The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-05-31
THE PROGRESS OF THE REBELLION.
Facts, Opinions and Rumors- North
and south.

Convention that resumed the sovereignty of
Virginia, went to his home on the edge of
London county, and called meeting of his
constituents, to ascertain their views upon
the question of secession. The meeting was
largely attended, and after full discussion,
resolutions were adopted, protesting against
the ordinance of secession, and resolving to
stand by the Union, and to support the
stars and stripes.
The Alabama Cadets-the /" Flowers
in passing throug Knoxville, Tenn, had
their tickets issued for ball at the White
House on the 4th of July. One of the
officers, considering the taking of Washing
ton as too small an achievement, swore, in
a public speech, that be was going to march
his victorious soldiers into Wall street and
pay them off. They will be likely to be
"paid off" before they reach mole than half
that distance.
David Henry Haight, owner of the st.
Nicholas Hotel, is in Washington. He
proposes to erect ovens large enough to bake
bread for all the troops in Washington, so
as to secure good and uniform quality. If
the Government will furnish the site, Mr..
Haight will be at the expense of erecting
the ovens and operating them free of cost
during the occupation of Washington by the
troops.
We believe-aud our belief is founded
upon multitudinous items of evidence
the Union men of Kentucky are at the fight
ing point-that is to say, they will resist
the Vaccinations of the traitors in their
midst with the rifle and the knife and the
halter, before they will be dragged out of
the Union as the tail of Con federacy of
which South Carolina is the head.
The New York EUenmg Post, says
the Government has made an arrangement
to use the calcium light at Fortress Mon
roe, and the apparatus will be set up on the
parapets in few days. This famous light
possesses extraordinary illuminating power.
One of the reaectors, which was once placed
on the Latting Observatory, in New York,
cast distinct shadow at Tarrytown, thirty
miles distant. By the aid of this light the
garrison at Fortress Monroe will be able to
detect any vessels that may attempt to pass
the Fortress at night, and give its artillery
a distinct object on which to be effective, no
matter how great the surrounding dark
ness.
The New Orleans Picayune pays the
following delicate attention to General But.
Ter and the Massachusetts troops:
All the Massachusetts, troops now in WASH
ington are negroes, with the exception of two
or three drummer boys. General Butler, in
command, is a native of Liberia. Our readers
may recOllect old Ben, the barber, who kept
shop in Poydras street, aud emigrated to Libe-
ria with small competence. General Butler
is his son.
"A DR.. Layre, ofLexington, Kentucky,
in a recent letter to his son in New York,
says:
Last week l had long talk with John C.
Breckenridge, and told him his folly, which, if
persisted in, would ruin him and the country.
He replied that he was good Union man. l
requested him to show it by his actions and
60 with the good men that he knew were
the lovers of our country. asked him to take
example of such men as his uncle, the Rev. DR..
R. j. Breckinridge. A few days after l went
to see him again, when he told me his heart
bleeds for our country, and if his feeble health
permitted, he would journey through the Uni.
ted States and address the citizens.
- Mr.. John Pickell, editor of the Frost
burg (Md.) Gazette, announces himself as
Union candidate for Congress. He says:
say unhesitatingly that am for the Consti.
tuition as it is, and the Union as it was before
its pretended disruption by secession. l con-
slider secession as political heresy of the
deepest dye--and mere pretext to cover the
criminal designs of politicians to shield their
acts of treason. l am in favor of sustaining
the Administration in the exercise of its con-
stitutional powers and the maintenance of the
Federal Government.
- gentleman who arrived in Wash
ington recently from the South says that
the repeated statements of the secession
leaders, that an attack on Washington was
never intended, is entirely false, as it is well
known throughout the South that when the
Federal troops were pouring into Washing
ton, General Davis was making his way to
that city by slow stages, his army increas-
ing as he proceeded-and if the Northern
troops had delayed their arrival in Wash
ington three more days the Capital would
have been taken by JEFF Davis, backed with
no less an army than $4,000 men.
A committee of prominent citizens of
New York, consisting of Julian @. Ver-
planck, Charles King, Hamilton Fish,
George William Curtis, Richard Grant
White, Luther Bradish, John A. Dix,
Moses H. Grnnell and others, announce
that prize of five hundred dollars will be
awarded for national hymn, which must
be, not war song, but purely patriotic;
to consist of not less than sixteen nor more
than forty lines, exclusive of chorus or