Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-06-11
Affairs in General.

In the present cvCrish state of the public mind atten-
ton is directed to the Gulf of Mexico and to the Capitol
at Washington From time to time accounts OF fresh out
RACES are receved-sometmes the old original outrage
appears in a new FORM At Washington a strong feel
ing is displayed which bids fair to bring forth some
thing more than mere words In the Senate, the Sd
inst Mr. Douglas introduced bill to revive and put in
force the act of the Sd of March, 1882 by which GER
tain powers were conferred upon President VanBuren,
in view of the impending difficulties connected with the
North Eastern Boundary The only change in the pre-
sent bill is that the difficulties in the Gulf are substitu-
ted for those on the frontier the occasion of granting
the specified powers which place at the Presidents dis
posa the army and navy Of the United States authorize
call for fifty thousand volunteers and expenditure of
ten mill ions of dollars with the warrant to borrow the
same if necessary. This bill will most probably pass
The Senate by resolution, postponed the day of adjourn
ment to the 14th but the House would only postpone
until Thursday next, the 10th. 1t is doubtful if the
necessary business can be decenty disposed of by that
time.
The House is quite us decided in its tone as the Sen
ate and WILL no doubt be equally willing to grant the
necessary powers and means. IT, reported the Nor
MONS instead of submitting intend to fight it out such
means must be literally granted in order that rebellion
may be crushed and insult resented at one and the same
time 1t is said that dates from Fort Scott to the 9Th
Nav have been receivcd-that the troops to push
forward and hostlitcs may be expected soon to com
mence We do not think the information reliable
certainly it is not official
England and France are arming -arnng all the time
in spite of peace talk and all that sort of thing, and ii
is felt that their ornaments arc meant for each other
France has regular army of six hundred thousand
men, and no colonies to Defend at least worth
ing She has been making most stupendous efforts tc
bring her navy up to the strength of the English navy
If war docs come the dream of the great Napoleon
will be contaminated its cOnSummatiOn attempted.
The first move will be for French invasion of England
That sythe point towards which every Frenchman looks
with anxious desire. That is the achievement by which
alone in French estimation the humiliation Of Water
loo can be avenged The French army is mighty and
in high state of efficiency. The thing is this-can ii
got to England? That must depend very much up
on the relative force and efficiency of the nves of the two
powers Unless the French should be able keep the sea
in force sufficient to protect the fleet OF Transports of
it would be folly for her to attempt descent at ALL
the British should be able to obtain decided naval pre-
dominance then no French vessel of any force could put
no open boat fleet could expect to do anything in
row sea traversed by swift steam gunboas whose fire
would soon sink the whole fotilla No doubt the aug
mentaton of French and English fleets is prompted by
mutual jealousy far than by jealousy of the United
States
The British regular army numbers about two
hundred thousand men, of whom seventy thousand
arc in India and at least ten thousand more at Canton
and at other points in the Indian and Chinese In
England Ireland Scotland and Wales there cannot be
than sixty thousand regular troops, while the re-
mainder scattered all over the whole EARTH In ad
dtion to the sixty thousand regulars for home defence
there eighty thousand embodied and drilled yeo
many, who nearly equal to regulars There also
a numerous armed police force readily available.
The city of New Orleans is quite upset and revolu
toned A vigilance organization would appear tc
have seized upon the city government if New Orleans
can be said to have had city government for years
past. Somehow, it has been ruled like Baltimore and
Louisville for the last few years.