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The Savannah Daily Herald. BV 8. W. MASON AND CO. SAVANNAH. SATURDAY. APRIL 1. IMS. Highly Interesting Hebei News! Al CiISTA DATES TO HAUCSE ?A. The Very latest Intelligence. XiOTALTST EW iLtTSt?STA. Liberman Eagerly Looked l'or. ESCAPE OF lUiOAISTS FRO® DIXIE. Rebel Prices of Food rnd Clothes. Impressment of Private Gold. OXE YEAR f!V STATES’ PRISON FOR BiyiXG 4i REE A BACKS. AT TEMPTED DESTETCTIOS OF COTTO*. I'.runai Items, Sanies, Dates, and all sorts of Authentic Sews, a Diviol.oyal Wedding: Included, By tho kindness of some friends who have succeeded in making their escape from the intolerable tyranny of Jeffdom, and who last evening arrived in this city, after a most anxious and perilous journey from Augusta, we are enabled to lay before our readers news from that city and vicinity up to the 25th ult., inclusive, which fa oue day later than the “Augusta Chronicle and Sentinel” of Friday last, which they brought with thcrti. The paper contains one or two documents of importance, which our readers will find in another column, but the public censor fa so very severe in the execution of his work as to leave the unfortunate editor but very little scope beyond strictly official documents, and their advertising pages. Comment on military matters, information with regard to military movements, and any article which presumes to reflect in the slightest degree on the confederate authorities, is remorse lessly forbidden. Nor fa the hopeless jour na'ist permitted to print anything showing the temper, and the real feelings of the peo ple, even were he disposed to do so,—such being the fact a confederate paper is as dry as the husks upon which the Prodigal Sou regaled himself before bis penitential return to the good old home mansion ; doubtless, when the Rebellious States resolve to imitate the praiseworthy example of this scriptural fast young man, and, now that they, like him, have had “ their fling,” .come back and beg to be received once more into the family circle, their journals will become newspapers indeed, instead of being, as now, mere chronicles of tyrannical military orders, and records of dry-goods and grocery sales. THE STATE OF SOCIETY, Is one of the most curious imaginable.— Among the people who claim to be respecta ble, there exists little but distrust aud suspi cion of each other. All wish the war ended, but though there is much wide-spread Union feeling, and though there are many who would gladly welcome peace, eveu by lesto ratiou and reconstruction, they are compell ed to be so cautious in all their meetings with each other, and in their expression of opinions, that social intercourse is a mere sham. All are speaking under the most guarded restraint, and in fact, every conver sation is held in full mental view’ of a Con federate prison, a metaphorical curb is on every tongue and a padlock on every lip. But still there are certain Union men who are known to each other, and who have their meetings for the purpose of arranging plans lor escape from the cruel tyrauny which in variably prevails in Dixie, or, if nothing fur ther may be done, to interchange ideas, and cheer each other with hopes of happier times. Among the devoted and faithful knot of Unionists, the prayers for the coming of Sherman were most servant and sincere. He and his soldiers would have been receiv ed with the heartiest welcome possible to bestow on a benefactor who comes to deliver a crushed and suffering people from the cru dest bondage ever known in a Christian land. The Conscription ismo.ciuthlessthan ever was the Auctioneer and the Slave Seller in the foimer days—lathers and husbands are toru from their homes anu forced into the sum and sons are dragged awuy to recruit the ranks of those armies which are so rapidly melting nwav before the can non and the bayonets of Sherman aud Gruut. Those men who on account of physical dis ability are unable to bear a musket, are im pressed into the Quartermaster’s Department, or placed in some other position where brain work can be employed instead of strength and muscle. The city is lull of beggars. I’cople, and whole families of them too. who before the war were independent in circumstances, are now actually suffering lor food, aud the au thorities are doing but very little for them.