Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1860-12-20
From our own Correspondent.
DOttlngs In Washington.
WASHINGTON, Dec. II, 1856


tho Union. one unfaltoring purpose like that
of old Jacksons, and all might yet he well.
But alas the holder the treason aud the
greater the need of political honesty and
neral firmness the moro manifest is his i'm
becility and trcachery, the greater his vac
lation and timidity. His only firmness, il
irmness he has, consists in persistence in
the wrong His administration ho, been
marked by rapacity to acquire whilst dis
playing an itnpotcncy to h0t,-abl.e to ruin,
strengthens to save.
From such policy what more natural
than that disoontont and sense Of inseenri-
ty shou'. seize upon the public mind, that
Na',onal Stocks and National Credit should
dccl.ne, that disntcgration should commence
within the charmed circloof his own Cabinet.
The events Of the week just closed have
shown with demonstrable clearness that the
rumors Of dissenson between the President
and his advisors, 80 rife anterior to the dciv-
cry Of the Message, wero we'll grounded, and
that his plausible theory in regard to tho
Forts at Charleston, s. c., lest All attempt to
strengthen this arm Of the Government might
result In precipitating collision, was little
| less than a connivance on his part to betray
those very Notifications into the hands Of
the enemy,
The deficiency in the Treasury, brought a.
bout by the rulnous policy so pertiDaciously
adhered to by Mr.. Cubb, has been provided
for by the passage Of Bill authorizing an
issue of Ten Millions in Treasury notes. This
measure of relief was introduced ly Dir.
Sherman on Monday last, from the Commit
tee Of Ways and Means. As subsequently
amended and passed it provides for Notes Of
Al I AZ: han rt,r
per cent interest, but with authority to the
Secretary of the Treasury, in case any OF the
creditors of the U. States decline receiving
them at par value, to advertise them for ten
days and then dispose ol them at such rate
Of interest as will cause them to bying par
value.
Surely. If aught else were wanting to show
the sad stute of our finances, it may be fou-d
in tho extraordinary provision just referred to.
1t remains to be seen whether we are in
better condition than in 1914, when Treasury
Notes were sold at rs per cent discount.
The change in our financial condition will
be tho more readily appreciated when it is
remembered that shortly after MIR. Cobb en-
tered upon his duties he redeemed portion
OF the Government loan at a premium of 1G
per cent, ont of plethoric Treasury, and the
day he 80 ingloriously vacated, it was sold at
a discount of Is per cent So much for l'o-
cofoco, froc-t-sde fnanciering!
Owing to the absence of the Vice President
at the time of the passage Of the Ten Mill
lion Bill and the immediate adjournment
thereafter Of the Senate until Monday, its
benefits cannot DO made available to the
Members before the 28th or possibly the 3lst
inst. an event that may seriously interfere
as to tho place and manner in which some
of them purposod spending tho coming holi-
days.
Mr.. Cobb, Secretary of tho Treasury, re-
signed on Monday last and left for bis home
in Georgia on the Thursday following, nc
oompanied by the regrets and enjoying the
full confidence" of tho President although
he had but few days previous announced
through the columns Of the press that bis OBJ
isct was to join his own people ndincitc them
to secession and resistance to Federal author
ity under Mr.. Lincoln Tie place thus made
vacant has been filed by Ex-Gov. Philip F.
Thomas of our own State, who was at the
date of his appointment serving as Commits
sionef Of Patents.
Scarce had the surprise and aeliyH, excl
ted by the reslsnatiuii Of Cabinet officers at
such an hour subsidized, when we were again
startled by the announcement, on Friday eve
ming, Of the resignation Of the Secretary Of
State, Gen. Cass And for such reasons =
Would to God, that for the sake of my coun-
trys honor, this page of her history may re-
main unwrttcn. This action of Gen. Cass'
involves the President not only in personal
disgrace but in the betrayal of that ConStitu
ton which he was sworn to support and the
abandonment of that Union upon which we
have been taught to rely as the Ark Of oar
safety.
Fort Moultrie is not to be reinforced though
it be sought in the tears and cntrcatics of
devoted wife mploring succvr for her hus-
band and his brave associates, lest it be con-
strued into declaration of war by South
Carolina To his everlasting infamy he it
known. that if those brave and loyal men in
possession og that Fort shall fall prey to So
cession violence, upon the Presidents head.
in sight of earth and Heaven must rest the
responsibility and the guilt Why hesitate?
Why doubt !? For him to doubt in such
crisis, is to be damned-to hesitate is but to
approve the treason We need MAN at
the helm, one who in the what ought to be,
understands n must tie.
"The audacous demagogue, Douglas will,
Tomorrow. 1t may he that this base destroy
er Of Compromises and Peace, does indeed,
cherish a lingering love for the Union, but
for the sake of his ambition he played i'll for
his lore. 1t was never more true than in his
case. that whenever Statesman admits am
bition into compa nionship with the peace Of
his country, he admits giant that will ere
long outstride the gentler footsteps of its COM
rade.
The Crisis Committee have had several
meetings without arriving at anything def
mite, or calculated to excite hopes OF an ulti-
mate adjustment.
A considerable number of the Representa-
tives from the Cotton States have united in
manifesto to their constituents, which WAS
telegraphed at once Co every available point.
They say that the argument has been ex
haustcd and that they despair of any salts
factory or honorable adjustment either thro
the Committee Of 33, Congress or Constitu-
tional amendment, and therefore, advise i'm
mediate secession and separate State action.
Messrs Miles and Keitt, delegates elect to
the S. Carolina Convention, took tEeir dspar-
ture at the close of last week. The Conven-
ton meets to-day, and in all human proba-
bility before another sun shall rise and set,
South Carolina will have resolved herself out
Of the Union. Her example will, doubtless,
lie followed by others Of the Cotton States
How long they may continue to occupy this
attitude without committing some orert act
against the General Government cannot DO
foreseen, but it is likely that in view Of the
Presidents dereliction in regard to reinforce
ments at Fort Moultrie, they may defer any
hostile demonstration until after the 4th Of
March.
The apparent indifference and want ofsym-
pathy, on the part of Maryland, with the Sc
cessionists, is much applauded hereby Union
mon. Her distinguished Representative and
member of the Special Committee, has thus
far submitted tile only independent PROPOSE