The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-10 00:00:00

TIM CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA,

(From the Times' Correspondent.)
NEW YORK, Aug. 82.
The. draught is completed in this city, and owing
partly to the presence of 50,000 Federal troops, and
par'cly to the reliance of the poorer classes that if
draughted the municipality would purchase their
exemption, everything has passed over quietly.
The Government has thus lost for the present the
coveted opportunity of declaring martial law. But
only for the present. If there be any meaning in
Words, the closing passage of the remarkable letter
of General Dix to Governor Seymour clearly points
to that ultimate catastrophe. " I desire," says the
General, " that the military power of the State of
New York shall be employed in case of need to en-
force the/draught—because I shall otherwise call
on the general Government for a force which shall
not only be adequate to secure the execution of
the law, but which shall enable me to carry out
such decisive measures as shall leave their impress
on the mind of the country for years to come.'
Without waiting for Governor Seymour's reply to
this threateningmissive—and Governor Seymour
most certainly did not hurry himself to answer it
General Dix put himself in communication with Se-
cretary Stanton; and the result was that New York
was invaded and is now occupied by an army almost
as numerous as that with which General Meade con-
fronts General Lee in Virginia and defends the
Federal capital from the perils of a new invasion.:
Three years ago, before the election of Mr. Lin-
coln, and when Mr. Seward had a hope that he
himself might be the chosen of the American people ,
for the high office of President, he uttered the fol-
lowing
words at a meeting at La Crosse, in Wis-

consin :—"What kind of a Government would ii

be if we (the American people) elected a man we
did not like, instead of a man we did like ? My
impression is that we should have a Government

not differing very far from the empire of Austria,
where they always manage to elect a man whom
the people do not like, and where they have an
admirable way of serving the union by organising

an army of 500,000 men, armed to the teeth,
to maintain in power the man who is not
liked." Passing over the error that the Emperor of
Austria sits on the throne by the election of the
people—which was perhaps a slip of the orator's

tongue, or the reporter's pencil—there is sufficient
truth in the description to justify the resuscitation
of this dead and buried prophecy, and to examine
how it fits with the state of affairs in America which
Mr. Seward has done so much to produce, and which
Gen. Dix is so willing to maintain. In the Federal
States, as in Austria, there is an army of half a
million of men, "armed to the teeth," to maintain a
Union that might otherwise resolve itself into three
or four separate parts. Austria proper, Bohemia,
Hungary, and Italy, would represent the disinte-
gration on the one side of the Atlantic ; New Eng-
land, New York, and the Southern and Western
Confederacies on the other. There is this additional
resemblance between the two cases—that such
armies are incompatible with constitutional liberty,
and that they are used to prop up a tyranny that
would otherwise fall to the ground. The city of
New York is called upon to provide 8,000 cr 10,000
conscripts for the prosecution of a war which more
than one-half of the people condemn, and lest these
8,000 or 10,000, or any portion of them, should
break into revolt, 50,000 men, " armed to the teeth,"
aided by a considerable naval fore; are found
necessary to keep the peace, and force the unwilling
civilians into battle_ The Auqtrianisation of
America is almost ccmplete, and Mr. Seward is the
Metternich, Gen. Dix the Wiedischgratz, and Gen.
Butler the Haynau of the process.
The first attempt of the military to interfere in
New York with the right of free discussion during
the progress of the draught has just been made.
The victims are a physician of the name of Childs,
said to be an Englishman ; a printer named
Dickson, and a bill-poster named Johnson, who
were arrested on Wednesday—the first for writing,
and the second and third for printing and distri-
buting a placard, which the police declared to be
treasonable. The police authorities, having some
misgivings whether they had not committed an out-
rage, for which they might be hold to account, con-
sulted Gen. Canby, second in command to Gen. Dix,
and by that officer they were handed over to the
Provost Marshal and committed to a military pri-
son. The placard impugned was an address to the