— Appeals for aid, the most touching and ur gent, are daily made to the authorities, to the public, and to the individual by ladies who heretofore have ever been accustomed to give generously instead of asking alms from oth ers. The destitution is horrible—no descrip tion can do justice to the misery and wretch edness which pervade the entire city of Au gusta and the country round about. Among the lower classes crime is becom ing terribly common. Provision dealers’ shops and Government store-houses have to be sharply guarded by well-fed soldiers to protect them from robbery. There are many discharged or escaped soldiers prowling about, who, having little means of living, do not hesitate to commit theft or even burglary to obtain the means of procuring food. These things are not permitted to be published in tiie Confederate papers, but they are vouched for as facts by all who have left the Confed erate ZZ* within the last two weeks. HIGHWAY ROBBERY has become so frequent, and the robbers so bold, that women fear to venture out of doors after dark alone, and no toan dares to trust himself out at night without first trans forming himself into a perambulati ig a-senal. He must be fully equipped with Revolver and Bowie-Knife, aucl- must be prepared to use them on the instant. Men are kuocked down and robbed of money, watches, shirt studs and even clothing, even in the early evening and in streets which once were used to be crowded. One day this last week Mr. C. West, a Saloon-keeper was attacked just after night-fall by. a gang led by a negro-boy whom he had recently discharged, and who was aware that Mr. West usually carried upon his person money to a considerable amount, and that his watch etc. were also valuable—just however, as the ruffians had comineqced operations the opportune anival of a friend of the victim armed with a most welcome pistol, decided the rogues to leave in a hurry. The boy was identified and ar rested. Burglary is also very common,and jewellers and men who can do so, take care to remove their most valuable portable goods to their dwelling-house at night Four weeks ago, the variety store of Mr. M. Hyam, corner Broad and Mclutosh streets, was broken iuto in the night, and robbed of goods to the value of $40,000. No clue wa? obtained to the burglars. The next week, the dry goods store of Mr. C. C. Drake was entered in the night and goods taken to the amount 0f540,- 000 to $50,000. Both these buildings were entered in the same manner, by boring through the wooden shutter with a centre bit, then introducing a key-hole saw and cutting out a piece large enough to enable a man to thrust in his arm*and draw back the bolts, and raise out of its place the cross-bar which secured the back-door. Al though in neither of these cases have the robbers been caught, there are circumstances which lead to the suspicion that both burgla ries were perpetrated by the same parties, and that these parties are returned C’onieder ate soldiers. THE CONSCRIPTION has been vigilantly enforced until the num ber of returned soldiers, and deserters be came so great that they began to bold, trout, and to refuse to obey the conscripting officer. In a short time they were joined by so many deserters from the very bodies of men seut out to force them into tho ranks, that the Confederate Government has re solved rather tef do battle with what men it has already, and can induce to volunteer, than risk the loss of its veterans in the at tempt to lorce into the ranks unw'illing re cruits and determined deserters. There are no troops at present in or around Augusta, save a few cavalry, whose principal business it 19 to hunt down ail refugees who attempt to cross the confederate lines and escape to a free country. COTTON. 01 this staple there is a good deal in Au gusta-many hundred bales. Most of it is in private hands, the government holding hut a very small amount. When Sherman was threatening the city, and the people were waiting every hour to see the heads of his advancing columns, the commander of the department, General D. H. Hill, ordered all the cotton in the city to be brought out and piled up ready to be burned. Many of the owners strongly objected to this, but Hill said that cotton had been burned in Now Orleans and iu other cities,aud that it should be done in Augusta. Accordingly the cotton, to the amount of many hun dred 'bales, was ferreted out from Warehouses, and in some cases from cellars of private houses, aud piled up three bales deep in Broad street aud in Green street, and every preparation Was made to apply the torch. Combustibles were arranged near by in the shape of light wood, and tar barrels and rosin barrels, turpentine and camphene were ready to be poured over it as soon as the guns of Sherman’s advance should star tle the city. Sherman, as we all know, took a different route, and the cotton was not then destroy ed. Besides what was piled up in Broad and Green streets, a great deal was carried to the Railroad and piled up along the track ready either for transportation further inland or to be burned if it shouid be l'ouud impos sible to carry it away. The cotton thift de posited by the roadside was not hauled away again by the owners, as the alarm about Sherman did not immediately subside, but kept the citizens in a state of trembling for several days. Meanwhile “the rains descend ed and the floods came” and wet that cotton, and soon spoiled much of it; this was easily done as the negroes and others shipped off for their own use the Gunny-Cloth which secured the bales, and thus the cotton be came scattered aud tossed about and tram pled