Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-05-25
THE RICHMOND WHIG.
GEtom ths London Times, Mav IOA.l

1t is lust possible TO discern Gin and indstinct, the
coming cor fl ct in America. The fisherman in the Ara
ban tale who broke the seal Of Solomon saw the column
of smoke which asccnded from lis Jar lIaduay take
The shape of montrous Genie. SO the confusion aud
debate which succeeded the first meetings OF the Legs
htnIe of South Carolina six months ago. are now con-
sol dated into the form Of two opposing armies the
line Of the Potomac. Disputaion is at end has
begun aud The course of has so much defined H.
self thlt the eye may penetrate little way nlo the
darkness Of fuiury. The important brought
by the steamer is that Washington likely TO be
I'd to the Federal Government Although the advices
are only TWO days later than the last it appears that in
that time the capal had been reinforced to such an
extent that sudden attack from the Vrguilns not
| TO be dreaded. Whether the Southern Generals se-
ricusIy ueGitso the seizure o the Federal metropolis
! il is impossible TO say. The communications be-
tween North and South have been entiely suspended
ard il il gular 10 find that in hst land of railways and
t4leprsms yeopls at the North ertain whether
President Davis Nas quietly adminisfer airs at Mont
gcmery or r,iuconpoi erpg Wellington rom the Virgin
| il shore Of the Potomac. Much lees can we determine
what are the Confederate tactics There two
cren the SoutherGsrs-ei-her to advance snd give
battle the North in mass or 20 conteu themselves with
attacking and reducing the Federal forts which still
msin ia tcejr territory. Uae 81 tbtse Fort Smith, In
AlkausAS has been taken by the State troops from
! which we may oonoiude trat this STATE, which few
weeks eca declared for the UnOr has fntely
ceGed. But there are others formidable enough which
have TO bs reduced ami which may call for all the
age aud skill OF the SUutle'nss. oi these the principal
il Fort Pckens which has jut been reinforced Fort
Monroe near Norfolk in Virginia. Is al-o pIbe OF ma
king lcns rcsstance ospe, dy since It be support
| ed rom the sea 10y the fleets OF The Union. Now,
| there are many who thidk that tha natural
course Of the Confederate States would be 10
| iu-sess themselves Of thrs, points ins.cad OF
| mixing as il we're an iacursiOn into terrific.
~ where the nosists are likely be in full strength
S.rce toe the Cor fedetGtes are eniCavoiinG By al
means 10 gain a character for moderation end TO appear
a. citing culy in defence Of their WI territory may
presume that they would no. Tiinsy yaGvauce on Wash
ngcn white il remained beyond the limits oi their own
Coulcderacy. We fully believe that when Fort SrmCr
was alinke there was no design 30 carry e fer
North But events may have disappointed al thcir cal
cultions Tee very success Oi ter policy has imposed
military enterprise which it is dihcu TO carry
out and ngloIOus 10 shrink from. The proclamation oi
Mr. Lincoln has been followed by the secession Of Vir
ra the ross sion Of Harpyrs Ferry and the Southern
bank of the river Oh which Washington is placed. Every
Visrian Is naturally tempted 10 make da'h az prz3
whi.h lies On the very border Of the enemys country.
The CONSEQUENCE has been tha! both sides have been
drawn on 10 make The the Distlct oil Columbia their
battlefield The Vrgiriaus collected in numbers which
appeared % threaten tie tali- aud t5e danger roused
TIC North n military enthusiasm which has astonished
even ;lose who know the excit4bity OF the American
! character. But the most important result OF tnis
| movement is tie preeut condition OF tho STATE OF
Mlr,laud. The troops Which we're poured down
| from the North, aad perouluiy the new EncanieTs,
were look uuoa lava iers ready 10 de.toy he piGui.
atious bcale The slaves and rum, 1t not ma!reat toe
wife people themselves great part Of the SAe, in-
cludirg the large ard turbulent city Of B.tmo!e, rose
!, ingurrec,iop snd Gov Hicks was Obliged 70 head
movement which has, by this time probably ended IN
SECESSION Though, might ba eApeccd large m.loT-
iy OF The people firm Utioais:s. Ii Is perfectly
pl4n however that the FcCe!al aFm.ea VIII pay 10 at
n.iou TO any ordnance Of Maryland Legislature or
Convention If sul sg.,ion is 10 be their policy h-re
must be BEGINNING made somewhere, aud 1t will be
made in hiI d-bateabe land where 81 we aud free sol
ltermugle When the last ra!l leiI II seemed possible
that tie Marylanders might succeed in siopp! the
! march Of the Northern volunteers from Annapolis 20
Washington But the Seccssionsts have now lost their
chance. We learn that the troops have been pushed
forward TO tie Capital where already tour New loiA
r. & ucnis had arrived that the route kept cpen by
Federal troops and that the Capital was considered
strong enough TO resist an attack.