" Sons of Liberty,"calling upon them, " in the name
of God, and that of the signers of the Declaration
of American Independence, to arouse from their
lethargy," and call a public meeting to raise 50,000
dols. by subscription, in order to employ properly
qualified counsel to test the legality of the conscrip-
tion before the tribunals, in the case of every
draughted poor man who objected to become a sol-
dier. The concluding paragraph will show alike
the style and temper of the writer :—" The Decla-
ration of Independence positively assserts that all
men are born free and equal ! I will ask unpreju-
diced, reflecting men, immaterial what their politi-
cal feelings may be, whether a man is free or can
only enjoy liberty when he is impressed into the
army, dragged from his home, forced to take up
weapons to invade a country, ravage it, kill and
maim its population, jeopardise his limbs,health, life,
and become subservient to a Dictator or Dictators,
when these things are repugnant to his honour and
manhood ? If this constitutes freedom God have
mercy and protect those who are oppressed by
teaching them truth, so that they can spurn and
defy their oppressors with the weapons of
righteousness," The newspapers every day con-
tain articles far more " treasonable" than this can
by any stretch of meaning be fairly considered, and
DO notice is taken of them. Perhaps the treatment
of Dr. Childs is a warning to them of what they
must expect it they continue to persuade the labour-
ing people that the draught is unconstitutional.
Immediately that Dr. Childs was taken from his
home his wife applied by counsel to Judge Leonard
for a writ of habeas corpus, issued to Police Com-
missioner Acton, who was supposed to bold him in
custody. The writ was made returnable on the
following day. The Commissioner yielded due obe-
dience to the summons, and replied that he could
.net deliver up the prisoner; for the reason that he
had not then, and never had, custody of the body.
34, vs. Childs and another woman testified that they
"64 gone together to the police head-quarters, that
a Policeman admitted that Dr Childs was in custody
within,,,,iiiktnnand he said moreover that he wondered
a bill;
vuld have induced Mrs. Childs to issue such
Acton mrarttenough to hang a man." Commissioner
been arrestoaebd' upon examination, that Childs hP.d
over to the eutiodorder of General Canby and handed
Court, under mum!' of Provost Marshal Nugen'c. The
to the Provost iviea circumstances, issued a e w writ
the body. The caserlatutl, directing him 'co produce
before Judge Leonard this
afternoon. The Provo:e
Marshal appeared to answer
it, and testified that
keeping—that he had ,aepriccuer was not in his
by order of General c" vstl sent to Fort Lafayette
that, under the
circumstances, he pottiadn-10-7:_:d..
thereupon issued a. third writ Q.,tug. The judge
,directed to General
Canby, and to the commandant, alto,
And
herepthroepmeratdt
warden of Fort Lafayette, what— 'er, janitor, or
•••yer his
signation or function may be.
rests. The military authorities will be eer-
with their answer to any summons, and I,PrvePa!ed
• Childs
e. to rot i
will, in all probability,
be suffred
until it shall please Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Seward, AL. 11
prison Stanton, or General Dix to release him. And thin
affords another proof of the administration of A.me.
rice, which Mr. Seward dreamt of in 1860, and
which he has in the interval done his best to conver

into a reality.
The printer and the billposter have been dis-
charged after a reprimand by the police on the
enormity of the " treason " which they severally
aided in disseminLtsng, with a caution to sin no
more,—a caution which the printer has takengreatly
to heat. Lest his business should suffer, and loyal
menqdme no more to his shop, he has publicly ex-

_ .
pressed his regret at his imprudence, and plainly
stated that had he read either the manuscript or the
proof of the placard he would have had nothing to
do with "such a thing." He couid have said

nothing more to the purpose had he been in War-

saw or in Venice.

