The national Republican., 1861-04-23

all the duties which may be legally required Of
me, 30 help me God.
COUNTY OF WAsuINGToN,
District Of Columbia, IS.
Sworn and subscribed to before Inc, this -
day Of April, 1861. --,J J.P,
IJ- Yesterdays Star states that Judge
Robinson Of Richmond, an old personal friend
Of Gen. Scott, rendered him the command Of
the Confederate army. The Star says:
"On learning the purport Of Judge RS
errand, Gen. Scott stopped him with deca
ration that if he went any further in making
such proposition to him, he Judge R.) would
not be permitted to get back to Richmond (;
adding that, having sworn to support the Con.
stitution Of the United States, he realized all
the honorable obligations of that oath, aud
should of course observe them. Such an an.
swer was in just keeping, indeed, with the re.
nown of the noble old veteran
The MAlLs-The Baltimore Sun Of yester
day says:
"All travel between this city aud the North
has been suspended since Saturday morning.
in consequence Of the destruction Of the rail
road bridges. Several persons, however, reach.
ed this city yesterday from Philadelphia, having
come as far as the Susquehanna river in the
cars, and, passing over, proceeded to Port De.
posit, and engaged private conveyances."
Yesterday forenoon, the Post Office Depart.
partment, upon being advised by the postmas.
ter at Baltimore that he could forward the mails
to and from the North by steamboat gave him
directions to execute the service, by that, or any
other practicable means.
A CoRRECTIoN.-In reference to our state.
ment that Hon. William Smith Of Virginia OBJ.
tanned West Point cadetship for his son, in
the last days of Mr.. Buchanan's Administra.
ton, Mr.. Smith writes as follows, April 20:
"This is wholly untrue. The facts are as
follows: Ny son applied to President b. for
one of the appointments at large, without my
knowledge. The President was kind enough
to give it to him, and he, under my advice, de.
| clined it."
This shifts the disgrace of the transaction
from Mr.. Smith to Mr.. Buchanan.
The law gives the President ten appoint.
ments at large and in February we witnessed
the spectacle Of the bestowal of one Of those
appointments upon the son Of q member Of
Congress, who had Just endorsed a circular
urging his State to 60 out Of the Union. Mr..
Buchanan, of course, made the appointment
to crafty the father, not the son, and if the
father advised the declination of it, it shows
that he had q more correct appreciation of the
proprieties than our late President had
| Enprproo Mnyuor- Roltimpra S,tr
of yesterday says:
"By the arrival of the steamer Louisiana
yesterday morning we learn that the steamer
=. R. Spaulding, Of Boston, and the State Of
Maine, of New York, made Old Point Com
fort Saturday morning, and threw about COO
troops into Fortress Monroe. The Pawnee
making about 500 from the three vessels"
OF the situation of the fort before this rein
foreement the Norfolk papers said
"The bridges at the fort have been taken up
and all communication between the fort and
citizens cut of. The garrison numbers 800
men, rank and file; all the officers, except
three Virginians, being Black Republicans.
"Dr. Banks's son was ordered from the fort
where he held the post of suffers clerk, be
cause, like true Virgnian, he dared to resent
insulting language about his people and sec
tion."
NoRFoLK.-The steamer Louisiana, which
arrived at Baltimore Sunday morning from
Norfolk, brought the following reports:
The steamers Merrimac and Germantown
had been sunk by the order Of the United Statel
Government, and the navy yard was to be burn
if not prevented by the State authorities.
Gen. Talaferro and staff arrived at Norfoll
on Friday, at the Atlantic Hotel. Gen. T. hal
command Of oil the Virginia troops in that sec
ton. He was waited on, shortly after his arri
val, by the captains Of the several military com
panies Of the city and vicinity, for the purpose
Of reporting their strength, condition, &C., ant
receiving orders.
An order was issued on Friday by the com
manding general, prohibiting the collector o
the port Of Norfolk, DR.. J. J. Simkins, from &C
cepting any draft from the United States Gov
crnment, or allowing the removal of deposits
or anything else from the custom house. The
collector being informed that on his refusal Il
obey the order, a file Of men would be sent dowr
to occupy the premises, acquiesced as mater
Of course.
TROOPS VIA ANNAPOLIS.