Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-04-09
~ The Editor is absent.
Warlike Rumors.

The warlike rumors are so numerous and va
RANT, (says the Baltimore American of Saturday
last) and the surmises built thereon so conflict
ing that it is difficult to arrange them into an in
telligible form. The one fact that has manifested
itself SO Individually as to be beyond contradic-
ton is that a sudden and very energetic activity
is displayed in the military and naval depart
ments of the Government, the chief develop
ments of which are seen at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard and the various stations in and about New
York. The Government has concentrated there
nearly three thousand troops, and is preparing to
despatch them somewhere upon some service OF
Importance In addition to the active prepare
tion of several first class vessels of the Navy, the
steamships Baltic and Ariel, both commodious
and swift vessels, have been chartered to convey
troops under sealed orders, and are expected to
sail on Sunday. The United States frigate Pow
hatan, recen tly ordered out of service, has been
hastily prepared for cruise and will sail from
New York to-day with three companies of ar
tillerists on board. The revenue cutter Harrie
Lane went to sea yesterday. She is not reported
to have taken any troops. Upon these facts va
rious surmses are built up. Forts Sumter ane
Pickens it is said are to be reinforced, the moutt
of the Mississippi and all the ports of the Con-
federated States are to be blockaded, whilst one
guesser, disregarding these probabilities as too
easy solution of the problem, suggests that the
troops are destined for Texas, and are furnished
In response to a call from Governor Houston
Which IF onv IF thooo ourp,iooc ic truo on
readers have as good grounds for arriving at
determination as ourselves. There can be n,
doubt, however, that some serious movement i
on foot, and that the Government is adopting
its measures with equal celebrity and secresy.
A still later despatch from New York give
another view of affairs. The President and Mr.
Seward are said to have given assurances to
committee of leading Virginia politicians tina
the policy of the Administration was still peace
that no hostile movement was contemplated
and no attempt would be made to collect tn
revenue in the ports Of the seeded States for tn
reason that Congress had not granted the powe
to do So The steamship Atlantic has also bee
chartered and cleared with provisions and store
for Brazos Texas. The Harriet Lane is still be
low New York, and is now supposed to be o.
the watch for slavers bound to the coast of Al
RIGA.
The Baltimore American of yesterday, says /:
The steam frigate Powhatan, with an unusu
ally large amount of munitions of war on board
and it is supposed several companies of troop;
has already gone 10 sea. The transport steam
ship Atlantic, with nine hundred troops O
board, has followed her, and the transport steam
ers Illinois and Baltic are being prepared 70
service. In the meantime an undated activt
is manifested at the Philadelphia, New York an
Oharlestown navy-yards in preparing. the vessel
at these stations for sea service.
The most probable explanation of these move
ments is that Gov. Houston has made a call 70
troops to protect the people of Texas from tn
Indians and Mexicans, and that the Government
recognizing him as still the legal Governor of tn
State, responds by replacing the troops recent
withdrawn through the agency of Gen. Twiggs
The fact that the transports take out batter
of flying artillery, used exclusively in field prae
tice, and large number of horses, togethe
with an extraordinary amount of stores and wa
materials, would seem to indicate that neithe
Fort Sumter nor Pickens is the destination Q
the expedition.