Although Mr. Opdyke's elaborate veto of the
ordinance of the Court of Common Council is a

matter of comparatively small importance, it never.
theless excites indignant comments among the
labouring classes, and will effectually cles troy all his
chances of re-election to the mayoralty. Mr. Opdyke
persistently ignores the grievance of the poor, which
is that a man not possessing 300 dols., and not able
to borrow it, must, if draughted, go to battle and
take the chance of being killed, maimed, invalided,
or taken prisoner; while the rich man may exempt
himself from all personal danger by a money pay-
ment of comparatively small amount. If there were
no exemption to be procured by money, the draught
would be as unpopular among the rich as among
the poor. But, in American parlance, the Mayor
"doesn't see it." He thinks that " a young man in
robust health, who has come to this side of the Atlan-
tic, perhaps from absolute poverty and social degra-
dation in his own country to such freedom, comfort,
property, and social position as so many foreigners
have sought here and found before him, is bound to
serve personally if draughted," for the reason that
"he is offered bounty, food, clothing, pay,threefold
what he had ever aspired to in his own country."
But, suppose this "robust young man" should say to
Mr. Opdyke—rich in esse and in posse by Govern-
ment favour and the numerous contracts which
follow to reward such patriotism as his—" It is
true that I came to this country for 'freedom,
comfort, property, and social position,' but I prefer
the first of these blessings to all the rest. It is
because I thought the country was free that I came
to it, and if I am compelled to become
salasvoe. in
soldier
against my will, I shall consider myself a
your own language, Mr. Mayor, though you
lapspalyy
the words to negroes, and not to white men,
that whether the man who labours withr
hhiesshhaonudlds
should be a free man or a slave, whet
own
w
himself
hiocrh this nationbeownedby
isw d
n now another,
he
ise
deciding.'
ng.
ultimate
questionAs
far as I can I will decide in favour of my owe
emmyusneel
rf
at
thi ao tn . I
Imdaoy
not d o
freedom. I wish to possessirr
my daily work for fa
wish to be owned temporarily or permanently by
the Government, or by any general under whom
I may be ordered to risk my life. The negro slave
is compelled to work, perhaps against his will, and
you:and the abolitionists cry out against the villany ;
but you would compel me to fight against my will,
and insult me at the same time by talking of
my freedom.' " What answer could the Mayor
give to such a speech as this except the answer
of a despot ? The Mayor says in another part
of his manifesto, that the "policy of the
Draughting Act was to provide soldiers for the
national armies, not money for the national trea-
sury." But although the Mayor, as a rich man,
may scout the idea, the only effectual mode of
carrying out such a policy would be to abolish the
commutation, and compel both rich and poor to risk
their lives alike, and serve shoulder to shoulder.
To test whether such an arrangement would be ac-
ceptable to the Mayor, an Irish conscript, who signs
himself William Collins, jun., has publicly offered
to serve in the ranks, provided always that Mr.
Opdyke's son—who is also a conscript, will do
likewise, and that Mr. Opdyke, sen., will not use
any personal or political influence to procure a com-
mission for the young man as lieutenant, captain,
major, colonel, or brigadier-general. This challenge
no sooner appeared in the newspapers than every one
who read it came to the conclusion that the gauntlet
had been thrown in vain, and that Mr. Opdyke
would either himself pay, or allow his son to pay,
the 300 dole. It turns out, however, that Mr. Opdyke
is not to be impaled upon either born of the dilem-
ma, and that the Goverment in this particular case
will get neither man nor greenbacks, inasmuch as
Mr. Opdyke, jun., is an invalid, and will claim
exemption on the ground of physical disability.
What Mr. Collins, jun., will do under the circum-
stances remains to be seen, but, judging from the
tone of his letter, he will neither shoulder the mus-
ket nor part with his money, but claim his alienage
as a British subject.

