--The following are called from a letter from lady in
Norfolk to her son, who is stationed in one of the batteries near this city:
‘
I wish to tell you something about the negroes, and Peter H
Whitehurst.
The negroes are doing as they please perfectly unrestrained; they have parties and balls every week — last Tuesday night they had a very large one on Union street and I am told they had every delicacy which could be bought or stolen.
Last week, I and Mary (my daughter) started over to
Portsmouth, and as we got near
Barry's store we met two negro men. One of them, looking me full in the face, said, "when white women see a gentleman coming they must get out of their way." and he pushed me down, and the other pushed Mary on the street.
On recovering I looked to see if there were no gentlemen who would protect and defend us. There was one man standing near, but he said if he were to do anything be would be seriously injured.
Is not this a sad state of things?
But we are hoping for the day when we shall be delivered, and we will patiently bear up under our troubles.
Now for
Peter H. Whitehurst.
He has been unremitting in his efforts to oppress and afflict every Secessionist in the city.
A week ago he went to one of the Banks and exchanged for other money all the
Virginia Treasury notes which he had, and then went to
General Vicle and told him that the only way to humble and bring to their proper sense these secesh women was to prevent the circulation of
Virginia.
Treasury notes.
(this is the only money the soldiers could send home to their families which would past here in
Portsmouth.) Immediately Vicle issued a proclamation, prohibiting the circulation of these notes, and it will astonish you to know that
Peter H. Whiteburst is now going about and buying from the poor families these notes at fifty cents to the dollars, and openly boasts if the war last two years longer he will be a millionaire.
’
