The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-19 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 19, 1861.

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, Gray's-inn-road.—
The AID of the benevolent is earnestly solicited, to
enable the Committee to maintain the efficiency of this great
work of charity.
Treasurer and Banker —Edward Masterman, Esq., Nicho-
las-lane.

6 IREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—
‘-11 GRAND VOLUNTEER REVIEW at WARWICK..
On WEDNESDAY, July 24, EXCURSION TRAINS will
run from Paddington, Brentford, Southall, Uxbridge, West
Drayton, Windsor, Slough, Reading, Wallingford Road, Did-
cot, Culham, Abingdon, Oxford, and Banbury to Warwick,
re urning the same day as per bills.—Fares from London to
Warwick and back, I,s. 6d. first class ; fis. covered carriat;es.
SPECIAL TRAINS for VOLUNTEERS will run to War-
wick at lower fares.—For particulars, apply to the Superin-
tendent at Paddington.
CRYSTAL PALACE.—On SATURDAY. July
-J 20, 1861. ROYAL DRAMATIC COLLEGE. GRAND
FETE and FANCY FAIR. The Council have the honour to
announce that they have made arrangements with the Direc-
tors of the Crystal Palace for the Annual Fete and Fancy
Fair in aid of the Funds of the Dramatic College, for the
above date. The Fancy Fair, Fairy Post-office, and Wheels
of Fortune will be presided over by the following Ladies,
who have kindly tendered their services :
Mrs. Stirling,
Miss Fanny Stirling,
Mrs. H. Roddell,
Miss Button,
Miss Kate Carson,
Miss Hudspeth,
Miss Fanny Josephs,
Mrs. Alfred Mellon (late
Miss Woolgar),
Mrs. Billington,
Miss Emily Thorne,
Miss H. Simms,
Miss Laidlaw,
AUNT SALLY, CHEAP J
MYSTERY, PEEPSHOW,
Mr. J. B. Buckstone,
Mr. Frank Matthews,
Mr. J. L. Toole,
Mr. Paul Tedford,
Mr. R. Phillips,
Mr. Clark (Haymarket),
Mr. Barrett,
Mr. John Neville,
Mr. W. Smith,
Mr. IL Widdicombe,
Mr. J. Clarke (Strand),
Mr. Addison,
Mr. Lewis Ball,
Mr. W. IVorboys,
Mr. .Tohn Povey,
Mr. W. R. Cranford,

Miss Kate Kelly,
Miss Johnstone,
Miss Fanny Hunt,
Miss Amy Sedgwick.
Mrs. Charles Mathews,
Mrs. E. Fitzwilliam,
Mrs. Frank Matthews,
Miss Katharine Hickson,
Miss M. Oliver,
Mrs. Charles Young,
Miss Alice Evans,
and
Miss Talbot.
OHN, PUNCH, TENT OF
&c., under the direction of
Mr. W. Gomersal,
Mr. J. B. Johnstone,
Mr. Dalton,
Mr. Joseph Robins,
Mr. W. H. Eburne,
Mr. W. Shirley,
Mr. Conway,
Mr. Conway, jun.,
Mr. Charles Sloman,
Mr. Alexander,
Mr. Paul Herring,
Mr. Morelli,
Mr. J. Francis,
and

The Alexander Family.

The Council have also the gratification to announce that
the following Artists have most generously giv,,n their aid
for a VCCAL and INSTRUMENTAL CONCERT :—Mdme.
Weiss and Miss Palmer, Mr. Swift, Mr. Santley, Mr. George
Perren, and Mr. Weiss. Conductors—Messrs. Jules Benedict,
A. Maims, and Alfred Mellon.
ROYAL DRAMATIC COLLEGE QUADRILLE, corn-
posed expressly for this occasion by Mr. Alfred Mellon.
An ACROSTIC, by J. J. Stainton, Esq., "The Royal Dra-
matic College," will be spoken by Benjamin Webster, Esq.,
Master. .

