Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-13

q
Missouri, however, 1t would seem as If large
number of the inhabitants preferred to let
Unionist and Secessisnist fight 1t out by them
selves. Gov. jackson and his friends-Gen.
Lyon and Col Siegel-fght and retreat, ad-
vance and countermarch, and engage in nu-
merous skirmishss, without adding a particle
Of force TO the cause in which they are engaged,
and the mass Of the people stand neutral be-
tween them Gov. Wise flies through Western
Virginia before the Fedsrslists, burning
bridges and tearing up railroads; and the in
habitants, possibly, are equally disgusted with
both sides. These desultory operations con-
tribute little or nothing to the end Of the war.
And how the poor people suffer
The streets are now clear of soldiers. The gal
Looping Of orderlies is very much reduced in
proportion as things get into order, and on the
other side Of the river there Is plenty Of drill
ing and plenty of hard work, principally in
completing great abattis from Fort Ellsworth
at Alexandria, across the front Of the position.
None Of this, however, is seen in the capital
itself
1t would seem as if the torpor which prevails
at Washington had its counterpart at Rich
mond. The southern papers attribute the in
activity to design-"s great coup soon to be
made, and it is necessary to be cautious and to
be silent" On both sides the utmost care is
taken to screen such movements as may take
placej Ips:ses are strictly examined at all the
exits and entrances Of the northern camps.
General Mcdowell, who was in attendance on
Prince Napoleon last Thursday was stopped by
one Of his own sentries because his pass was not
en- regle. Gen. Beaurgard eyinces the utmost
sensitiveness in respect to any approach to his
lines. Prince Napoleon was, however, re-
csived with feelings stronger than respect by
the Confederates.
On Thursday morning early the Prince
started with M. Mercier, the French Minister,
and his suite, from Washington, and proceeded
to Alexandria, attended by Gen. Mcdowell,
who provided him with an escort Of United
States cavalry. On arriving at the outposts
the General returned, and the Prince party
went on till they met the Confederate pickets,
by whom, after brief delay, they were per-
mitted to pass on towards Fairfax. / know but
little Of what happened, except that the Prince
saw Gen. Beauregard and Gen. Johnston, and
slept at the quarters Of the latter; that he
examined the battlefield as far as the horrible
odor would permit and that he returned late
on Friday evening, pretty we'll satisfied that
there was not much to choose between the two
armies, but that the Nationalists were on the
whole the better of the two, and that he weuld
take them for choice. Gen. Beauregard did
not make very good impression on the Prince,
it is said. although his French is natural to him
as New Orleans creole. 1t is said by the
people who can see long way into millstones
that the Prince will certainly propose an arbi-
tration, and that his visit is made with the
object of securing for France the position
which would certainly be given to the Power
that might render an agreement possible. Mr..
Seward not only exhibited an inclination to
let .he Prince 60, if he liked-he seemed to
think it would not be possible to find any
sound reasons to object TO the expedition.
Now, 1t strikes an outsider that if the United
States Government was angry with Great
Britain for placing the Confederate States
army on the footing Of belligerents, and If il
has always maintained that the troops of the
Confederate States army, SO called, are rebels,
the visit Of the heir to the Throne of France,
minus one In the present Imperial succession,
attended by United States General and escort
to the camp of the rebels and to the Generals
in command of them, with the sanction of the
United States Government, and the return Of
the party to the United States lines, is one of
the most extraordinary cases that has ever
been permitted to occur by any Government in
the world. doubt if any neutral prince would
have been allowed to pass from the Allied
lines into Ssbastopol and to have returned to
the Allies by either side; but there could be
no if" in the matter at all, had the one
side considered and proclaimed the other to
be rebels. 1t was late on Friday when the
Prince returned, and on Saturday he left
Washington for the North, in company with
NJ. Mercier.
His visit will be construed in many ways,
will be magnifed and its Importance exagger-
ated. 4
In nothing is the weakness If the Federal
Government more strikingly shown than in
those questions on maritime rights on which it
was wont to maintain such defiant language
and naughty attitude. 1t stigmatizes South
ern privateers as pirates, and treats them as
prisoners Of war. Let rs new see what will
be done in the case of those men who were
saved of the wreck of the Confederate YES
sci Petrol, the stolen property Of the United
States, commanded by Confederate officers,
which actually engaged United States frig-
ate and was sunk by her.
Every sea-going vessel of the United States,
except i've, which are now being reitted, is
In active employment, the great majority of
the vessels aaoat are sailing ships, and it will
be observed with surprise that the new steam
ers ordered comprise a number of paddle
wheel vessels. Of 1854 commissioned officers
in the Navy, 342 were from the Confederate
States, Of whom 32l have resigned, and it is
feared that there are many officers in the SER
vice whose hearts are not in the right place
on this question, or who, TO use the American
slang, are "not square on the goo So.