The process of hearing claims of exemption has
already commenced in some of the wards, with re-
sults that promise but little wool for all the cry that
has been made. Yesterday in one district only six
available soldiers wore procurable out of a list of 66
conscripts. Never had Queen Victoria so many
avowed subjects in New York as she has at this
day, uud never did physical infirmity either of
the gravest or the slightest kind appear so pre•
cious in the estimation of the unhappy persons
afflicted with it as it does now. The total returns
of the city, when completed, will show some curious
figures, and it already begins to be computed by
those who devote attention to the matt,er that
scarcely one-tenth of the draughted men will ever
don the Federal uniform. In the neighbouring State
of Rhode Island, with a population at the last
census of 174,260 persons, the draught has been
completed, the claims of exemption heard and de-
cided, and the result is 19 soldiers ! The remainder
have either proved alienage, physical disability,
non-liability, from under or over age, or have paid
their money or had it paid for them by their friends.

If the State of New York be in the same mood as
Rhode Island, contain a similar proportion of aliens,
cripples, sick and infirm persons, and heroes who
prefer to serve their country with purse rather than
person, Mr. Lincoln will draw from it a not very
formidable regiment of 422 men ! The population
of New York is 3,880,735, and any schoolboy can
work out the result on his slate by a simple sum in
the rule of three.

But as arbitrary measures are in fashion, as Mr.
Lincoln tolerates, Mr. Seward approves, Mr. Stan-
ton urges, and Gen. Dix is ready, on his own show-
ing, to execute them; and as there are 50,000 sol-
diers in New York who have nothing particular to
do, it might be worth the while of the GovernrAent,
if it needs conscripts so sorely as it pretends, to sta-
tion two or three regiments and a few pieces of ar-
tillery in the immediate vicinity of Wall-street,
William-street, and Exchange-place. Every day
from 11 o'clock until 2or half-past 2 there are con-
gregated at the corners of thosr..l streets from 500 to
600 men, mostly young and, *vigorous, in the very
pride and flower of lffe, who are engaged in gam-
bling in stocks and shares. The place is a perfect
Babel for the uproar and confusion of tongues, and
a worse than Homburg or Baden Baden for demo-
ralisation and cupidity. The people who frequent
these purlieu are of no use to the community.
They add nothing to the national wealth. They are
as sordid as thimble-riggers, and have as little heart
or conscience as the scrip in which they speculate.
Why should not Gen. Dix make a beginning by im-
pressing the whole gang and sending them off to
the Army of the Potomac? Such a measure would
be illegal, it is true, but, in the general's own words,
"it would leave its impress upon the mind of the
country for years to come," and would have the
advantage of ridding the city of New York of the
500 or 600 people whom it could most easily spare,
and perhaps save from the operations of the draught
an equivalent number of carpenters, masons, long-
shoremen, and other honest working people. The
measure, in addition to these advantages, would be,
strictly in accordance with the " Austrianizion,,
of the Republic which Mr. Seward foresaw as the
inevitable result of the election of a President

MORE FORTITNE-TELLING.

Augusta Leigh, who described herself as a lodging-
house keeper, of 18, Windsor-plac'e, City-road, appeared
yesterday at the Clerk-enwell Police-court, before Mr.
Mr. VEYncourt, charged with unlawfully and violently
assaulting Miss Harriet Trimmer.