The original Burlesque of VALENTINE AND ORSON,
written by Messrs. Planche, Talfourd, Byron, Halliday, L.
Buckingham, and W. Brough, recently performed for a
charitable object with great success at the Lyceum. Charac-
ters by the members of the Savage Club and other gentle-
men connected with literature and art. Leader of the Band
—Mr. Isaacson.
A thrilling, Melodrama of the good old Bartlemy Fair times,
by Nelson Lee the Younger, illustrated by the real players,
metropolitan members of the profession, at Richardson's
Theatrical Show.

BLONDIN OUTDONE by Mr. J. L. Toole, who will carry
Mr. Paul Bedford (immensely elevated) across the Falls of
Niagara.
The Band of the Grenadier Guards, under the direction of
Mr. D. Godfrey, by permission of Colonel Lewis.
The Band of the Crystal Palace Company.
For numerous other attractions and arrangement of pro-
gramme see future announcements.
Admission, 2s. 6d. ; Children, ls. ; Reserved Seats (num-
bered) for Concert, 2s. 6d. Change can be had at the Fancy
Fair, close to the stalls.
Tickets of admission to the Palace and to the Reserved
Sects for Concert may be had of Mr. J. W. Anson, at the
Office of the Caege. No. 15, Bedford-street, Covent-garden ;
Mr. Sams, Royal Library, No. 1, St. James's-street ; Mr.
Mitchell, 33, Old Bond-street ; Messrs. Keith, Prowse, and
Co., Cheapside ; at the Crystal Palace Office, 2, Exeter Hall,
Strand ; and of the usual agents.

CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA.

(From the Special Correspondent of the Times.)
CAIRO, ILLINOIS.

In my last letter I gave an account of what I saw
on my way to the city of Memphis, and of my visit
to the Secessionists' camp, and brought up the nar-
rative of the journey to my arrival at this place,
which is the head-quarters of the brigade of Illinois
troops employed in behalf of the Union to keep a
watch and ward over the important point which
commands the junction of the Mississippi and Ohio
rivers. Major-General Pillow, of Tennessee, block-
ades the current of the united rivers at Memphis ;
Brigadier-General Prentiss blockades both streams
before they join at Cairo higher up. The former is
in the midst of friends ; the latter is surrounded by
enemies—across the rivers, in his rear, below, be-
hind,
and above him—in his very camp there are
Secesionist feelings, sentiments, and wishes, some-
times represented by actual force. There are in the
larger States about this vast region conditions of
opinion on the subject of Union or Secession which
are like the electrical phenomena of a conductor,
charged by induction. As the States approach or
recede from the great slave agriculturists they be-
come Secessionist, or divided, and finally Unionist.
Western Virginia is rather Federalist than other-
wise ; Southern Illinois is in several counties all but
Secessionist ; East and West Tennessee differ in
sentiment on the great question. Missouri is also
distracted by Federalist and Disunionist.
It may be that this schism will not only break up
the Union, but even split up the States, for the
sovereignty of which one part of the Republic is
arrayed in arms against the other. The Seces-
sionists, however, stop short with their universal
remedy at the borders of each State, and do not
admit the right of separation to any portion of a
State unless it be in their own favour. A Union
man is very glad to observe discussion in a State
when it is brought about by the friends of the
Government at Washington. A Northern man will
endure anything but the idea of the Union being
broken up ; he becomes intemperate and angry if it
be hinted at, But, in whatever way the end may be
worked out, it is clear the means used in doing so
are the old-fashioned machines in vogue in the Old
World in the hands of despots, kings, and rulers ;
and that the majority in States which was formerly
