, 1860-12-28


PROGRESS OF THE TREASON.
1t would seem that no dcGalcation at the
scat Of Government, however startling,
can retain possession Of the public mind
fwenty-four hours without being buried
fathon deep By some unexpected develop
ment Of Treason. We learn, ono dav, Of
The disappearance Of nearly million dol
lars, concerning which there exists only
doubt whether the Secretary of War or
the Secretary Of IL: Interior is the greater
criminal The next, we ere appriscd that
tho commanding officer Of Federal fort
rcss Las abandoned the trust committed 10
Ills Charge for the want OF a ritif,1l rein
iorccmcut Of men to make head against
an overwhelming mob. Bu: tliis is no.
all. The parado1cs Of the hour are no;
half exhausted. While The guns in the
Pittsburg arsenal are being shipped away
to other mobs, threatening armed rebellion
against the United States, tue guns Of For,
h{onlt1ic nre being spiked, 10 prevent Their
falling into the hands OF ayowcl traitors
to the American Union and Constitution
While thousands, if mol millions Of men,
arc within call OF the President, ready
to defend the threatened integrity ard the
threatened property which lie is sworn to
protect, the handful Of soldiers, whom he
has allowed to remain there exposed to ar
Inhalation, arc comrclcd 10 abandon their
post and ect fire to the implements Of their
craft.
The most reasonable solutiont 10 Col. An
dersons movement is this: Fort Sunlpter,
to which he has removed his sixty six men,
is very strong fortress in the mouth Of
Charleston Harbor, surrounded on all sides
'}y water. lis guns command lot Only tic
harbor, but Fort Moultric itself 1t can
only be assai!cd by strong naval force,
such rs rc;tlc- South Carolina nor all the
seeding States can send against it. Hitl-
erto it has been garrisoncd only by squad
Of bricklaycrs, who arc said to synlrat1fzv
with the conspirators in tho treason Con-
vcntion. By transferring his sixty-six men
to Fort Sumpter, Colonel Anderson
not only saves t:,at fortress from
becoming an easy prey 10 the mob, but he
adds tenfold 10 the danger Of attacking
Fort Moultric-le preserves the key to tho
port Of Canrlcston-aad lie Mrc1rs uron tic
President the responsibility ef ort,sTng lin
to surrender to the enemies Of tho United
States. He is now master Of tho situation.
he is now no longer IN ezpcctaat victim
Of treason III Charleston aud treason in
Washington. 1t is no longer question Of
time merely, when the South Carolina Cell
spirators, aided by the FEEDER II co.'s rira-
tors, shall sacrifice the ski; -A,x n,cu and
seize upon the entire property OF Il ic Uni
led States in that quarter. II now becomes
aqucstion Of hard knocks, Of long, doubt
full and expensive siege to The South Caro-
lima rebels, or OF und:sguiscd treason OIL
the part Of the President and lis C:l,.acl,
tuhlcc;ing each and every one of 1!sc,n tn
conviction and execution for that crime.
As we view it, Col. Anderson las accom-.
plishcd sk:llful and patriotic c7up d'e:uf;
au1 the indignation" Of the Char cston
disunionis:s is altogether justlfiablc aud
well taken.
But villa: shall VIC say Of The hoary head
ed traitor in tho White House, and lis
villain accompliccs-thc sworn defenders
Of the Constitution, to whom tho people
have committed tlcir aggregate power for
the maintenance Of order and the cxecu.
lion Of the laws? We are of the oriu;ol,
that no :ood cnd is sabscrvcd hy permit.
ting them longer 10 go un;mpcached. Per
haps an impeachment might 10; be SIS.
tained in tic Senate, rs that body is at
present composed, but that fact does 70,
relieve the representatives Of the rcopl.
from their duties and responsibilities in tl,t
the Republic, let n record bc made against
them! If ther are lost to all sc:lsc d
shame, let lis sec whether they arc also
void Of all sense Of fear.