Year: 1861

there will not be half a crop at the best. The
weather, in the beginning of the season, was
very unfavorahlc to the young plants. The new
crop will not be fully in the market till late in
the fall. Wheat and corn have done better.
There is now plenty of both, of good quality,
but, unfortunately, there is no bacon going down
from Kentucky and Ohio, and both whites and
blacks, particularly the latter, are already made
discontented by the want of it.


The planters, without exception are deeply in
dept. Very many of them have mortgaged
three successive crops in advance to the com
mission houses, who charge most exorbitantly
for the accommodation afforded and this was
done to enable them to purchase negroes, no
matter at what cost. This kind of property is
now utterly unsaeable, the market price being
about seventy-fve per cent discount from for
mer rates and no buyers.


THE SLAVES.


We were surprised to learn from this gentle
man that the negroes throughout the south
understood the condition Of things perfectly,
"as well as you do," said our informant. They
have seen the movement Of large bodies of
troops, heard the conversation of their mas
ters, and picked up at the public meetings a
large amount of information, which they COM
municate to each other. They are now waiting
patiently for their liberation, which they conf
IDENTIFY expect to take place very soon. They
are very carefully watched by their owners and
throughout the disticts where the slaves are
. most numerous, nightly partrols are out leav-
ing no nook or corner unexplord. 1t will, in
conssequnce, be impossible for the slave states
to reinforce the troops in Virginia; they now
require their strength at home to keep down
insurrecton, and romonstrances against any
further call for troops by Davis have been
already made from several states Their whole
disposable force is now in the field.


PUBLIC OPINION.


We were much and very agreeaby surprised
to learn the favorable state of public opinion at
the south on the great question of secession. The
union men are more numerous and powerful
than is generally supposed. Alabama was
dragged from her allegiance by mixture of
chicanery, violence and bribery, through which
a small majority was obtained. There are sew
eral counties in the northern part of the state
where people dare not even now talk of seces-
sion. Mississippi is at heart for the union, be-
yond all question, and was dragooned into Sc
cesson against her will. Our inform ant knows
the state thoroughly. Arkansas is anything
but unanimous on the question. Kentucky is
| perfectly safe and so are eastern Tennessee and
western Virginia. There are union men enough
in these states if they had but money and arms
to put down the rebels themselves. As soon as
the United States government shows its power
to recover the lost rights of these states, the
"belligerents" will disappear.


The mind of the south has been systemati-
cally poisoned as to the north. The common
people really believe that the war has been COM
menced by US, and solely to free o. steal the
slaves. Stump orators for months and months
have been traversing the states, speaking at
every little ooss road and courthouse, till
their audiences became frantic with rage. The
leaders knew well enough what they were about
They wanted a slnve-hoding cotton-raising re-
public, where they could be grandees in rank
and Cmrsueeo in fortune. Thry expected coi
easy victory over the north ana are now utterly
confounded at their mistake. Our informant
has again and again recently been asked by
intelligent and accomplished women, this ques-
ton: do you think the north will ever fight
US? VIII they not run away at the first shot ?''
These opinions have been universal at the south.
A southern man really thinks he can whip ten
northern men, piece of conceit not yet aban-
doned, as every skirmish has been proclaimed
a glorious victory.


REAL CONDITION.


To sum up briefly our mlormant's statements
it appears that the southern states are over
whemed with debt, have no trade or money
no cotton on hand, except in very limited guam
titles, and will gather but half a crop this year
They are without materials for clothing, either
soldiers or civilians, beyond few months con-
sumption. The usual channels of trade and
even of internal traffic, are closed, as for ex-
ample the communication between Mobile and
New Orleans is all carried on by round about
and tedious railway lines, and -four is now sell
ing at the latter place at $lS per barrel, not
withstading the good crop because there is no
convenient way of transportngit. The Misss-
sippi is etfectualy bockaded. The population
of the most tourishing towns is diminishing by
absenteeism as for example, there are at this
moment 1900 deserted houses in Memphis and
the last and only hope of the confederates is
that England will become their ally without
delay. If this is not done they confess them.
selves lost.


With regard to the number Of troops in Vir-
gnia, our informant says there cannot be less
than 100000, and the largest body of them is
in and ab iut Richmond. Their hope is to pur-
sue system of amhuscades and masked bat
teries, the mountains and defles of that state
being well adapted to such plan of defence
He thinks they will fight desperately at least
one great battle, counting on success to help
them abroad and at home.


Finally, our informant thinks if the north
could make known TO the SOUTH in some un-
mstakable way, that it dare not make war to
abolish slavery, the war might be considered as
almost over. The secessionists feel and know
they have entirely mistaken their case and theiI
remedy, and the leaders tremble for their own
personal safety.