the ruling power must be destroyed by the process.
The argument of a self-governing people for the
whole of the United States is now convenient
enough ; but we heard very different language
I when England demanded redress for the imprison-
ment of her subjects at Charleston, and when a
British subject was seized in New York because he
had destroyed a vessel in the service of the enemy.
In fact, the whole of the philosophical abstractions
on which the founders of the Republic based their
constitution have given way before the pressure of
events, and every step that is taken by the Federal
Government in vindication of its rights or preroga-
tives is embarrassed by difficulties which in the end
must be cut by the sword. The authorities can
scarcely deal even with a rebel privateer • and in
the case of the schooner taken by the United States'
brig Perry in all but flagrant piracy, with proofs
abundant of her guilt, there is no court to condemn
her unless one be specially devised, inasmuch as she
ought by law to be condemned in the United States'
Court, in the harbour of Charleston, South Carolina,
where the United States' processes at this moment
are not of much effect. It is obvious that such an
emergency as the present cannot be met by any
constitutional devices. Republics in a crisis have
always had recourse to dictators. If word-splitters,
doctrine-mongers, and dodging politicians, at the
forthcoming Congress of Washington, attempt to
control the action of the Executive by " Constitu•
tional devices, motions, or resolutions, they will do
more harm to the cause of the Union than all the
militia captains of the enemy's host.
A few hours took me out of the Southern Camps
to the Federalist position; but Secession sentiments
travelled on board the steamer. An English steward,
who left his country so long ago that he forgets all
the feelings of his countrymen, expressed his opinion
that the South would hold its own on the slavery
basis, and professed astonishment at the notion that
slavery was not in itself a good thing, which he
found prevalent in Great Britain. The passengers
were rather Secessionist than Unionist, and I must
say, from what I have seen, there is far more leni-
ency and forbearance shown by the United States'
authorities to the rebels than the latter exhibit to-
wards those who are in favour of Federal principles,
which
are
o generallyn landing
at h
t describede
leveedownof Cairo,
South
the as" abo-
litionist." pas-
sengers went where they listed,
and
a very strong
Secessionist from New Orleans, who had travelled
with me in train going north on
"business"—l sus-
pect tam 31arte quam Mercurio—was let go his way-
by General Prentiss after a brief detention. Re-
garded from the river, Cairo consists of a bank of
mud running out in the junction of .the Mississippi
-•C C. The tops
of Ohio, in the shape of a horizontal ops
of certain unimpressive wooden stores appear above
the bank, and one tall hotel arises aloft near the
sharp ena, before which the UnitedStates'flag floats
ith all its CI E tar:. At the angle tlwre is an earth-
work, which is not yet complete, but which will
soon be finished, in very good order. It is a redan
or rather a fleche following the line of the banks,
with a good profile and command—a regular ditch
scarp and counter-scarp, and it owes its excellence
probably to the skill of Colonel Wagner, a Hun-
garian Artillery officer, who is in charge of it. The
hotel was crowded with men in uniform, and it was
suggested by the landlord that one bed was large
enough for two stout
gentlemen—my friend and my-
self, the thermometer being at 100 degrees or so in
the shade, but there was a difference of opinion on
that point, and finally we were quartered in a
secluded little chamber, two bedded, two windowed,
with a fine view into the back yard. The delta is

