The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-03-08
TILE PROGRESS OF THE REVOLUTION.

Gen. TwIGas' act, in surrendering the
Federal property to the authorities of Texas,
is very generally and justly denounced. He
had not resigned his position in the army,
at the time, and he held in charge the mill
tary stores, in honorable trust for the Uni.
ted States. That trust to him, as brave
soldier and patriot, should have been sacred.
To have forfeited it, has placed upon an
honorable name stigma never to be wiped
off. If General TwIGGs had seen cause to
follow the fortunes of his native State, and
had deliberately resigned his commission
and his command to the Government of the
United States, many might have disap.
proved his act, but none could have Nm.
peached his honor. But bis course, as now
Represented, cannot fail to tarnish all bis
aurels. This is a distinction that it is
well to bear in mind; and it is we'll put, in
the recent minority report of Mr.. BRANCH,
in reference to the action of the Secretary
of the Navy, in accepting the designations
of Naval officers. He says:
The undersigned would hold the Secretary
who should accept the resignation of an Of
ficer, who before resigning had been guilty of
any conduct unbecOmng an officer, amenable
to the severest censure. An acceptance of
resignation is an honorable discharge from
service, which should only be given to him
who has acquitted himself with fidelity and
honor, but one who has thus acquitted himself
is entitled to be discharged without question
as to what he intends to do thereafter.
The base man would hold his commission
and seek an opportunity to betray his govern
ment, so that the fruits of his treason might
purchase for him favors AID reward. Such
was the conduct of Arnold.
The pure man, who, compelled to select be-
tween the claims to his allegiance, chooses
that which promises least personal advantage,
scrupulOusly discharges all existing Obliga-
tiOns, then voluntarily and openly renOunces
cherished commission, from sense of duty to
his native State, gives the highest proof of de-
votion to principle and obedience to the die.
tates of honor. Such men cannot be regarded
as traitors, and to call them so is to arraign
manly virtue in the name of patriotism.
1t has been the proud boast of the American
Navy that it has never contained traitor in
its ranks. Will it be credited that it has sud-
such bountiful crop of traitors? Such sup
position would discreet the whole body of Of
fcers; for it. could only consist with the eXis-
tenCe of some poisonous and traitorOus infu-
ence pervading all its ranks and corrupting all
its members.
In his recent report to the House of
Representatives, General DIX has this allu>
sion to his now famous despatch to Mr..
JONES, eli any one attempts to haul down
the American flag, shoot him on the spot"
he says:
1t may be proper to add, in reference to the
closing period of the foregoing despatch, that
as the flag of the Union since l777. when it was
devised and adopted by the founders of the re-
public, had never until recent day, been
hauled down, except by honorable hands in
manly conflict, no hesitation was felt in at
tempting to uphold it at any cost against an
act of treachery. as the ensign of public au-
thOrity, and the emblem of unnumbered victo-
ries by land and sea.
The President of the Southern Con-
federacy, JEFF DAVIS, is now, or was at last
advices, at Charleston, where he had an
interview with Major ANDERSON. We be-
lieve be has completed his Cabinet, and it
is constituted as follows:
Secretary of State-Robert Toombs, of
Georgia.
Secretary of the Treasury--C. G. Memmin-
ger, of South Carolina.
Secretary of War-L. Pope Walker, of Ala
bama.
Attorney General-J. P. Benjamin, of La.
Postmaster General-Henry 7. Ulett, of
Miss.
Secretary of the Nays. T. Mallvry, of
Florida.
Messrs. ABRoMAN, of Louisiana, M. j..
CRAWFORD, OF Georgia, and JOHN FORSYTH,
of Alabama, have been appointed Commits
sioners to treat with the incoming Federal
administrator Senator SLIDELL will go
to France it is said, and the great precipi-
tator, YANCEY, to England.
In reading the proceedings of Congress,
the public sessions of which come to US re-
ported with Globe-like accuracy in our
Southern exchanges, we notice that on the
Goth ult. there was discussion of consider
able interest, as to the establishment of a
national armory at Etowah, Georgia. This
place is located in the iron producing and
manufacturing portion of that State, and
certificates were presented from Col. SAM.
CoLT, of revolver notoriety, and from iron
manufacturers at Sheffield, England, who
stated that the Etowah iron equalled the
best brands of Norway iron in its freedom
from seams and flaws. Norway iron is
used almost exclusively in the manufacture
of arms. On the goth and 2lst, bills were
presented establishing the various Executive
Departments of Foreign Affairs, War, NJ
Wy, Justice, Post Office, and Finance. A
resolution was adopted looking to an ex.
port duty on cotton. The Congress, it ap.
pears, has become alarmed in consequence
of great amounts Of cotton seeking the sea
shore at the North, by river and rail, thus
cutting off and destroying the commerce