Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-08-20
Spirit Of the Morning Press.
OUR MILITARY BUDGET.
THE MAYOR AND THE OATH.

Police Board, the Mayor Of Washington, Mr..
James g. Berret, declined TO take the obligation,
alleging that being oficio a member Of the
Board, II could not lawfully be exacted of him.
Henry Addison, Esq. Mayor Of Georgetown, also
sz cfteio member OF the Board, being a very
emphatic Union man, proffered no such plea, but
was glad to be able to set the example of featy to
the cause Of the integrity Of the Union involved
In the prompt subscription of one In mis- position,
to the, In these times so necessary obligation
Were Mayor Berret's associations as clear of the
impeachment Of secessionism as those of Mayor
Addison, his refusal might have been SET
down by the public a mere evidence that his
mind 10 filed with silly ideas of his own dig
nifty or that Of his Office. But 1t is well known
that from Enoch Louis Lowe down to Noble
Thomas, among his especial cronies, (most of
them present or former Corporation officials under
him. more or less to be found who are not loyal
men, while enough Of them to form perhaps full
company are already In arms against the United
States; leaving perhaps many more In the city
police and hanging around the City Hall now, in
whose disposition to be faithful to the Stars and
Stripes the public have little faith as In that of
Col. Enoch Louis Lowe, Lieut. Noble Thomas,
Quartermaster William Fl Thomas Capt Lum
Cooper. Lieut.. John F Carter, Sergeant F. Zim-
norman, Sergeant III. c. Narrower Privates John
Thomas Christopher Columbus Clark, George
Kirk, st al, Of the Confederate" army
The truth is, these are no times In which sus
picon Of lack Of fealty to the Union on the mart
OF Washington Corporation officials should be
permitted to exist We need not argue that point
We are glad that Mayor Berret has brought that
suspicion to focus by directing public attention
70 IL as ne did yesterday, with intentness that
must compel the military authorities of this de-
pariment to take due care that the republic re-
eelves no detriment through the opportunities to
alsioyal men involved in their holding municipal
once here.
The question Of Mayor Berret's refusal 10 take
tne oath a. or oGiciO a member of the IT, s. Police
Board, has besn referred las will be perceived by
our local columns) to the Attorney General. Our
policy would have been instead, to refer the case
70 Provost Marshal General Porter, In these times
OF insurrection and civil war aided and abetted
oy secret treason on the part Of thousands In loyal
localities.
HIRE SHE CO.'S, AND THERE SHE eoEs
We place no faith whatever In the current
newspaper sensation rumors alleging the oligar-
ehys purpose Of crossing the Potomac with their
army, nrst above, then below, and again lust In
mont OF US They would If they could, - doubt
less But they really lack everything, beginning
with men and ending with shoes-wagons, boats,
powder, clothes, provisions, &c, &c-necessary
to make their army effective one ten miles
from the railroad to which It necessarily cling,
The rain Of the last week renders Il positive
that they can not ford the river for week or more
10 come anywhere above, even II unopposed.
while the Idea Of their attempting to cross such
river as the Potomac Is, below Alexandra, with
their means Of crossing, is preposterous when 1t
IN known that In i've or six hours after beginning
to make the experiment, guns enough to blow
their crossing boats and contents to the bottom
would surely be vomiting shot upon them
Though II may be death to their hopes not 10
attack Washington or to venture into MARYLAND
TO do so with the present Union force In their
mont, would prove certain destruction to them.
As disadvantageous az remaining wholly on the
defensive will be to the moral Of their position.
twill De encountered In preference to the risk of
crossing to give Gen. McClellan's army battle. or
to that Of attacking the Union fortifcatiors on
The Virginia bank Of the Potomac.
MISTAKE
The newspaper story alleging that Commander
VIM. ID. Porter, U. 8. N, Is on his wav bom.
(from the Pacific side) In irons, by order OF the
Navy department, 10 untrue. On the publication
OF MS late letter, encouraging his son to fight I'm
the oligarchys army, orders were sent to the
Commander Of the Pacific squadron to take from
him the command Of the sloop-of. war of which
he was In charge, and to hand him his dismissal
from the service, sent to the Commodore care a,
the same time
when those papers were received, Commander
Porter was at San Francisco, and was teleeraph.d
for to return to his ship. But getting wind m :.
presumed) Of the contents Of the dispatcbs. >.
curing his imm return to bis ship, be failed
to obey the order by telegraph, and has not been
heard OF by the Commodore up to the latest ad.
vices received from him at the Department. n,
course another ofdcer has been put in charge of
the sloop-of-war.
NAVY YARD.
nasI Prdetee-Gn" Boats-Safs Return of IN.
Enemy ~ he
TINS morning General r ebert Anderson, accom.
panied by Hon. Horace Maynard, of Tenn. and
o'nen' visited the Navy Yard and witnessed the
ar'Aery pracuce OF the gunners under the SINNER.
vision OF Commandant Dahlgren The s,ino
WIN z-pound boat howitzer, was perfo,med
win great rapiditY, making four shots in ,bi,,oon
seconds so rapid, In fact, were the .bot. ma.
tnat before the report Of the exploded sbsII b.5
died away, the piece would be run I'M IN "a. no.t
non, sPonged, loaded, and another shell .ant
screaming over the river, dashing the sprav "a p
and near by the shower Of falling missiles
LaH night, Two nne side-wheel steamers- m.
Underwater and Jacob Bell of Newyo,t-,,,,vsd
ss the Yard, where they are rapidly being ty,n,.
formed Into gunboats for the Potomac rbs I,.oh
Bel expected to take on her armament and 90
down tonight, the Underwater FOLLOWING %
morrow evening. Two other steamer, 1.-THE s,,sl-
NE and Putnam) Of the same line have ,l.o bssn
purchased, and will arrive here In , se,v H..
These vessels can carry very effective k,n,ns,,
out the exposed condition Of their un.cb,ns,, -.
der' them quite liable to be crippled In an
ment. engage
Inc steamer Baltimore came up from Old
foint last night, where she has been de,,,n.d
ny bad weather, bringing in tow eleven a..
ships launches; four Of which Were :, o. ne
ntied out, each with underground bo,, ha,.
luef, and marines, and lowed down 10 m. a.,
oYtne Baltimore. To-day worimen are r.n,dI,
nung up the remaining seven In the Ga me .,vl.
ana these will doubtless go down tonight, Ths
sanmore reports all quiet down the river ana
at Old Point. 'ef' ana
Ldn friday morning the u 8 ship Cumhe,iS.,.
.nnsed In Hampton Roads from Boston ,vh.'.
as HIa oeen undergoing repairs. Immedi.,eIv
Upon ner arrival nag Of truce came down f,org