Miss Harriet Trimmer, an elderly female, *ho gave her
evidence in a very precide way, said that she saw in a local
journal an advertisement headed, " Home, comfortable."
The advertisement then went on to say that " a lady" gave
a furnished bed and sitting room, with attendance and
every comfort, for 6s. per week, but if with partial board it
would be 7s. In consequence of that she called on the de-
fendant, and after an interview with her engaged to lodge
with her. On the day appointed she went to the house with
her luggage, and then it was that she discovered that it was
a house of ill-fame, for she had not been there long before
improper words were made use of to her, and she was told
that she could not sleep in the room she had engaged ex-
cept with a companion. She looked herself in in the first
floor front room, and then the defendant broke the room
door open, assaulted her, and said that that room was re-
quired for a gentleman. The defendant made use of very bad
language, and as she (the complainant) found that she was
in a bad house, she went away, but the defendant detained
some of her goods for her rent, which was not owing. A
day or so afterwards she again went to the defendant's for
the goods whch she detained, but the defendant declined to
give them to her, and again assaulted her. The complain-
ant described the house kept by the defendant as one of the
most notorious brothels in the neighbourhood.
Mr. D'Eyncourt inquired of the complainant what ar-
ticles the defendant had kept from her.
The Complainant—There are two pairs of kid gloves, 2s;
a silk scarf, ls ; two sprays of French flowers, is 6d ; a cap
front, 6/d ; and ribbon velvet and black lace, ls. Why, sir,
you would hardly believe it, but the very flower that she
(pointing to the defendant) is wearing now in the front of
her bonnet are the very ones that she took away from me,
The Defendant, clasping her hands, and looking up to
the ceiling, exclaimed in a theatrical tone of voice, "Oh
you wicked old creature, how can you stand there and say
such false and malicious things of me , you ought to be
choked for doing so. As for my house, it is the only re-
spectable one in the neighbourhood, but the houses near
me are gay. lam disturbed all night and all day by per-
sons—some of them captains and real gentlemen—coming
to my house and asking for Kate and other ladies. All my
lodgers are highly respectable, and there is not one woman
there that would speak to any man but her husband, and as
for me doing so, I have done speaking to men, for I have a
supreme contempt for them."
Three Police-constables were called, and stated that the
house kept by the defendant, as well as two other houses
next her, were known and had the name of being brothels.
They had seen loose, dissipated girls, prostitutes that walked
the City-road to ply their unlawful avocation for a liveli•
hood, go into defendant's house ; and even as late as
Saturday morning, between two and three o'clock, a man
and woman went in there the worse for liquor. During the
time of the Dog Show cabs with men with loose women,
who walked about Islington, were in the habit of going to
the defendant's house at all hours of the day and night.
The Defendant again denied that her house was "gay,"
or that she kept lady lodgers. She also denied striking the
complainant, and said that when she first came to the house
she was drunk. The complainant had not been there long
before she wanted her (defendant) to Go with her to a for-
tune teller in Bath-street, City-road. She said that she was
a single woman, and had been living with a married man.
That the man had left her to go back to his wife, as the wife
was near her confinement. He had given her some flowers,
and as she perfectly well knew the language of flowers, she
could tell that her lover's wife would have a son—that she
would die in her confinement—that the child would also die,
and that her lover would be very disconsolate for a time,
and then return to her fond embraces ; all would be for-
given and forgotten, and that she should then be married,
and all would go on happy and comfortable. She (defend-
ant) did not go to the fortune teller's with the complainant,
but one of the lady lodgers did, and when the complainant
came back she said she knew all about her and her house ;
that she was a " Capricorn," and that she was plotting
secretly against her, but that she would not so easily get
over her as she thought, and if she did her triumph would
not be long. Defendant said she could show that her house
was respectable, and called
Wm. Wilkes, who said he was a watchmaker, and worked
at 13, Northampton-street, St. Luke's. He resided in the de-
fendant's house with his wife, but should not do so if it was
not respectable. lie was married at a church, but he could
not exactly recollect when or where. He knew that there
was a young woman in the house of the name of James, but
he was not aware whether she was a Miss or a Mrs.
She sometimes had a gentleman call to see her, but he
could not say whether it was her husband or not,
and as for seeing anything wrong, that was not very
likely, as he did not think that they would be fools
enough to let him. The complainant when she came to the
house was perfectly sober. He was not aware that loose
women visited the defendant's house. He had heard the
evidence of the constables, and although he would not say
that they were not speaking the truth, yet he thought they
I were alluding to the next house.

Mr. D'Eyncourt had the constables recalled, and asked
them if they might not be mistaken in the house, and
whether what they had stated might not apply to the houses
next to the defendant's.