into the mud. The Railroad towards W aynesboro is to this day Strewed with scat tered cotton, w hich lies in heaps like drifted snow along the track. When Hill proposed to burn the staple, the “Consititutionalist” came fat and in the most rampant manner demanded that all cotton holders should at once briig out every bale that it might be pdnsignel to the flames be fore the invading Yankees could reach and : capture it. It denounced ail who opposed the wild project of hurcgig it in the public streets of the ciy, as untrue to the Confeder ate cause; men who thought more of their money than of their countiy. A short time afterward afire occurred, and the wiud was in such a direction a3 to threateu the firing ot this very cotton which still lay piled in the streets, when it was at once seen that, had Are communicated with the bales and with the mass of inflamable material which had been disposed near by, the destruction of the entire city would have been inevitable. Then suddenly the “Constitutionalist” made a com plete wheelabout and just as vehemently de manded that the cotton all be removed from the streets, and either piled on the fields ad jacent to the city, or be taken care of by the r spective owners. As Gen. Hill had given a peremptory order that not a bale of cotton should be removed outside the corporation limits, the latter course was resorted to. Our informant who is well posted in the matter, assures us however, that, such was the general objection to the destruction of Cotton among the ancT'd'talers, if Gen. Hill had really attempted to carry out his intention to burn it, his soldiers would have been interfered with, the destruction prevented, and the General himself probably mobbed. Very many of tfe, cotton owners are, at heart, Union men, who secretly re joiced at the approach of the Union forces, and all of them would much rather prefer turning over their property to General Sher man, and take the chances of establishing some claimjto their goods hereafter, than, out ot mere spite, and in obedience to an out rageous order, consign it to utter destruc tion. There are no dealings in cotton now in Augusta. Not a bale is bought or sold, so that there fa no market price to be quoted. All trade transactions are confined exclusive ly to the sale of the absolute necessaries of life. A SCURVr THICK, though a most characteristic one, was played on one woman, who, when she heard that Sherman was certainly coming, displayed an American Flag which'she badMiastily manu factured. A number of her neighbors, who desired to avail themselves of tho starry protection of the good oldbanner, brought their jewelry, money, silver-plate and other valua bles, and begged the privilege of placing them in her house, that the Yankees,respect ing their own flag, would spare the proper ty it covered. The good-natured little Union woman consented, and received a large amount of ‘‘ portable property ” into her domicile,promising to use her influence what ever it might prove to be.to save their goods lrom confiscation. Wearily and anxiously the loyal, plucky woman waited, but Sher man came not, Her neighbors, one by one, soon reclaimed their property,andtlien,having got their own again, these same people raiseg a hue and cry against the brave little Unionist and tried their utmost to drive, her out of town. This is a fair specimen of Rebel gratitude as recently developed at the city of Augusta, Georgia. IMPRESSING PRIVATE COLD. By a law recently passed, all private gold is declared liable to be impressed for tha use of the Confederate Government. Everyman fa called upon to give up his hidden store ; few voluntarily do so, but whenever a Gov ernment Agent hears of a concealed hoard, he at once proceeds by force, if need be, to take possession of it in the name of the Confed erate Government. GREENBACKS PROHIBITED. All trading or speculating in United States currency, is strictly forbidden—Greenbacks must not even be employed to purchase food or goods, nothing but Confederate money cau be used. And, so determined are the au thorities to force their Rebel shinplasters upon an unwilling public that they punish a man buying or selling Greenbacks, or offer ing them in exchange, with a fine of from one thousand to five thousand dollars, and with five years or more, imprisonment in the Penitentiary, at the option of the Judge. Despite this law Greenbacks are eagerly sought, by people who are striving to escape across the line and get to the laud oflaw aud order once again By these people thirty dollars, to fifty dollars Confederate is given for a one dollar Greenback. Gold, when any one possessing it, is verdant enough to part with it for Confederate rags, easily commands from sixty to eighty for one. As may be supposed however, there is but very little to be 8 old, EATING. Is a most expensive amusement, and few do it who cau possibly do without it. It may serve to somewhat reconcile ns to what w e consider the exorbitantly high prices we have to pay here in Savannah for food, etc., to peruse the following partial SCALE OF MARKET PRICKS IX AUGUSTA. GA.. march 2.", 1860. Flour, per barrel Cooking Soda, per pouud . 