strongly occupied by Illinois volunteer forces, with
two field batteries and several guns of position. O❑
the opposite shore of the Mississippi, at a place
called Bird's Point, in the State of Missouri, is a
detached post, with field intrenchments held by a
regiment composed of Germans, Poles, and Hun-
garians, under Colonel Schuttner, about 1,000
strong, and several pieces of light artillery. Posts
are also established higher up on the banks of each
river, but on the bank cif the Ohio, opposite to Cairo,
the soil is tabooed. There is the " sacred soil" of
Kentucky, and Beriah Magoffin has warned the
United States and Confederate States off his pre-
mises. It is my belief, however, that Columbus will
not be long unoccupied. The Ken tuckians opposite
Cairo are very strong Secessionists. _

At the rear of the hotel, in the hollow between
the levees of the rivers, is " Camp Defiance," which
must be the base of operations of any force proceed-
ing down the Mississippi. On the morning after my
arrival (June 20) I was introduced to General
Prentiss, whom I found in a large room on the
ground floor of the hotel, which is the headquarters
of the brigade. He is a man in the prime of life,
about 40 years of age, with a clear, liquid blue eye,
and very agreeable manner ; smooth-faced, except
as to the chin, which is adorned by the barbe di'
Afrique or goatee so much affected in America ;
over the middle height, slight and active in figure, and
speaking with what is called a slight Western accent.
Although he was aware I had just come from Mem-
phis, the General had the good taste not to ask any
questions respecting the position, which is more than
I can say of all I met on either side. By his elbow
was his acting aide-de-camp and military secretary,
an Englishman named Binmore, who was formerly
engaged as Government stenographer at 'Washing- .
ton, and has now sharpened his pencil into a sword.
A number of officers were in the room, one of whom
was a Hungarian, Milotsky; another a German, a
third a Scotchman, a fourth an Englishman. In
conversing on various matters General Prentiss
showed me, with a smile, the copy of a newspaper,
published in Kentucky, which contained an article
on himself that cannot readily meet with a parallel
even in the journalism of this part of the world.
For the benefit of your readers I send it that they
may judge what sort of a people it must be which
tolerates the use of such language ;
" There is a man now vegetating at Cairo, by name Pren-
tiss who is in command of the forces at that point. His
qualifications for the command of such a squad of villains
and cutthroats are—he is a miserable hound, a dirty dog,
a sociable fellow, a treacherous villain, a notorious thief, a
lying blackguard, has served his regular five years in the
penitentiary, and keeps his hide continually full of Cincin-
nati whisky, which he buys by the 12arrel to save money.
In him are embodied all the leprous rascalities, and in this
living sore the gallows has been cheated of its own. This
Prentiss wants our scalp. We have no objection to his
having it if he can get it; and we will propose a plan by
which he may become possessed of that valuable article. It
is this. Let him select 150 of his best fighting men, or 250
of the lager beer Dutchmen, and we will select 100 ; then
let both parties meet at a given point, where there will be
no interruption of the scalping business, and then the
longest pole will knock the persimmon.' If he does not
accept this proposal he is a coward. We think the above
proposition fair and equal."
These gems are from a paper called the Crescent,
printed at Columbus, Kentucky, and edited by
Col. L. G. Faxon, of the Tennessee Tigers, a worthy
and accomplished officer and gentleman, no doubt.
In the afternoon General Prentiss was good
enough to drive me round the camp in company
with Mr. Washburne, member of Congress from
Illinois, and several officers and gentlemen. Among
them was Mr. Oglesby, Colonel of a regiment of
Illinois Volunteers, and, as it shows of what mate-
rial the commanding officers of these regiments, on
whose individual action so much dpends, are made,
I may be pardoned for stating that this excellent,
kindly, and shrewd old man, who was responsible
for the position and efficiency of 1,000 men, is one
who raised himself from obscurity to a competence
by the drudgery of a lawyer's office in spite of a de-
fective education, and that he never handled a com-
pany in the field in his life. Apparently he is selected
to be a colonel because he can make good homely
telling speeches to his men, and he may think he
will be a good officer just as he may imagine he is
an excellent artilleryman because the first time he
ever laid and fired a gun the other day the ball hit I
the tree at which it was aimed. The bulk of the
troops are encamped in wooden sheds, provided with
berths like those in a ship, which are disposed lon-
