Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-09
Closing the Rebel POrts-The Designs or
the Enemy.

CLOSING the Rebel POrts-The Designs OF
the EBemy. ..
/ The Washington correspondent Of the
New York EUsniHg Post Of the 9th says:
1t was understood two weeks since that
the President was about to issue q special
proclamation closing the rebel ports There
is good reason to believe that such O procla-
nation was in readiness for publication, but
owing to reasons of state il will not be is
sued for the present Its non appearance
las authorized by the recent enactment of
Oongress) is doubtless caused by our foreign
relations and the desire TO let we'll. enough
alone. England and France will respect
our embargo so long as it made tolerably eff
fective. The stories set afioat by the tele-
graphers that England and France are on
the point of recognizing the rebel Confede-
racy is totally unfounded, and unworthy a
moments anxiety.
The rebels are filling up the country be-
tween Manassas and the Southern Potomac
with troops very rapidly, 1t would seem as
if they had no immediate designs upon
Washington-no intention of attacking our
line of entrenchments for the present. All
accounts agree that more rebel troops are
being thrown into the country south of the
line from Arlington to Manassas. The OBJ
iect can not be misunderstood. While a
strong army occupies Fairfax Courthouse
and the country between it and Arlington
flights, and perhaps intends eventually TO
attack, strong body of troops also occupies
the country below, near the Occoquan River
and Acquia Greek. That the rebels mean
to close the navigation of the Potomac If
they can is absolutely certain. Near the
mouth of the Occoquan they can entirely
command the navigation of the Potomac by
erecting few batteries Of ordinary cannon.
General Scott and General Mcclellan are on
the alert, and it is very certain that the
Federal army is gaining at present in mum.
bers and discipline faster than the rebel
troops. We can afford to wait for a few
days longer better than the enemy, unless
he is making his position on Munson's Hill
too strong for us to storm or surround.
Every hour of quiet is improved by our
troops, and will be until the final moment
which goes before the battle.
The latest accounts from Richmond show
that the people OF that town were expecting
a great onward movement of their army.
This comes from too many reliable sources
to be doubted; but it is also evident that the
authorities at Richmond had no adequate
idea of the numbers and condition of the
Federal army. When their Generals make
the discovery their plans may change. The
story of three hundred and fifty thousand
men under arms in Virginia." is not credited
here. Not more than one hundred and
twenty-five thousand rebel troops menace
our line of Notifications from the Chain
Bridge to Alexandria, and probably the
number is very much smaller. 1t is, how
ever, admitted that the enemy can bring
over hundred thousand men upon Alex
anderia or Arlington, leaving ten or twenty
thousand at Leesburg. 1t is considered al
together more probable by some that while
twenty thousand are making feint oppo-
site our Notifications; the hundred thousand
are rapidly concentrating at Leesburg for
an immediate advance upon Maryland, and
especially Baltimore. |..