The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-04-13

Rssasy % ths Aansanistsatisn.
f. WAsAINaroH, April 9.--Is is persistently eta.
ted In Administration quarters, that the recent
preparations are for defensive purposes and
nothing 10 intended mot strictly Justified BY the
laws which it 10 the duty Of the President "a
enforce 70 the extent of his ability Il resistancs
y made and blood shed, sha responsibility must
fallon those Who provoke hostilities. ii ai4e,.
The assurance Of the inaugural u repeated
shat the Administration will mot be the aggrss.
sor. Various theories are given in newspaper
for the present military demonstrations, among
which is one that they were stimulated BY the
result Of certain lats elections, but this ID an
error, a. at the commencement of the Admins
tration the President and Cabinet entertained
the idea Of reinforcing both Sumter and Pick
ems, but owing to non acquaintance with means
at command Of the Government and the condi-
ton Of the country, the prosecutions of the plan
now progressing, was impracticable; in other
words, it was necessary to ASCERTAIN the extent
Of the effect bequeathed to the President by the
late Administration. ~ ags
1t was deemed essential to keep secret the OBJ.
jects of the military movements, especially the
sailing Of vessels under sealed orders, NJ under
the late administration there were persons who
clandestinely communicated the purposes tothe
secossionists, and a. frequently occurred before
the orders we're reduced to official forms, and
according TO remark of an Ex-Secretary, the
administration thus always found itself embar-
raised at the threshhold. -,as ii
The present Administration has limited such
knowledge to The Cabinet and perhaps several
trusty officers, and precautionary measures were
taken so asit0 render next to impossible acquir.
ring forbidden information. The Administers
ton, while declaring peace policy, claims that
it can only be held to strict account by the peO-
pie, and however speculation may be the pub.
LEGATION respecting its movements it Is under no
obligation to announce its plans and purposes.
In other words that the Administration should
be judged by its acts; that Fort Pickens has
been Or will be reinforced admits of no doubt,
and the Administration will do all in its power
to either relieve Major Anderson or secure his
evacuation Of Fort Sumter without dishonor or
committing tho Government to the acknowledge
ment of any right claim of the Confederated
States, or in any way recognizing the doctrine
of secession. fJ sa
The proceedings in the Gulf, beyond the relief
of Pickens, will be governed by circumstances.
The above is from reliable sources to show to
some extent the basis of the present military
preparations.
INDIAN OUrRAaEs IN TExAs-We stated it as
our belief, = few days since, that a. soon as the
Indians learned that the United States troops
had been removed from the frontier, these sava-
ges would become more emboldened than ever
in their murderous raids upon the unprotected
inhabitants of that portion of the state. How
far we were correct in this belief, the following
extract from an Austin letter of the 10th, shows:
"A letter was read announcing that the Indi-
ans were committing ravages on the Santa Curt
rude and vicinity, in consequence of the with
drawal of the q. 8. troops. Judge Lea stated
that the whole country. from the Gulf coast near
Corpus Christi, to the San Antonio road to Eagle
Pass, appeared to be now ravaged by the Lipans,
and perhaps other tribes. Mr.. Wilcox stated
that during his residence in San Antonio he had
made out claims against the General Government
for over 800, 900, all duly proved, for losses by
the citizens Of that city by Indian spoliations,
to none of which had any response ever been
made, nor had any notice been taken of them by
the Government Within few days past he
had learned that the Indians had been within six
miles of San Antonio. Two communications to
a San Antonio paper were read, showing that the
people between the Neuces and Rio Grand were
suffering from the savage, and that all the ex-
IRENE western portion Of the State would be de-
unless relief was speedily given"
The San Antonio Ledger publishes a petition,
signed by Col. Navarro and others, representing
the exposed condition of the western frontier
also, letter addressed by that gentleman to his
son, dated Atascosa, March I'd. Col. Navarro
says:
1--WE are in imminent peril From what has
happened during the last few days, and my init.
mate knowledge of the character of the wild and
savage Indians, have no doubt that they are
in the midst of our settlements. believe that
the Indians are aware of our political differences,
and as they have seen that the troops of our
military outposts have retired, they infer that
we are as much revolutionized and weakened as
Mexico, and with that belief they will rush,
without doubt, to redden their spears in human
blood, with that ferocity and savageness which
they breathe in their bloodshot eyes.
eff a patriotic effort is not made speedily to
chastse these Indians in their first incursions
mark well what tell you), all Western Texas
will be ruined, and those that survive will wit
ness fearful and destructive Indian war."-[N.
O. True Delta.
STARTLING NRws FROM TExAs.-The advices
from Texas, if true, are very important and sig.
nifcant The Mexican General, Ampudia, is
about to enter the State with an army of 5000
men, which is daily being reinforced, to seize
upon what Mexico still considers her property.
She Is going to strike while the Secession iron is
hot; just as the United States troops are with.
drawn, and before Texas is prepared to defend
herself or the Confederates to render her assist.
ance. -fs,.,g..7..- p fT,..e
Between the Mexicans and Indians she is like
ty to have her hands full, and to realize some of
The blessings of the independence" she is seek
ing, and some of the fruits of her ingratitude,
treason and perjury. Should the Southern Con-
happen to get into war with Mexico
and the United States at the same time, pretty
extensive field will be open for the display OF
Southern valor. a9
WOMAN KILLED BY Doa.-On Thursday morn
ing last, an old lady named Betsy Davis, aged
sixty seven years, residing with two brothers in
Ross township, near Perrysvile, was found lying
by her bedside in dying condition-her left
leg having been horribly lacerated by dog, as
was supposed. The flesh from the knee to the
ANGLE, had been literally torn of, and eaten up,
as it could nowhere be found in the room. The
body was badly scratched over the bowels and
thighs, as if by the nails of a dog. The old lady
was raised, and placed in bed, where she expired
in about two hours. No testimony of positive
character was adduced, but from the statement of
the brothers it was evident that the old lady had
been in the habit of udulging in liquor, and it is
supposed that she had been stupe6ed with liquor
when attacked. She had raised the dog, and it
was great favorite of hers Pittsburg Gag.
The OLD FLAG.-We saw one of the old flags
the "stars and stripes" sent UP town this morn
ing to decorate the house of one of our first cti-
zens, in whose family an event takes place, of
which it was so recently the emblem-a union.
A pretty and appropriate idea will be carried out
in thus unfolding the old banner that waved in
the battle and the breeze. It reminded us of
Mr.. Fuqua's eloquent words in the convention,
depicting the procession, when delegates and:dig-
nitaries and armed columns passed by the time
honored flag without recognition, but as the
band of gallant old veterans of lsl4-5 marched
past, they raised their hats, reverently bowed
their heads, and waved the tattered but glorious
old banner they had borne through the thickest