The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-10-24
LATEST NORTHERN Jews.
Important Circular from secretary
seward-Aflairs Down the Potomac
The War In Missouri, &c, dc

seward affairs Down the Potomac
The War In Missouri, &c, dc
Through the kindness OF a gentleman re-
Gently from the North, we have been placed
in possession of the Baltimore Sun. of the
18th. The following embraces the most In
terest,ng news TRANSPORTING within the lines u
the enemy:
IMPORTANT CIRCULAR FROM SECRETARY SEWARD
RELATIVE TO THR DEFsScE OF THE ATLANTIC
ASBLAKK COASTS
Tho following important circular has been
sent 10 Governor Morgan, and similar ones TO
the Governors OF all the States on the sea-
boards and lakes at the North
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, Oct. IL, ls6i
To has EIceiIeacy hs Governor Of the STATE Of " &c
York.
Sir The present instruction had not even
revealed itself in arms when disioyal citi-
zeBs fastened TO foreign countries to invoke
their IN Intervention for the overthrow Of the
Government and the destruction Of tile Fed
eral Union. These agents are known to have
made their Appeals to some of the more i'm
portant States without success 1t is not
likely, however, that they will remain CON
tent with such refusaIs Indeed it is under
stood that they are industriously endeayorinE
70 accom- plish that disloyal purpose by de-
Srees and by indirection.
Taxing advantage of the endorsements of
agriculture, manufactures and commerce in
Foreign countries. resulting from the insur-
rectton they Lave inaugura ted at home, they
seek 10 involve our common country in con-
troYersies with States with which every pub.
lie interest, aud every interest of mankind
require that IL shall remain in relations of
peace, a.nity, and friendship.
am aoie TO state Tor your satisfaction that
the prospect OF any such disturbance is now
less serious than ii has been at any previous
period during the course of the Instruction.
It's nevertheless necessary now, as it aas
hitherto been, 10 take every preeaution that
|. is possible TO arrest the evils of a foreign
war to be supernduced upon those Of civil
coinmotion which we are endea vorlng to
cure One Of the most obvious of such pre-
cautions is, that our ports and harbors on
the seas and lakes should be put in II condi-
ton OF complete defence for any nation
may be said to voluntarily incur danger in
teizpeEtuous seasons when il fails 70 show
that IT has sheltered itself on every side from
which the storm might possibly come.
The measures which the Executive can
adopt Ia this emergency are such only ne
Congress has sanctioned, and for which it
has provided. The President is putting forth
the most diHgent efforts to execute these
measures, and we have the great satisfaction
of seeing that these efforts seconded by the
favor, aid, snd support of a loyal patriotic,
tnd self -sacritioing people are rapidly bring
ing the military and Bayai forces OF the Uni
ted States into the highest state of efficiency
But Congress was chiefly absorbed during its
recent extra session with these measures. and
Tor the fertilization of our sea and lake coasts
III previous wars loyal States nave applied
themselves by independent ana separate ac-
tlYity 10 support anu aid he Federal Govern
uient III lis arduOus res pons lities The
same disposition has been maniiesi ted in :.
degree emiaentiy honorable by all the loyal
states during the present instruction. In
view OF TINS TACT, ana lying upon the in-
crease ami con tinuancy OF the same disposi-
ton on the part of tne loyal States, the Pre-
sldeiit has directed me to invite your ccnslGt-
ration to the subject OF the i'm prov eIueut and
perfection OF the deiences of The State over
which you preside, and TO ask you TO sU bmit
the subject 10 the consideration of the Legis-
latnre when it shall have assembled. Such
proceedings by the State would require only
u temporary use Of ite neanS.
The expenditures ought 10 be made tn. su b.
Ject OF conference with the Federal Govern
ment. Beng thus made with the concur
renee CT the ToNernmtnt for general defence
there is every reason 10 believe that Congress
would sanction what the State should do and
would provide for its REIN bursement
should these suggestions be accepted the
PRESIDENT Will direct the proper agents Of the
Federal Cover, ment TO confer Wi Ia YOU, and
10 superlnt tend, direct, and conduct the prose
cGtlon OF the system OF the defence Of your
State.
have tae honor TO De your obd't serr't
WIN. Ii. SEWARD Secretary Of stale
AFFAIRs DOWN rHE POTOMAC.
