New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-01-08
TIE PRO-SLAVERy REVOLUTION.
FROM WASHINGTON.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF WASHINGTON.

b. wake up to the fact that this country is in
full revolution, and this capital in undoubted
peril.
do not mean 10 say, on the existing state OF
facts, that the Government is unable 10 hold it,
or the police and militia of the District unable
IL preserve order in it, and inaugurate Mr..
Lincoln peaceably. / believe this, and have
often expressed this opinion.
What do mean is this: The events of the
last few days have disclosed plans and purposes
of the revolutiOnists that run quite ahead of any
thing expected of them. They have been talking
all uorg of "peaccable aud Constitutional secrs-
sioa." But what do We see since Floyd wen
oct of the War Department All through the
South the State authorities, the mob, rushing
utcn tie forts and arsenals OF the Federal Cos,
e'tN cnt, capturing them where they are not
protected, al d thr, Atening them where they are
ard eaIIironiIg them with State troops. This is
PERSONALLY doIe IN open ard lIwIess violation Of
al Il. rcIcy, ard before the ssion Of the state
IN alich those things arc taking Place il evcI
consid, red; treasohably done whle the State is
in the regular fellowship OF Ter sister States and
while her Representatives and Senators sit
and drawing their pay from the teierh
Treasury.
What is the preteAtl Why, that not only every
seeding State, but every State that it is assumed
is going to secede is entitled to all Federal prop
erty within her limits, and which may be taken
just when, aud just in what way, the mob or the
authorities may choose. This is the basis OF ac-
ton on which the Georgia and North Carolina,
and Alabama, and, l presume, before this time,
the forts and arsenals of Florida and Louisiana
ba,e already been seized and occupied, What
follows WY, that if Virginia and Maryland
are going TO secede, the Nayy-Yard here, the
forts on the river below us, and the public build
mgs in this city, ought TO be seized promptly be-
fore they are put in condition of defense This
Capitol, and all it contains. belongs just much
TO Maryland us Fort Pulaski belongs to Georgia,
or the Navy-Yard and Notifications of Pensacola
belong to Florida any of the rest of the pub
he property belongs to any State where the land
it staFcs on was bought by, or ceded to, the
Federal Government.
lie wtole question of the capture of this Cap
it'll BY tie re,olutionsts turns ON the question of
whether they think Maryland is going to secede,
or cen IT, forced t. secedc, and whether they
c.,ud Ike II b. sudden sally. l see and know
po Ieison Why it carrot be- taken by surprise,
and every puilc bull nv in it occupied by troops,
Just as promptly as the Southern forts have been
taken. 1t is lot a garrisoned town. Ii has no |
defenses an no military arrangements yet exist
that would prevent an ext'mporz d tTce, with |
arms in their hands, from marching into it ana
through Il, and quartering itself In detachments
in every public building, and setting up aud holi-
ing armed occupation Of the city to the excl la N
Of every civil officer. For every one Of our grca.
public buildings is citadel IN ITSELF and woqld
bid defiance to ali but regular assaults. II needs
nothing but limited number of men, and suhi-
Gent pluck and audacity to do this thing, any
day, between at night and 6 in the morning.
And | would like to know if the audacity il
wanting Look at tie proceedings thus far in
the South, and answer.
But nobody will do this because the city car
be retaken. But who will retake it Federal
troops But where are they There are but
few anywhere, an1 fever stil within reach. o.
hut the Northern militia would rush down aud
reeapture il. All here is a deuson. This
Capital lies 100 miles inland in the country of
The revOlutiOnstq, if Maryland goes with the
Gulf States, Baltimore, great city of over
2C0.C00 inhabitants, lies between the Capital and
the Free-State line Assuming this secession
moyement to be violent and passionate cpl
deu,ie and an insane and reckless revolution, a.
IL is. militia must encounter militia, in order to
reach this city, and this is war in an enemy's
country, so far as the Free States are concerned
VIII you recapture Washington then 7 Of course
you will if you are strong enough. But this is
uueston Of strength and Of time, and the battle
field must decide it. There must then be
campaign 1t may be short, bnt ii may be long.
Unorganized md undisciplined forces cannot be
brought into the field to fight battles or ~in vic
tories in day.
Now, this is the state Of things at Washington
and the free States ough, to understand it. The
whole question Of whether this speculation shall
Dot some day suddenly turn out reality, hinges
10 a treat extent upon the fact of whether or no
Maryls1d il gong Ia join or be forced into the
revoluticn. loI say she won't Nobody knows
anything about /. I'his secession epidemic is
one of the mott reJo lrkable things on record.
Sixty days ago, ever, body in New Orleans said
louisiana wss ten t. against secession. Now,
DOT a man opens hs mouth against it on peril Of
mis- life IN that whole STATE. lD Kentucky it is
said the change is almost equally marvellous. In
Virginia il is the same throughout extensive dis
tricts Why should not Marylan be infected
I do NOT Ssy she Will. Perhaps she may not
- hot