Hence 10 us the Southerners are IN cit-
fcuv ThciF policy s. aa before, 10 Keep within their
own territory but nov Washington is in their own ter
r:ory IL Maryland have seeded, or eyea IT, though
the l. cisatura b. coerCed The body ot The population
be IN arms against the Uuion il will become p0n. o!
honor with the Confederate az, 10 come 10 the rescue
OF toir friends Perhaps Of tae Nigiuiaus aud
Maryianiers az Washington would even be calini.y y
10 tie South, committing more than ever to regu-
lar campaign beyond the Potomac, in country easily
commanded from the sea, and in close neg, DOThood
i'll the most populors Nor;hera States On the other
hand should he Mar lanters resist the passage o.
| troops they may the Federal Govtrnmcnt much
| trouble The North sen6s men IN sufficient numbers,
bus transport scarce, provisions are lew ara may o.
cut oif by the in urgents and the troops may suer u
that is involved in fighting in al enemy country.
Something like regular campaign in this cgion l.
now unavoidable That will be narrowed at least 10:
time to the Eastern part OF the Continent, seems like
w. The neutrality OF kentucky 20 far IS in favor ol the
South Not only the Confederate states ifc
the attack Of the Western States on their k but they
NAV obtain supplies of food more easily thsn It Kentucky
| were engaged In war With Ohio and lllOis. At the
same tme there is nothing to prevent the more fiery
spirits of the State from quitting 1t 10 range hemseivS
with their savehodiug brethrer let We are lar lIou
thinking that the general wish oil the henu' kans 10
aid the ConiedeIaos Sa far as We eau learn from ;he
snceches and resolutions reported the people of that
State appear Judge the original secessioniss very e.
verely ard believe that they had no real eround cr
King up Federation which bad listed 81 long, ana
| conf rred 20 many ben fits on mankind But events
move Quickly aud we cannot help thinking that every
slave State will be found hostility to the North. Al
ready the nov meut either size has passed out OF the
control ofauy esd or Congress or military command
er Already the two sections are arrayed against each ob-
er to 2 man. mouth ago the Unionsts were large
nil ority ut the South; the sympathiz r. with the Sc
cceopists were poSoriul all ovr the North Now there
IA mn m, iorty or minority either side In the States
actually at war; every man, either from choice or ne
| cesstv goes with lis section OF the Rcpu6-
lie Nor is IT, we fear, likely that the will be re-
the means w;ch his military advisers were for adopting.
To blockade the ports OF the Seeded States to hold or
recnpture the iors collect the customs by revenue
crpisipc outside the harboIs and thus in lime, 10
bring eIng cz 70 reason were schemes well enoGsh
month ago But now that blood is shed, and the
coat irritable nnd virdclivc people in the world are il
aims aca M. each other such hahostilies will find lit
lie favor We are so absolutely cut o from all news OF
What /. passiag ut the South that cannot pretend
In sneak of tie pOI uar impulses there, except
"a far AZ We may divine them rJm the
w,l1-knoyn character OF the Southerres. But at
the North there are signs that the SccedeIS,
If boatcp may expect little mercy. 1t may be
id that wc ouebt not to take extreme uterapces Tor
rho oniuon Of the mas. bu. in these corurcures is
do rx,teme coursel which prevails; what is extreme
,olav 10 looked upcn moderate and necessary to-
motr3w. We cannot, therefore, hear without appre-
hcpson tie threats OF the Republican and Ab9tionisi
natv IN the feet that the sayeowners must be roottd
out that hundred John browns instead OF On VIII
n,w invade Virginia; that the "rOries"-hat s, the
v.lists of the American warwere oxlel ana al their
Goods confscatfd so the land oaners of yrg;Il and
he Caro,iuas must be swept away to make place for the
brave fellows who have fought under the stars and
strices and Who the princioa OF 'the spos to the
COZ orcrors" so org acted upon In poll les, are to be
nut u possession OF the domsiis OF the seceders Who
can saw that IN another week or two such doctiues
instead of being COT ntd to the acts OF the Northern
ns,tv will ro be general amoug the lesies that are
rorrne into MARYLAND? The alarm and hatred Of the
South will then increase tenfod and war may he car
ed On unsurpassed n ferociy by anything that Europe
has known in later ages The planting States the orig
ina Seceders secure in their remoteness from the
scene of vcr but the borterlind will perhaps witness
horrors to be remembered for generators AL that
can DO Is TO ketp alccf from the dreadful encounter.
| We feel that counsel or mediation might well he Of
fere 20 the Lur,canes which sweep over the Gulf o
Mexico. We may receive q L tie satisfaction from the