The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1864-08-27
Condition Of the South.

! Gen. Seymour, one of the returned priS-
onerS from Charleston, writes Il friend an
interesting letter upon the situation Of the
| South, froA which we extract the foilowing:
My DEAR SlR:-You ask for my impress
SionS of the present condition of the South
rrn Confectionery. and YOU shall have them.
| For the benefit of our cause | wish they
might be impressed upon every soul in the
land, that the confidence hcgottcn of my
/ three months observations in the interior of
the South might he shared by every man who
, has the least connection with the RESPONSE
bilitcS of this struggle. And | am sure
that these opinions are not peculiar to my
self. Every one of the fifty officers just eX-
changed will express the same every one
of them. whether from the jails Of Charles
ton, or the pens of Macon and Anderson
Vile. will confidently tell the same story.
The Hcjet rnuSc is fast .td3i0g from ea-
houStioR. Their two grand armies have
been reinforced this summer from the last
resources of the South. From every corner
of the land. every old man and boy capable
Of bearing rifle have been impressed, will
lingly or unwiIlingly, and hurried to the
front. Lees army was the first 50 strength
cucd. 1t was at the expense of Hood So
Gov Brown told the truth with pIainncSS
that was very bitter but it was none the less
the truth, in his proclamation of July .. adj
| dressed to the observed Militia Of GcOr-
gia.'
There is certainly no small proportion
of the Southern people (dcspitc the lying
declarations of their Journals, as we had
| good occasion to lear,) that not only favor
| the progress of our arms, but that daily pray
that this DISCRIMINATING war may be brought
to a fnalty by our complete and perfect sue.
| cess. They have had too much Of dcspo-
| tism-not enough of the triumph promised
! them. Many intelligent Southern gentle.
men do, indeed, express strong hopes Of
their ultimate Independence. but such hope
| is not shared ly the masses Disappointed
| from the first inmot having been ackn"wI-
| edged in foreign PowcrS-morc bitterly dis
! appointed in their general expectation that
/ Northern cowardice or dissenAiUn would Sc
| cure their cnds-hut single chance remains,
| and that is tn" result gt orr neat erection for
! President. fla Democrat succeeds to Mr.
| Lincoln. they profess to feel sure of nrgo'i-
atious. and sure of their Confrderacy. They
| believe Democrat will be elected. In Mr.
Lmcon's recollection they see only suhiuga-
ton. anihilation, for the war must then con
tinuc, and continuance is their failure and
ruin.
In military affairs it is an excellent rule
never to do what the enemy desircs--is it
not equally true in politics? Certain it is
thatMe only remaining hcpe Of the South
les IN M. LincoiH'S dcfiat.
There are some who speak of peace. OF
| all Yankees the Southron most Scorns those
who do not fight, but are clad enough to
| employ them. as they do their slaves. to per-
form their dirty work. Peace for the South
will be sweet indeed for us, except through
| Southern suhjugation, but anarchy and war
forever The Pacific, the Western, the
Eastern States. would at once fall aSundcr
| The South would be dominant, and the pco-
pie Of the North would deserve to be driven
ahcd under negro oyrrscers. to hoe com
and cotton for Southern masters.
But no faint hearted or shor-sightcd pol
icy can set aside the eternal decree of the
! Almighty, who has planted no lines OF dis
union between the Atlantic and Western
dcsrrs-betwoen the great lakes and the
Gulf of McXico-that signify his will that
we should be separated: and unless so sep
aratcd peace is ii delusion. and its advocacy
treason against the wiscst and hottest inte-
rests Of our country.
1t has been with atrust that renewed hope
and vigor might be given. which vigor and
hope are nerdtul, that | have written, and
you have my consent to using this as you
please: and ain,
Very truly yours, 7. SEYNoUr.
Brighten. t. s. Vols.
To W. +. Dodge, Jr., Esq, New York.