gitudinally, so as to afford the maximum of sleeping '
room. These sheds run continuously along the in-
ward side of the levees, the tops of which are broad
enough to serve as carriage roads. They answer
well enough for temporary purposes, but would not
do for a lengthened residence. There can be no
drainage, as the ground on which they stand is be-
low the water level. The parade is spacious and
level enough—the bottom of a swamp which the
troops have cleared, cutting down trees and remov-
ing stumps with great diligence and labour. Our
drive extended up the Mississippi shore, past two
field guns in position and some infantry tents, up to
the camp of a company of Chicago Light Artillery
and of Hungarian and German Volunteers, under
Major Milotsky. The guns fired a salute on the ar-
rival of the General, and the company were drawn up
to receive him—an unequally-sized body of men,
most of whom, however, were quite fit for any mili-
tary duty. The Captain, Mr. Smith, is, I should
judge from his accent, a Scotchman, and he told me
the men in his company represented a million and
a-half of dollars in property. The guns of the
company (brass six-pounders), the horses, and
equipments were clean and in good order; the firing
was well-timed. While seated in his tent several
of the privates came forward outside and sang,
"The Star-Spangled Banner," " God Save the
Queen" (to their own words), and other airs very
pleasingly; but a severe reception awaited the
guests on going entside, for the whole of the com-
pany were drawn up in line, and they then and
there set up a shouting for " Washburne," so that
the hon. member was fain to comply and make a
speech ; and then General Prentiss made a speech
under similar compulsion ; and next Colonel Ogles-
by; and then your own correspondent, who has
had quite enough of speaking in America, in his
first and last effort, was forced to say he could not
make a speech ; and after other orations, in which
the audience were always called " gentlemen !" we
got off (with "three cheers") to the Hungarians,
who were waiting for the turn—a fine, soldierly-
looking set of men, of whom our Kentucky editor
writes as follows :
“When the bow-legged, wooden-shoed sour-krout stink-
ing, bologna•sausage-eating, hen-roost-robbing Dutch sons
of from Cairo had accomplished the brilliant feat of
taking down the Secession flag on the river bank, they were
pointed to another flag of the same sort, which was flying
gloriously and defiantly about two squares distant (and
which their guns did not cover), and defied, yea' double-big,
black dog dared (as we used to say at school) to take that
flag down. The cowardly pups,
the sheep-dogs, the sneak-
ing skunks dare not do so becalse these 12 pieces of artil-
lery were not bearing upon it. And these are the people
who are sent by Lincoln to crush out' the South 1"
The officer in command put them through light
infantry drill, advance of
line of skirmishers,
charge, rally, retreat, &c., all well done, and they
whowhhaidch come some hundreds
marched back singing to camp and gave three good
cheers for the General. In our way back the party
was enlivened by
Place near the hotel.
Fu nri ndrawn sotthfoeim)ppireledesseatnotceasnoeofetlhhauedrsb campiesads and brothers, and in the
were on the
ground, and never, perhaps, did any force only a
few weeks in the field look more like soldiers,
march more steadily in
line or
e vae regiments
the usual
of parade
about took
o 700 k each
uniform
a various
novelty—ono with
white cressbelts between two companies with black
present a better
companies
iilime
appearance in the ranks.
When dw
struck the differenceth the
eys
ao
s a
f disagreeable
crossbelts, for example ; but the line of bayonets was
unwavering and uniformly sloped—all the ordinary
work of a very ordinary regimental parade was per-
' formed by each with precision and rapidity, and the
. men were as fine fellows as could be seen in any
infantry regiments of the line in any part of the
. world. The officers, however, did not seem very
. quick—orders were carried at a trot—the combined
movements were slow and a little clubbing took
place in forming into line from ea limns
of
corn-
. panies marching in echelon. Just as it was dark
there came into camp with a good band at their
. head a remarkably stout-looking set of fellows
armed with rifle and bayonet, very tall, in heavy
marching order, and stepping out like men who
knew their business. Alas! that it should be so.
But these arc Colonel Schuttner's
" Dutchmen," as
they are called, who have been a little eccentric at.
Bird's Point, going on scouting parties, and making
. themselves generally active either Without or with
the colonel':, sanction, • LO they i e twitched to
, camp as a punishment for their want of discipline,
and their place is taken by another battalion. I
am informed the conduct of the troops on the whole
has been very exemplary.