25 Coffee, per pound , r r Tea, per pound i-n Sperm Candles, per pound go Brandy, per quart n - per drink to Corn Whiskey, per drink 5 Apple Brandy, per drink 5 per dozen 10 to 1° en cent box ot Blacking oq Confederate made Lager Bier,per drink.. 3 A meal of victuals in a Restaurant is by no means a luxury to be indulged in more than three or four times _ a day, as witness the following RESTAURANT PRICES. A full meal of victuals, consisting of tainted or rusted bacon, bard bread, vice, and sometimes fried potatoes slt> Ham and eggs io And these sums were demanded “inva riably in advance.” This practice arises from a playful habit indulged in by some of Lee’s returned soldiers, of going into an eat ing bouse, devouring a huge meal and then walking off without paying anything at all. Our informant wore a coat for which he paid in Augusta six weeks ago the nice little sum of $2,000. His pantaloons cost him $200: his vest S2OO, and his 'boots $4<X). If a gen tleman there is disposed to indulge in any of the little delicacies of the season, he must be prepared to pay accordingly. A dish of oysters $lO, a glass of brandy slo,a Havana cigar $lO, a snipe or bird of any sort from $lO to $lB. The gentleman to whose kindness we are indebted for many of the facts upon which this article is based, paid at a restaurant SBOO per month ; as he only received for his ser vices $350, he was compelled to resort to outside speculation in order to secure enough bread-and-butter to live on. When he had at last completed his arrangements for se curing his transit to the Union lines, he started with a lady, and for the passage of the two from Augusta to within twenty miles of this city he paid SI3OO. From that point to Savannah S3OO in gold. It must be borne in mind that, save this last one, ail the sums formerly mentioned are estimated in Con federate money. However, as this is the recognized circulating medium of the coun try, and as none other is known or permitt ed, the prices are even then, slightly above an economical mark. Having, after six days of anxiety and trouble, at last safely reached the haven for which he was so long striving, the first pro ceeding of our kind friend was one which will be of interest to all our readers, and especially to our young ladies and gentleman, and the par ticulars whereof they may read in another column. He started from Augusta with a lady who was unmarried, and he was,strange to say, also single. Before they had been in the city thirty minutes, the young lady • wa& married, and by the most curious coincidence in the world, our young friend afao about the same time ceased to be a single man. For all we can say, they may have married each other. If so, they have our sincerest congratula tions, and our earnest, honest hopes’ for their welfare and perfect earthly happiness. PERSONAL ITEMS. Among the ladies who arrived here yester day was Mrs. Cel. Ringgold, of Columbia, widow ot Col. Ringgold, a native of Charles ton, who died in San Francisco about six months since. Mrs. Ringgold states that Gen. upon occupying Columbia, treated the citizens with great kindness aud took every precaution to insure the protec tion of their property. Yet many fearine that their dwellings would be plundered, begged the privilege of depositing their plate and other valuables iu her house, as she was known to be a prominent. LTnionist and would be likely to enjoy the immediate pro tection of-Gen. Sherman. Their most valu able articles were accordingly placed with her for safe keeping. Nq sooner, however, had the Federal troops left the town, than these same citizens who had enjoyed her pro - tection renewed theii persecutions upon her, and by every means sought ;o drive her from her home. THE REBEL VICE PRESIDENT. Hon. Alexander 11. Stephens is now at his home in Crawfordsvile, as is reported, sick , but as his friends well know, sick only ot the Confederacy. He will not stump the State for the Confederate cause, as has been indus triously circulated by the Rebel prints to cover up his retirement in disgust from the Richmond cabal. The utmost vigilance and strictness are ex excised by the authorities to prevent any one from leaving the Confederate lines. Mr. Milo Hatch, a prominent and widely known financier, aud bank President of Augusta, obtained a permit to leave that place from Gov. Brown, for the purpose of taking his wife, a consumptive invalid, to New York to die among her friends, but had proceeded only a short distance on his journey when an armed force was sent after him and he was compelled to return. IIOW THE OFFICERS LIVE. The officers of the Quartermaster’s De partment are living in high style off the tithes wrung from the suffering people. Magnificent banquets, gay parties and costly suppers are iu vogue among these officials. Ladies going from Savannah may be assured that there is no lack of “ society ” in Au gusta. The gallant young officers who fled from Savannah upon it3 evacuation, throng the city, and what with balls and parties and receptions, all goes merry as a marriage b ell. Commodore Tatnall is in Augusta, and the two gunboats which escaped up the river when this city was invested by Sherman, lie in the stream near the town. The “Augusta Chronicle and Sentinel” has come out in favor of a State Convention.