Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-12-21
FROM WASHINGTON.
Cor. Of the Evening Post.

formal secession of bis native State, South
Carolina, Quite number of navy and array
officers from the South. enjoying lucrative
places in the service, are in Ike predica-
ment. 1t is very hard for them to lose their
pay, but their State allegiance is the para
mount consideration. Some of them have
communicated their doubts to Senator Crit
tenden, asking whether the Federal or State
Government had the stronger claim on them.
But the only advice extracted from him was TO
read their commissions over again. The limo
O. conduct marked out there is clear enough.
The following anecdote from the Century.
of Gen. Scott, in The Modification times of
1893, has q bearing upon the present case
"sGen. Scott was at Fort Moultrie, with
a command of eight hundred men, and full
complement of officers. With view to alav
some natural anxiety in his own mind as TO
the fidelity of his officers, he sent for Judge
of the United States Court, and addressed
him in their hearing, as follows
"'Judge, l have long ago taken my oath
Of alleeiance to the United States Govern
| ment, but it occurs 70 me that in this extra
ordinary emergency will do it again. There
| is no Improperly in it-and, gentlemen
said he, turning to bis officers it will not
The oath was then administered to every
officer present"
| Cor. Of the Commercial AdccYGssr X
| WASHINGTON, Dec. Is. +
There is not any change in the political;
aspect OF affairs here. The clouds are gath
ering thick and gloomy, and there is mors.
lightning in them, particularly in North
| westerly direction, than ever. The members
from the Northwest sympathise strongly
with Gen. Cass.
He is reported to have said 8 I cannot /
remain longer in Cabinet that confesses
that the General Government is subordinate
to State and there being no Government,
my occupations gone
| Gen. SCOTS opinion was asked unon the
propriety of reinforcing Maj Anderson, and
| he gave it very decidedly in favor OF the
measure. This is another confirmation Of
| Gen. Cass' views in the matter.
despatch to tie CON- Advsrtiser.i
| Washington, Dec. Is.
| Further developments have been made re
specting the causes of disagreement: between
the President and the Secretary Of STATE.
which led to the res ignation of the latter.
Is appears that the President had given or
| ders to have the sioop-of-war Brooklyn held
| in readiness to proceed to Charleston, to aid
in the defence of Fort Moultrie at any time
| when he should command it, but declined to
do anything Immediately by way of reir-
forcing the garrison there at present.
Secretary Cass took ground in favor Of
prompt action, and strenuously maintained.
| in his place ia the Cabinet, that the neglect
to send troops there after the threats that
had heen made and the events that have
transpired, implied discreditablo weakness
il the federal government.
The President, however, could not bring
his courage up to the point demanded By
Gen. Cass, who therefore refused any longer
to be amen Der of the federal administration
The President would have appointed Mr.
Henry Ledyard. Mr.. Cass's son-in-law, to
the assistant seeretaryship Of state, vacant
by the resignation OF Mr.. Prescott, but Mr..
Ledyard now declines.
| Since the true reason Of Mr.. Cass's rosig-
nation has been automatically made known.
the venerable statesman's determination not
to aid disunion in any way. or even TO seem
to endorse it, has me; With almost universal
approval.
| Of course the secessionists are. On the
other hand, annoyed and exasperated at the
rebuke ne has thus given to the Chief Exc.
cu!ive and no less mortified at his semi Of,
cial, but truthful and common-sense, de-
cla-ation, that no foreign powers will recos-
nize the nationality or independence Of any
seeding state.
Since the issue of tho Southern manifesto.
urging the cotton states to continue their
preparations for secession, some here have
begun to doubt whether ANYTHING can be Of
fected by Congressional mediation But the
signatures to the manifesto were SO few. tina.
most people regard it as an evidence of &C.
cessionist weakness, and as bright bean, Of
hope rather than of gloom
Despatch to the Commercial Adreraisr.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Il.
Nj. Thompson, the Secretary of the De-
partment of the Interior, will leave for South
Carolina this evening, as Commissioner to
that State from Mississippi.
The position and mission of Mr.. Thomp-
son are severely censured by the Unionisss
and conservative men, who cannot reconcile
his sworn duty to the Union, as an officer Of
the Federal Government. with the purposes
OF tie politicians who put him forward
The Senate chamber was crowded this
morning to hear Senator Wade of Ohio.
Mr.. Wade replied to the disunion speeche.
previously delivered durlng the session. His
remarks were listened to with deep interest,
and occasionally the galleries broke out in
applause.
Senator Douglas is firmly opposed to Sc
cession and advocates coercion to sustain tae
Union if such measures are practicable
Before giving his opinions to the Senate
and the country, he desired 20 see if cOncil-
atory measures cannot be sdopted, and be
will not speak till the course of events shall
demand it. and until re sees that i. is ad-
viSabie and necessary for the President 20
resort to repression.
Reliable intelligence has been received to
the effect tia. the Emperor of France de-
clines to pave the way for negotiations With
South Carolina. Overtures have already
been made to him AID his recognition hes
been solicited
He states that even if the independence O.
South Carolina. and if Southern Confede--
alton is recognized by the Northern States
md by the rest of the Union, France caunot
:,lerate the idea or which this separate ez-
stence is based, and she will not endorse tho
Iystem eff slavery or the revival of the slave
l.