The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-16 00:00:00

THE CIVIL WAR IN AXERICA,

(Rom the Correspondent of the Times.)
NEW YORK, Oct. 2.
New York held high festival yesterday. Broad-
way arrayed itself in banners, and the city poured
Out its thousands to welcome Admiral Lisovaki
and the officers of the Russian fleet. Such a recep-
tion as this flighty and easily excited population
loves to give to anybody of sufficient note to justify
the expenditure of time and money was given on
this occasion ; but it was a mere copy and repeti-
tion of previous displays. As Kossuth was re-
ceived years ago, and the Prince of Wales, and
the Japanese Ambassadors, and, more recently,
General Corcoran, so also, with little variation
in the programme, were the Russians made free
of the Empire City, and bidden to share in the hos-
pitalities of the Corporation and of the magnates
of its trade and commerce. The promoters of the
gala had the good taste to confine it to its sole cue
pose, the glorification of Russia, and to refrain from
inviting, as they were publicly urged to do, the Bri-
tish and French admirals and officers now in the
pert, to be sharers in the festivities. The whole
:scene passed over with satisfaction to all concerned
—especially to the Republican party. There is a
growing impression that war between the United
States and France, or Franceand England combined,
is inevitable, and that under such circumstances it
is well for the Americans to have a friend in the
Czar. Mr. Charles Sumner declares that the Federal
Government has no friend except
Switzerland, but
all the Republicans and many of the Democrats
think the Senator in error, and are of opinion that
ofhat
in case of European complications growing on
the question of the recognition of the Southern Con-
federacy, or any other of the possible issues of the
war, the Federal Government might securely count
upon the physical aid and the moral sympathy of
the Emperor Alexander. An alliance offensive and
defensive with Russia is the present day-dream of
the Americans, which they indulge not altogether
for the love and affection which they bear to the
Russians, or for any community of interests between
them, but for the hate which they bear to Great
Britain, which dates from the days of George III.;
and for that which more recently they have begun
entertain towards France for the unpardonable
tob utnot easily definable sin of sympathy with the
South, aggravated by the Emperor's contempt for
the Monroe doctrine, as exhibited in the affairs of
Mexico, and the attempt to introduce monarchy on
the North American continent.
The city positively teems with rumours of fresh
disasters, both at Chattanooga and Knoxville—ru-
mours which do not find thier way into the news-
papers for fear of General Dix and the Provost
Marshal, but which are repeated at every corner,
and tend to send up gold and depreciate stocks in
Wall-street. It also begins to be seen that if Gen.
Gilmore and Admiral D ihlgren cannot take Charles-
ton during the present month—which, judging
from the oast progress of these gentlemen in their
task, is not very probable—the siege will have to
be abandoned, from the impossibility of maintain-
ing the army in health during the winter on the
sandy and inhospitable shores of Morris Island,
where the tents cannot stand the violence of the
gales ; where everything the mon eat is gritty with
sand and dust : where the water is scarce and bad ;
and where fuel, if obtainable at all, can only be ob-
tained at heavy cost from New York, there being
not so much as a shrub on the island of which to
make a camp fire.
But, whatever may be the good or the evil for-
tunes of the Republic, General Schenck persists in
courting attention. He and his subordinates at
Baltimore are irrepressible. Neither anger, nor con-
tempt, nor ridicule can teach them decency, Two
new cases have just occurred which exceed in
stupidity of injustice all that he and his ready in-
strument have hitherto perpetrated against the
luckless citizens of that pleasant capital. The first
in order of time is that of the Rev. Frederick Gib-
son, a clergyman of the Episcopal Church—a man
highly esteemed in Baltimore in every relation of
life. He has, it appears, been in the habit of re-
ceiving into his family for the purposes of education
10 to 12 young gentlemen, and as his reputation as
a teacher stood high the applications for admission
to his school ger° more numerous than he could ac-
cornmeAlete. Oa the 21st of September a General
G. C. Thomas wrote to him from Washington to
know whether he had a vacancy for his son. As
Gen. Thomas was an officer in the Federal service,
Mr. Gibson replied that he should be most happy to
re„ vivo the young gentleman, bat thought it only
proper to iuform the General, "in the unhappy cir-
eumstancee which now distract the country, that all
his pupils this year without exception advocated
the Southern side, and that such being the case, he
did not think Gen. Thomas's son would find it plea-
sant to be among them." This was a privileged com-
munication, and ought to have been so considered
by a gentleman. Gen. Thomas, however, was of a
different opinion, and forwarded the document to
Mr. Stanton. Mr. Stanton forwarded it to Gen.