— This sheet is owned and edited by one Morse, from all accounts a most preejous scouudrel. A native of Connecticut, at one time editor and proprietor of the Bridgeport Farmer, jo*t previous to the breaking out of the war he settled in Augusta, and by avowing the rankest secession principles, and lending himself and his paper to every sort of dirty work, he obtained an influential and lucra tive position. From this post he has per secuted almost with impunity whomsoever might fall under his displeasure. He has ground his printers aud other workmen down to the lowest starvation prices, while amassing a fortune for himself, and upon their striking recently for sufficient wages to keep body and soul together, had them all conscripted. With the instinct of the "true sycophant, he has perceived the turn in the tide of popular senti ment, and is now shaping his sails accord ingly. There are men, however, who have snffered from his malignity, and who stand ready to see that the gentleman shall have his deserts when the time conies. For Hitton Head.— The steamer U. 8 Grant, Capt. Dobbs, for Hilton Head, will leave this morning at 10 o’clock. A cotemeorary announces the marriage of Mr. James Hogg to Miss Ella Beane. Isn’t one bean to a hog a rather scanty allowance? HOTEL ARRIVALS. PULASKI HOUSE, MARCH 31, 1865. Geo. L. Rice, Surgeon U. S. A. Win. H. Shenvood, New York. John D. Bronson, Surgeon U. S. A. Mrs. Bronson. Mrs. Ringold and four children, Augusta, Qa Miss Hall, .Miss Thomas, „ John Wilson, Asst. Surgeon IT. 3. A. A. Hammond, Paris Island. Capt. John M. Thompson, John P. Slattery, Charleston. Col. L. J. Blair. Capt. Gates, U. S. C. T. A. Marvin Shew, Asst. Surgeon, Beaufort, Lieut. Fred. C, Miller, 141st New York Capt. Watson, 21st U. S. C. T Capt, Roper, 15th “ Samuel A. Cooley, Beaufort, S. C. Benj. 11. Chnmpney, “ G. W. Stevens, PORT ROYAL HOUSE, CHILTON HEAD,) MAR. 30. Capt, E. Both, Gist N. Y. Capt. W. Warren, Sherman’s Army B. P Jones, Hone, Ohio. T. 11. Bazin, Boston, Mass. J. W. Grosvenor, Asst Surgeon, 3d R I A A. G Bennett, Lieut. Col. 21st IT. S. C. T. Col. F. C. Smith, Blair’s Landing. Col. G. H. English, “ Capt. W. ll.Bridgford. “ H. Dillon, Lieut. Badzinsky, J4th Mass. Capt, Wilber, Biair’s Landing. Gen. Prince, “ Capt. Wiiber. H. Parsons, Blair’s Landing, . B. Cahill and wife, Savannah, Ga. Miss Lewis, “ A. S. Bigelow, “ T. M. Denham, » W. H. Sands, 11. P. Rugg, *• A. C. Lomel'an, « C. H. King, E. E. Pens, • i H. H. gchreiner, »» M. R. Flint, « C. S. Gay and wife, “ Dr. Bartlett. “ E. O. Otis, “ B. F. King, *• Lieut. O. C. Marvin, Ist N. U. Lieut. H. P. Webb, Biair’s Landing. J. P. Reid. Lieut. A. S. Ross. Mount Pleasant, S. C. Lieut. M. Downic, “ J. M. Thompson, Rochester, N. Y. Lieut. E. A. York, Ist Michigan. A. C. C. Tnmsen, Charleston. J. M. Glidden, Boston. E. W. King, Michigan. E. E. Edwards, Jacksonville, Fla. Capt. W. Warren, Savannah Ga. D. O. Adams, “ Dr. Brownson, U. S. A. J. Price, New York. J. R. Zearing, Blair's Landing. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. Arrived —steamer Enoch Dean, Hallett, Beaufort. I. O. O. F. OGLETHORPE LODGE, No. 1, meets every Tues day evening. (Lodge Room on Bay street, over Geo. N. Nichols’Printing Office.) A. F. Torlay, N. Q.; F. Krenson, V. G.; James Clemence, Treaa.; C. Gross, Sect LIVE OAK LODGE, No. 3, meets every Friday evening. (Lodge Room S. W. cor. Bull and Brough ton st«„ -ith story, entrance on Lroughton street.) J. Holbrook Estill, N. G.; R. M. Barthelmess, V. G.i D. Thompson, Treasa D. H. Galloway, Sect. ENCAMPMENT, No. 1, meets Ist and 3d Wednesday m each month in Live Oak T odira Room. John T. Thomas. C. P. ; John HaJrison II P. : John Dexter S. W.; R. Groves. J. W • c g™! Scribe ; James L. Hanpt. Treasurer. ’ urOB8 > MARRIED. On the 31st ult., by the Rev. S. S. Landrum, M r A. F. SMITH, of Augusta, and Miss AMELIA A SOR RELL, of this city. QLOSING OUT. The large Stock of BOOTS AND SHOES, SPRING CLOTHING, GROCERIES, BOTTLED ALE, PORTER and CHAMPAGNE CIDER, SEGARS and TOBACCOS, In great variety, BEEF AND PORK, in half-bbU., SUTLERS’ GOODS, TEAS COFFEES and SPICES, The entire Stock will be sold, 1 WHOLESALE AND RETAIL, AT NEW YORK PRICES. The public will find this the best opportunity to pur chase yet offered iu this market. 17C BROUGHTON STREET, marHl ts Next door to Sherlock’s. CIDER FOR SALE, * To families hy the quart or gallon, at , , O’MEARA & CO’S, Ish‘ ) 4 ° Ver Btns ’ Express Office, Bay street.