JUNE 21.
I visited the earthworks at the end of the levee.
Col.Waegner was ill with the usual camp diarrhoea,
but he would insist on getting up and showing me
his performance. He has fought in many hard
fields in Europe, served in the Hungarian war, and
accompanied Kossuth to the United States. His
right-hand man, Lieut. O'Leary, was formerly a
petty officer in the British navy, served in the Furi-,
01le in the Black Sea, and was in the Shannon bri.

ItalbB4ortgnsrhayfnuaaia.thewdinsdvanhtyauceeeesdevlehlroruoelhswmihnbmsni, under the ever-to-be deplored sailor, who led
them., to the relief of Lucknow, and finally to the re-
duction of that ill-starred city. Mr. O'Leary told
me he was not much credited here when he re-
counted the manner in which Sir William Peel
taught his sailors to toss about 68-pounders as if
secootgercarceleherahi
adequateni
sgonetl
cwgzfihri
ideiaottednvrehenil
crowded"
urd,
dodrtamtpigsh,
ws,
oaubeie
wttgoel cinloferahsyi
s2dptseeite4h.
effectually.
td.
irthapunmgepbe:asTuol
.-pounders,
etisnhl
wunhteysetndseh.
h:serrobceeralthedsuenohnriet.occupants
workbthci
wrpeutcseeii
roaop,ngi,
ahfnao3agi
ecters
consists
sot
imedti.t.
suacmpssot
anaesompnitcanduoiogrldi
rnefonatencdmobzausootetaei
nmi brneaswsi
sdeeteres:
with a fieldpiece from the work at a small target
500 yards off, in order to try ricochet fire, was by
no means bad, and would have speedily sunk a
boat in the line of fire. Whenever a steamer is
made out approaching Cairo a gun is fired from one
or other of the ports. The steamer then gives tue
private signal agreed upon, and, if she does not
answer, is fired upon and brought to by round shot.
In the evening, as I was walking up and down
the levee after a day of exhausting heat, an extra-
ordinary tumult attracted my attention, and on
running to the hotel whence the noise proceeded I
discovered a whole regiment drawn up two deep
without arms, and shouting out in chorus, " Water!
water ! water !" The officers were powerless, but
presently General Prentiss came round the corner,
and mounting on a railing proceeded to address the
soldiery in energetic terms, but in substance his
remonstrance would have been considered, in a
.French or English army, as much a breach of dis-
cipline as the act it had censured. These men had
broken out of barracks after hours, forced their
officers and the sentries, and came up shouting to
the headquarters of their General to complain of a
deficiency of water. The General addressed them
as " Gentlemen." It was not his fault they wanted
water. It was their officers who were to blame, not
he. He would see they had water, and would
punish the contractor, but they must not come dis-
turbing him by their outcries at night. Their
conduct was demoralizing to themselves, and to their
comrades. Having rated the " gentlemen" soundly,
he ordered them back to their quarters. They
gave three cheers for the General, and retired in
regular line of march with their officers. The fact
was that the men on returning from a hot and
thirsty drill found the water-barrels which ought
to have been filled by the contractor empty, and
not for the first time, and so they took the quarter-
master's business into their own hands.

JUNE 22.
The information which Brigadier-General Pren-
tiss received of movements on the part of the
Missouri Secessionists induced him, in pursuance,
I presume, of instructions from the head quarters
of his district, or, possibly, on his own responsibi-
duty, to send out an expedition secretly this after-
noon to break up the camp, and disperse or make
them prisoners. It is in that sort of guerilla enter-
prises that much of the time and strength of the
Federalists will be consumed. A good map of the
States may fail to show the little village of Com-
merce, on the Mississippi, but it is about 16 miles
east of the town of Benton, and is about two hours'
steaming from Cairo. Here the Confederates, or
"rebels," as they are called in my present latitude,
have collected in two or three small camps in num-
bers to which report adds and deducts ciphers at
pleasure. But General Prentiss does not think they
can be over a few hundred men, judging from the
force he sent against them. It is supposed these
bands are the debris of Governor Jackson's followers,
who have been encouraged by promises of support
from Memphis to assemble as rallying centres for
the Secessionists of Missouri, who would, no doubt,
collect in considerable numbers if they were per-
mitted, and would summon their defeated Governor,
now an exile in Arkansas, to their head. But the
position they occupy is very important in a stra-
tegical sense, as it commands the Mississippi above
Cairo, and if they succeeded in getting a few guns
they could stop the navigation of the river and
cause serious embarrassment to the right flank
and rear of the Federalists posted on the junc-
tion of that river with the Ohio. It was nearly