Schenck, and Gen. Schenck instructed his adjutant-
general, one Col. Dente Piatt, like himself a Western
attorney,elevated into military importance by the
w
to do what was needful in the circumstances.
Mr. Gibson was forthwith summoned into the awful
presence of Col. Plait and underwent a searching
cross-examination as to his
political opinions. Mr.
Gibson replied that in his public public character of a
clergyman and a teacher he
opinions whatever, and neither
. preachedzpressednopolitical
m politics
from his pulpit nor taught them his school. Being
pressed to tell what his private
opinions
were he
frankly admitted that he had alwaysi thought
war ogainst the South to be indefensible,andththaet
he heartily sympathised with'itsupeople. This was
more then enough for Does
Platt, who angrily in-
formed Mr. Gibson that with an opinions he had
no right to be in Baltimore, ore any right at all
except the right to be shot and buried. He forth-
with consigned this clergy
man withoutrigmhts to a
common cell at the rear of the
ProvostMondayte w hlast,
sat ehhaa
l
office, where he still remained on
Pending Gen. Schenck's decision
t
ll
be done with him.
The next case, though less painful in itself, is
scarcely less disgraceful to the egregious blockheads
who govern Baltimore. Five persons named Carr,
Jordan,
Kelly, and Bowhadger,plehreoohne
Monday, the 28th, brought before Colonel
provost
Marshal, upon the charge of drinking the
Damnation to the goose that
following toast :—"
greys the
quill that made the pen that wrote Lin -
coin's coin's Proclamation of Emancipation." This was
thing less than high treason. In
vain the culprits alleged to
be nothing
.protested Fish
was inexorable, and that it was a good Union
l
sentiment. Colonel
ordered them to be transported beyond the Federal
to drink the toast if they pleased
lines into Virginia,
" rebels." As it appeared,
among their friends the
however, that the business f
ot: thleeset m
wholly ruined and their families destituteenw ou
if the
decree were enforced, the offended Majesty of
Colonel Fish consented to reconsider the matter.
After
a day's deliberation, the interval having been
well employed
e -e-oyed by the friends of the offenders in
bringing testimonials of their previous good be-
haviour, it
crime would wats intimated to them that their grievous
oe overlooked this once, provided they
would take oath of allegiance to that
Pre-
sident of whose
• Each so-quill they had spoken with
such irrevsrence gnn gracious
and all of them took the
oath without hesitation.
The Court of Appeals of
hiss decided by majority the State of New York
that " greenbacks" are a legal
.ToBY;iae dissenting,of the judges, the Chief
tender for private as well as public debts and that
of the
the clause in the Constitution United States
which delegates to the Federal Government the sole
right of " coining" money meats the right of
alprinting" money • As the case will be taken for
farther adjudication to the Supreme Court of the
I.Taited States, the only Court that has Power to
interpret the Constitution, and the highest tribunal
in the country, the question is not to be considered
In the meantime the arguments
as decided. of
:g htf in support of the right of the
Judge Wri
Federal Government to print as much paper as
authorise, merit the study of Euro
Co ogress may
pews as well as Americans. They will serve to
show into who t a
financial gulf Mr. Cnase hasjumped
American people after him. Judge
and dragged tile
Congress and the Govern,
Wright is of opinion that