold and armies OF
whose sons may aspire 70 WIN sros s ,ue o. me
dsoyalty forfeited to the state To every Intelligent
who pas pdscsre oss ,ss
tou continually arises, with touching force why We 40
| not overwhelm our.enemies.
strength is dproporionatsy iess than ina. against
which We battle. Eyerywhers we meet on nefrly equal
TO In blood and treasure Of prolonged war can hard
y DO foreseen the economy iphDits Of suoh az Effort
rns south viii fight as long as the struggle equal l.
viii subm to such prspordsaDce as we should show 10
Glance st the SUMMERS campaigns. II Sherman had
but hfty seventy i've thousand more mon the South
Meade had moved In the spring. with reserves Of seventy
Ave 10 hundred thousand men, Lee would have been
hopeessy crushed Even st this moment tbrd column
Of orty 10 ty thousand meu rightly moved would give
unoppcsed blows 70 the ccffedsracy from which she
| could never rice
what folly then 70 struggle on IN this way, when We
can send ned ave tlmea the force already there
What weakness 70 think cannot conquer the SOUTH
Behind The james only boys and old mon are 10 DO seen,
while here men buy ana sell % In the olden days OF
quiet and regiments of abs bodied citizens crowd the
| streets OF our citleo
There but one course consistent with Northern safety
and honor. Let the people awake TO sense Of ther
dignity shd strength, and few months Of comparatively
trning exertiop Of shcb eort - alone worthy OF the
Grsat NORTH and ths rebellon win orunble before ~
FIN This DRAFT promptly and willingly with coed and true
men send few spare thousands over rather than under
The call and the summsr sun lSee VIII shine upon
l regensratsd land
there are some who psak Of peace OF all Yankees
the southron most scovns those who DO not ngp put e
clad enough 10 employ the they their save 10 per.