The constables replied, that they were not mistaken in
the house. The two houses next that kept by the de-
fendant were brothels, They had been called to the de-
fendant's house to quell disturbances between prostitutes.
A broker's man was called by the defendant to prove that
she kept a quiet house, for he had turned disorderly pros-
titutes out of her rooms, as she did not take them,nor would
she allow them to be in her house.
Emma James, who resided in the defendant's house, was
called, and at first stated that she was a Miss and then a
Mrs. She was married about 12 months ago at St. Martin's
Church, but did not know where her husband lived, as he
only called once a week at her residence. She never saw
anything at the defendant's house but what was respect-
able. When the complainant first came to the house she
was drunk, and brought with her a bottle of gin and a bottle
of whisky, At the complainant's request she went with her
to a fortune-teller's in Bath-street, where she paid 2d, and
had her fortune told. The complainant told her she had
been living with a man for 5 years, that his wife would
shortly die, and he promised to marry her ; but she wanted
to go to the fortune-teller's to see ifshe should be lucky. The
fortune-teller told her that Fate would be favourable to her,
and gave her a paper.
The Defendant—Yes; and when she came back she said
I had deceived her.
Mr. D'Eyncourt inquired if it was true that the com-
plai•.iant had been to a fortune-teller's.
The complainant said that she had been induced to go
.by Miss James. She went to Bath-street, and consulted the
"oracle," and the "wise man," and when she had paid her
2d. he gave her a printed paper, of which the following is
an exact copy :

"Answer to Capricorn and Saturn.
" The horoscope or nativity announces that you will suc-
ceed in all your enterprises, by all the cares and Troubles
you have given yourself, in spite of that you will have
Crossings to endure; do not alarm yourself because you
will surmount them in a manner that will not be perceived
by any one, and you will discover many plots got up secretly
against you, that will cause you to be on your guard, but
you are so easily seduced, that you would again give your
confidence to people of bad faith. Your economy will give
you the conveniences of life, and you will repose in your old
age,

" Capricorn and Saturn.
"Beware of those who flatter you, it is only to deceive
you ; you are so honest that you believe every one to be like
you.
"Your great confidence will render you the dupe of some
bad persons, but their triumph will not bo loug.
" They will rob you of something, but you will soon find
it again.
"Fate will be favourable to you, because you have no
ambition.
" You will never be rich, but you will never feel the
needle of misery,
"You have a project that you will not put in execution
for a certain time, and not then without great trouble, but
your enterprise will he crowned with success.
"Learn, if thou art Sage,
Science sooner than Heritage.
When Heritage fails thee
Science shall nourish thee.
"N.B.—Secret Looking Glass, to show the Ladies their
present or future Husbands, and Gentlemen their present
or future wives. Admission 2d .—Nativities calculated, and
Destinies Revealed."
Mr. D'Eyncourt said it was very foolish for a grown-up
woman or for any one to believe in such trash, and asked
the complainant whether she was very much hurt from the
effects of the defendant's violence ?
The complainant replied that she did not now feel any
pain. She was more shook than hurt.

The defendant—lt is not likely that I would hurt her.
Mr. D'Eyncourt said it was plain that the defendant
had inveigled the complainant into her house, and then
when she found out its character, and wished to leave,
endeavoured to bully her out of some money. It was not
to be tolerated that respectable women were to be served
as she had been. There could be no doubt but that the
complainant was a weak minded woman, but that was no
reason why she should be abused and defrauded. There
could be no doubt as to the character of the house. He
should fine the defendant £5 and costs for the assault,
and in default of payment she would be imprisoned in the
House of Correction for six weeks.
The Defendant—l have not got £5 to pay; but I hope
that you will give me a little time, and not allow me to go
to prison.

Mr. D'Eyncourt said, as she kept such a house she was
deserving of no pity, and declined to grant her applies-
tion.

The defendant was then removed in the custody of
Turner, the gaoler.

The complainant inquired of the magistrate how she was
to recover the articles that the defendant had retained
illegally.
the Mr. D'Eyncourt said she had better make out a list of
things, and ask the defendant for them, and if she