Newbern weekly progress. [volume] (Newbern, N.C.) 1858-1863, 1861-12-17
nd what is Justly It's own.


to that enemy, bJ occupying the hostile country,
and exercising dominion all the men and
things within its territory This being in
respect to independent nations at war with each
other, it follows that rebels ho are laboriug by
force of arms to overthrow government, jlsty
bring upon themselves all the consequences of
war. aud provoke the destruction mefited BY the
worst of crimes. That government would be
f.ise to national trust, and would Justly excite
the ridicul- of the civilized world, that would
abstain from the use OF any eff lent means to
preserve its own existence. or to overcome a re-
beious and traitOrons enemy by sparing or pro
tccting the property of tlsyse who wdging var
"gaiust it.
/ The principal wealth and power Of the rebel
States Is a peculiar species OF property consist
ing of the service Of labor African slaves, Or
the descendants Of Africans. ibis property
ilas been yariously estma eli at the valse OF
from 500, 900, 600 10 81 ,00D, 900, 600
/ Why should this property be exempt from
the hazards and consequences Of a rcbellious
war
1t was the boast Of the leader of the rebel
lion " tile he yet had seat in the Senate OF
the United States that the Southern States
would be comparatively safe and free fro1a the
/ burdens Oi war, il it should be brought on By
the contemplated rebellion, and that boast was
accompanied by the savage threat that 'North-
crn towns and cities would become the victims
! OF rapine and military spoil, aud that North
men should smell SOutneru gunpoWdcr and
/ fee! Southern steel"
Reason and justice and sclf-pTescryation
! forbid that such should be the policy OF this
! government, but demand, on the Contrary. that,
being forced by traitors and rebels to the ex-
trcmity Of war, all the rights and powers of
war should be exercised to bring it TO 4 speedy
end.
! Those who make war gainst the government
justly forfeit all right Of property, privilege or
! >ccuri ", derived from the constitution and
! laws, against which they are in armed rebel
lion; ana rs the labour and service Of Their
Slaves constitute the chief property of the
rebels, such property should share the common
fate Of war to which they have devoted the
properly Of loyal citizens.
/ REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF TIE NAVY.
! The report of the ioi Gideon WelteS, Sec
reary Of the Navy, com s,ences by noticing the
objects Of the enlarged estimates OF eNpcndl-
tllTe for the naval service as contained IN
! his report AZ the extra scS; ion OF Congress III
! J uy and SAys that they contemplated then
! different lines Of naval operations upon the
'Southern coast, the tist OF which closing
I all the insurgcnt ports along a coast line Of
! nearly three thousand miles, in the form and
! under the exacting regulations OF an intcrGa-
tional blockade, including the naval occupation
and defence Of the Potomac river, from its
/ mouth to the Federal capital, the boundary
| liue between Maryland anl Virginia. and also
| the main commercial avenue to the principal |
base of the military operations.
! The second was the organization of combined
i naval and ;n.litary expeditions to operate IN
| force against various points Of the Southern
coast, rendering efficient naval corporation
with the position and movements Of such cN-
pct!ltions when landed, and including also all
nccdful naval aid [. the army in cutting Off in
! tcrcommunication with the reDcls and in its
! operations on the Mississippi and its ributa-
ta1,es, and tAe third, the active pursuit IF tEe
piraical ctHiserS, which might escape the vigi-
LANCE Of the bioc?:adiaG iorce, and put to sea
from the rebel ports.
! The Potomac tio;ilta is briefly mentioned
and is said to have accomplished the purpose
/ for which it was intended, until the close ell
&c OBJ r, when the n ,urgents erected bat e ie
at sundly points Oh the Virginia shore, there
by rendering passage On the river dangerous.
I In September it was found that the duty OF
! guarding the coast bad become very aIduous
on account of the great increase Of vessels en-
gagged and the continued efforts Of the rebels
/ to elude the blockade, pressed By the necesai-
! ties Of their people. Two sQuatlrons were
! therefore organized on the Atlantic COAST
! Captain Louis H. Goldsborough was appoin-
ted to guard the shores Of Virginia and North
! Carolina. The residue Of the Southern Attain |
tic coast, conn>ncng at the line which Scla,
rates the two CaronaS ana extending to Cape
Florida was entrusted to Captain Samuel (. !
/ Dupont. Flag-otIiccr William Melvine was
relieved from the command Of the gulf squad !
ron in September by Captain William ". Nc
kean.
An cffectual blockade OF several inlcts 10
Abemarle and Panlico Sounds on the coast
of North Carolina has been made by the sink /
INC OF several small craft laden with stone !
purchased in Baltimore. Other vessels of a |
. larger description, were seat TO obStruct the !
channels Of Charleston harbor and the Savau- !
nah river
Since the institution of the blockade one
hundred and fifty three vessels have been cap
tured sailing under various flags, most Of
which were attempting % violate the block
aeie. Most Of these will be condemned by the
courts prizes. :
\ seizure of some Of the important ports on
the coast received the early attention of the
Department. Two combined naval and mill
tai,y expeditions have already been organized
and put in action. The expeditions to Hat
teras and Port Royal then briefly noticed
by the Secretary, who says that the latter
expedition was Intended to have sailed in
Sept c1nbr, but owing to causes Independent
of the Navy Department it unayoidably
postponed until the 2Jth Of October.
OF the seizure Of MesSrs. Mason and SIidell
on board the English steamer Trent, the Sec
rotary saws the prompt and decisive action of
Captain Wilkes merited and received the EN-
phatic approval of the department, and, if
too generous forbearance exhibited by
him in not capturing The vessel which had
these rebel enemies on board, it may in view
Of the special circumstances, and OF its patriot
ic motives, be excused; but it must by no
means be permitted to constitute precedent
hereafter for the treatment of any case of sim
liar infraction of neutral obligations by foreign
vessels engaged in commerce or the carrying
trade.