WAsHlNeroy, Oct. l6.-Au officer Of the
steamer Jacob Bell who iIaS carefully recon
noitered the Shipping Point battery On the
Potomac, says there are six guns j., position
all apparently heavy ordnance. The river
there is = boat one mile wide.
intelligent officers say that the statar1en /
that there are six miles OF batteries below
Shipping Point is al! i.onseuse. Vessels might
be annoyed by batteries from the shore for
mile below there, as far rs EVansport. but
below that point the Virginia shore recades
from the channel and the river widans so
that batteries would be useless if planted
there. Sixteen or eighteen guns are about the
extent OF their armament therea bout, it is be-
ileved by competent judges.
The steamers Pawnee, Harriet Lam aud
Yankee, went down the river duriuE lat
night.
The steampr Ana costa l.as mad neG boilers
put aboard Of her, aud is being rauidty fitted
up, The steamer Jacob Bell has go J., 70
dock for repairs. e''e III 10
DoiSGs ACROSS THB POTOMAC
NAsHINdToN. Oct: ls.--t,o TAYLOR of tho
1hIrty -tAlrd =. \. Regiment, h as been tom
no1ai.iY appointed to the command of Cen
e tnIa orIsade the latter having eean de
taened ioF important service elsewhere
Morrell Allen, III The r. !. Thirty-ff+b
regiment, Colapany H. was dangrronsly
wounded TO day by the rebel picke,s, at Bar
rett's hill, beyond Saiia Chnrch
FROM tie observatory At I1-to,,.shiu+
Gay r large rebei fore. Of na .'li
~ ss'i'"~ companies of inflntry, were
seen On the Leesburg turnpike, four miles
from Falls Church. Twenty three army
wagons accompanied thera, ana the suppo>i-
ton Is they were on 4 toraglng expedition
The divisions on the right of our army were
ordered under arms 1T Two O'Clock this Morn
ing, i'll consequence ofan alarm caused by thu
firing of the pickets Of the Seventy -njneth n
I. Regiment, between Falls Church and Lew
insyilie; but there was nc noteworthy result.
The LATEST FROM rER Lowsa POTOMAC.
W4sHIyGI0E, Oct l6.-Tha steamer Mount
Vernon reach ed Shipping Point Just before
daybreak this morning, and Gamoiestediy
passed the rebel batteries but the steamer
PaWnee, following a short time thereafter,
was fired on, between twenty and thirty shot
being thrown towards her. The PlWnee,
according to orders, made response. By
an arrival this afternoon from the lower
Potomac, 1t is ascertained that both vessels
had safely passed beyond all reach OF danger
from the rebel batteries.
THR REPORTED Loss or TREsARANAc.
WAsHINaroN, Oct 10 The Navy Depart
ment is satisfied, from official in formati III
its possession, that the steamer Saranac is az
san Francisco, undergoing repairs, and the
report is therefore untrue that she was re-
Gently lost Off the mouth OF the Mississippi in
8 storm.
PICKET FIRING
Capt. Motts, of the New York battery, re-
ports thlt while protecting the volunte ers
telling wood AT Townsville ne saw distinctly
a prominent rebel officer, bat RETAINED from
shooting him on q moments reelection that
picket firing was barbarous and murderous
practice.
THE OVERLAND CALIFORNIA MAIL ROUTE.
ATCMsoF, KANSAS, Oct. 1.-the statement
mSde in the Eastern papers. that q pIrty of
Secessionists attacked one of the overland
coaches is utterly false. They run with great
regularity. and without trouble from any
source The employees of the company,
numbering some hundreds, have all recently
taken the oath of allegiance.
THE WAR III MISSOURI.
ST. JosrrH, Oct lG.-Eighty of Maj. James,
cavalry, at Cameron on Saturday came upon