The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-06-10
FROM THE SOUTH.
Interesting Letter from the
Rev. II. L. Dabney, Professor
at the Theological Seminary
at Hampden Sidney. Va, to q
gentleman of New York.

IL
My DEAR FRIEND: Your valued letter
of November 9, 1863, reached me after
some delay and every week since the olo
wear went out, have been purposlng 70
reply. delayed in order to get you some
documents which l thought would be IN
teresting and having returned from Rich,
,nond Saturday with q part of these, L
now seat myself for a pleasant chat with
you. :,
Twas surprised to see my last to you ID
the New York papers. 1t was written too
much curents colamo for the publlc.. but
from the bold expression OF my opinions L
have never been accustomed TO shrlnk uh
der any circumstances.
Our seminary now has only four stu
dents, disabled or furlopghed soldiers. MY
duties here are, Of course, greatly dlmln
ished in interest at the present, and should
be very ill. content to stay here but for my
engagement on Life of General Jackson.
Having been selected for this work by Mrs.
T and General Ewell his successor, have
devoted myself to it for some months, as
nerhaps the most useful work could under
take. both to the cause of Christ and our
country. | have received from Mrs. D., OF
course, all the documents her husband LETT,
and the authorities have extended the most
liberal facilities to me for making the mar
rative full and correct General Jackscn's
friends and comrades in arms likewise have
been exceedingly kind; and l am convinced
that have mass Of material such as no
other person has or can have for illustra
ting his life. | shall complete it in two
yerv modest volumes. The first is already
written and about to be published. 1t will
apnear in the Confederate States and IN
London nearly at the same time, having
been already advertised in the latter place.
Nv friend, Pr Schele De We're, of our
University, who is preparing German YER
sion. tells me that he has seen some al
fusion to it in papers in the United States.
Mrs. Dabney sends you FIVE specimens of
the ladies wear, manufactured at home by
herself and neig hbors. They will interest
the ladies of your family. They will see
that our women-the most obstinate OF all
rebels-do not intend to be subjugated by
having "nothing to wear" They are now
generally clad in these fabrics at home and
at church. and covered with home made
hornets of braided straw, trimmed with
flowers made and colored at home, and with
bands and rosettes made of corn shucks.-
Letnot the New York ladies, with their
luxurious Paris fnery, sheer; they have no
idea how nice the corn shuck rosettes are,
dyed with native dyes, any color, embroi-
dered with silk raveled from old scarfs or
stockings, and as glossy as Lyons satin.
They NAV be assured that in these home
manufactures our Confederate bellies look
fine enough to win the hearts Of our gallant
men.
Our blockade condition is not so bad as
our enemies would like to believe. Just
in this part of Virginia the crops were very
short last year, on account ofexceSsive rains
drowning the valleys, SO much relied on
here for Indian corn; but in Upper Virginia
and all south of US, nature poured out a
prodigal abundance of our great staple
Our swine were much decimated by hog
cholera, last year, hence scarcityot bacon,
but we have the syrup of the Chinese cane,
maple sugar. etc, and make out pretty well.
The article in the Sentinel will inform you
very Justly concerning the great and bene-
fetal financial revolution through which we
have Just passed Never was such taxation
seen, as our people now stand, and almost
universally without a murmur The tax
and currency laws l send you ditfused more
generally among our people than II some
one had brought them rich present Our
enemies may rely upon it that we are Just
stripping in good earnest for the conflict.
The war is just beginning with US.
One point should greatly desire to see
IL L., 10
Of the hope Of tightening their war debt by
the proceeds of confscation. What are the
lessons of history on this point? Was there
ever Government that realized any i'm
portant revenue from con6scation of con
ouered lands Did the British crown from
Ireland, or any other CROWN The reasons
are obvious. A war Of subjugation leaves
society so disordercd and impoverished in
the conquered region, and the malcontent
conquered population at once so inactive
from diSpair and so embittered that lands
are worth very little among them. Resi-
dence is dangerous and irksome. If the
conqueror can get his retainers to take them
for nothing, on condition of residence, he is
fortunate. Ifany are sold for small sum,
speculations eat up the larger part of this;
for what subject at such times hesitate to
steal from Government which has Just set
it the example by wholesale robbery? All
these reasons would exist in peculiar force
in CONQUERED Sonth. We mean to spend ey
erything, except the land, fighting the IAN.
KEGS When that is left, infested with four
million lazy, free negroes, and beset with
seven milliens scowling, revengeful, con,
auered men, hating the Yankees worse than
the devil, it will be worth nothing to them.
The government of the United States, if it
conquered the South, would never raise
enough money to pay one tenth the cost of
one years military occupation, which will
be necessary to keep the Southerns from
every land robber in one night.
No, Brother Jonathan, the goose can't lay
golden eggs for you after you have Quilted
her. You'll have to pay your own score.
shall hope to hear from you at an early
day-Believe me, as ever, affectionately |
your friend and brother,
r. L. DABkEY.