dusk before the expedition started. It con-
sisted of about 700 men and one six-pounder
field-piece, under the command of Colonel Morgan.
As they marched on hoard the huge river steamer
—a Pelion of light carpentery on an Ossa of engines
and boilers---the men cheered in the old English
style, and gave—three thundering " hurrahs " as
the steamer backed out and set her bow against the
stream. But now comes what seemed to me a little
of the recklessness and want of foresight, or at
least of precaution, which has been evident in more
than one Federalist expedition, with the usual
consequences of disaster and loss. These men and
horses and the gun were put on board this big
tinder-box, all fire and touchwood. One small
boat, capable of carrying a dozen men at most,
hung at tier stern. Imagine an explosion, and her
engines are high pressure; a shot from a masked
gun into her boiler, and her boilers are exposed ;
even heavy musketry fire opened suddenly from the
wooded bank on the beehive-like deck, where the
solitary gun could scarcely be worked, and the
men could not be landed, and see what a catastro-
phe might ensue. To use a homely simile there were
" too many eggs in one basket." And there was
no necessity for doing this, inasmuch .as many
steamers lay at the disposal of the authorities, and
the steamer could easily have towed up flats or boats
for the gun and men. In talking to Gen. Prentiss
this evening I was informed that the enemies' spies
visit Cairo every day. Strict precautions are used
to prevent access to the camps—a close chain of
sentries is posted all around, and in the day a pass
is necessary for admittance, unless one belongs to
the force, and at night no one is admitted without
the countersign. An Irish gentleman who had been
evincing his satisfaction at the receipt of his wages
more Bihernico just now attempted to get past us
—" Who goes there ?" " A friend—shure you
know I'm a friend !" " Advance three paces and
give the countersign." The gentleman approached,
but was brought up by the bayonet. " Send for the
captain, and he'll give you the word bedad." The
intercession was unnecessary, for two policemen
came up in hot pursuit, and the General, who was
sitting by, ordered the guard to deliver their pri-
soner to the civil power. For some extraordinary
reason this act moved the prisoner to the greatest
gratitude, and taking off his cap he exclaimed,
" Thank you, General ; long life to you. Indeed,
General, I'm greatly obliged to you on this account."
Another sentry who challenged an officer in the
' usual way was asked by him, " Do you know the
countersign yourself P" " Indeed I don't Sir ; it's
not nine o'clock, and they haven't given it out yet."
A very tolerable military band played outside the
hotel in the evening, and I was pleased to see the
quiet manner in which the bystanders of all ranks
sat down in the chairs as they were vacant, close
to the General, without any intrusion or any sense
of impropriety arising from their difference in rank.
The expedition had not returned at four o'clock this
evening when I started in the train for Chicago.
JUNE 23.

A large-bodied Yorkshireman, who had a full
share of most of the attributes of.his shire folk, in
the service of the land department of the Illinois
Central Railroad, gave me all the information neces-
sary about the country. He was called " Major"
by his intimates, and, said he with a wink, "Once
I was a major, but, unfortunately, there was a word
before it—l was troop sergeant-major in the Queen's
Bays." He pointed out the fat places where "we
put our Englishmen" when they come to settle on
the prairie lands on which we were just entering as
morning broke, and seemed hopeful of a grand
future for the vast plains, which only stand in need
of a little wood to render them fit for the reception
of despairing agriculturists when the war fever is
over Corn is abnndant. The vast plains are rich
with crops, or are ready to yield to the tilth. A city
worthy of such a name rises above the waters of the
sea-like lake whose waves roll from the boundless
horizon in crisping foam on the smooth sandy beach.
The pure clear air invigorates the frame, weakened
by the warm, clammy breath of the St4uth. The
notes of. the mocking bird are heard no more, but
the prairie hen gets up with a sharp whirr from the
roadside,. and drops with her brood into the deep,
flowering clover ; the partridge calls from the
stubble, and instead of the foul turkey buzzard and
his lazy wheel swoops the gray falcon
broad meadow rapid curves. Chicago receives us,
and comfui t, crain:l, gu6:l uaat,
and bread—of which, indeed, we had a. foretaste akt
.
the refreshment rooms at Centralia, where I. took
tea last night—assures the traveller that he is not
over the
1 the inmate of a Southern hotel.

MEETING OF MIDDLESEX MAGISTRATES.—The
ordinary meeting of the magistracy of Middlesex, for the
consideration of business relating to the county, was held
yesterday at the Court-house on Clerkenwell-green. Mr.
Pownall's year of office as chairman having expired, Mr.
Kemshead was voted to take the chair, when, upon the
motion of Mr. Armstrong, seconded by Mr. 11. Harwood
Harwood, Mr. Pownall was re-elected chairman until the
next July quarter OVNi9IIS,