Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-08-10

for instance, that assemblage Of women, young
and old, some with children by their sides or
infants in their arms, before that large house
These are wives and mothers of volunteers, re-
duced by their absence in the wars to depend
ence on charity, and awaiting their turn to
come before the distributors of the fund raised
In New York for the purpose. The appearance
and dress Of many oc these women would lead
to the belief that they did not belong to the
class usually exposed to such trials I could
not judge of the justice of the impression on
my mind, that the ladies are not as busy In
cartridge-making, lint-scrapiRg and uniform
sewing as they are down South; but dare say
they are busted with works of charity as much
as their fair sisters. The invective which was
formerly directed against universal suffrage
and cognate institutions is now, apparently,
employed in denouncing the corruption of con-
tractors, and evil at the War Department; and
one journal openly speaks of " swindling and
plunder" as agencies and results not unknow
In the transaction of business there. There is
also much unsound advice rendered or forced
on the authorities respecting the plan Of the
campaign, and writers who are quite ignorant
OF war or its requirements demand that the
Generals shall Immediately push forward to
Richmond with an army that has neither trans
port, artillery nor cavalry adequate to such an
operation. As it was nearly four months ago,
so it is new. The public are amused by daily
assurances that something decisive will take
place tomorrow, ant "all their yesterdays
have lighted fools tho way to dusky death"
so the public goes to bed happy in the knowl-
edge that 'it is expected (by some one un-
known, at place not indicated) that a great
battle will shortly be fought" One effect of
these reiterated statements must be the con-
centration Of the enemy on the points in front
of the Federal columns
Another change which observed on getting
into the railway train on Tuesday morning was
the appearance Of many men in uniform among
the passengers. They were on their way to the
camps, and belonged, apparently, to a respect
able class Of citizens-staid, steady people,
without the swash-buckler, gallant, bravado
air OF the seutherners, but possibly animated
3y proper amount Of pugnacity. When last
L travelled this way the train was filled with
ofice-seekers. At the villages along the road
and In the towns the flag of the United States
is displayed from available points in wild pro.
fusion. Soldiers and volunteers get in at every
station. On going on board the steam ferry
boat at Philadelphia, / observed over the door
Of the saloon wood -hatchet hanging up, on
which was inscribed, estate Rights fire ak"
Other passengers observed il and smiled
There is less earnestness and rancor, or more
good nature, in the North than in the South
The owner of an az inscribed Federal Union
AK, in an Alabama or Mississippi steamer
would have ''mauUatS quart dheuye," or,
as 1t is called here, "a pretty hard time of il. u
But as the carriages approached Baltimore the
signs that war was in the land, and that we
were In an enemy's country, thickened, and
evlnced most forcibly of all the immense mag
nltude Of the change which has taken place
since L first journeyed toward the capitsl
There are many rivers and watercourses which
run across the line Of the railway in the val
leys between the undulating woodlands and
pleasant fields of Maryland. These are ira
Versed by bridges of wood or causeways on
piles AT each bridge the white tents of an
encampment CLEANED through the trees and
foliage of the bank, the groups of armed men
turned out to take look at the train as il
passed. These men are stationed to prevent
the friends OF the SecessiOnists DESTROYING the
bridges. Their presence is significant Sem
tinels are on duty, and by these means com
are kept open with Washington
At Baltimore itself, the evidences of military
occupation were more striking. For several
miles on the northern side of the city camps
crowned the knOlls and hills, and close upon
the river the tents were so thick that one
might imagine the city was about to be inv vested
BY an enemy. The Federal flag foated from
some public buildings, private houses, and
shipping IN the river. but there were some
proofs on the walls that "0ld Abe" was not
popular The influence of the dark faces
which show that Baltimore is in a slaveholding
State begins to be manifested The political
production is determined by that ingre dent
OF color. L take up my Baltimore paper of
the day, as am crossing to the Washington
terminus in one of those hOrrid street railway
cars MAY beg Of you parenthetically, to
save us from that. train in our streots2 all
comfort and speed will 60 forever, and the
thorOughfares will no longer be endurable)
First read Of bad practice, not to saw an
unusual one in civilized war, which is said,
with circumstance, to exist in the South, and
am informed of gallant officer whose treop
Hscalped 70 Federalists in a recent action.
This is, we will hope, fight of fancy. Next,
however, Is plain matter Of fact statement
that the magistrate of police had the day be-
fore sentenced a woman of color, who was
called a "plucky darkey," to be logged Sc
Verely for an assault. wonder what manner
OF men 1t is who do such things. Barclay 4
Perklns's draymen, why are ye not at Balti-
more! Here is Haynau established by law
and cultivated by justice. But, as we now fog
our little criminals, perhaps Baltimore may
be right in fogging its "darkeys" in the nude
wherever it pleases. The streets of the city
are guarded at the corners, near the main
avenues, by pickets Of soldiers, and the houses
are militarily held at the angles. The inhab-
itants don't look cheerful, and in Pratt street
there are still the marks Of balls on walls and
window-pane. "They won't try a fight again
as long as the soldiers is here" said the driver
OF the train 10 me.
From Baltimore to Washington the camps
increased in number, and as the unfinished
dome OF the Capitol came in view, and the
spires and domes of churches and public build
lngs rose on the wooded shores above the Po-
tomac, the rays of the setting sun lighted up
the canvas cities whose denizens were keep
ing watch and ward over the seat of the
United States Government; and from the dark
highlands across the river, on the soil of Vir-
gina, other encampments cropped out from
the dense green; and on all sides foated the
Stars and Stripes, visible even In the distance
on land whence their expulsion was promised
long ago to the faithful. I have heard the
MESSAGE read. l have visited some camps
and heard Of some movements soon to take
place, but of all these matters there is no time
now to speak, as the mail is about to close for
the Boston steamer, and must defer the rest
Of my letter till the next dispatch of mails
from Washington. 49,
One thing I may mention-the relations
which were almost jeopardized by the use of
language and the adoption of tone not pro-
vOked by England, are in a much more salts
factory condition. Asother, the party of
action are gaining ground, and Gen. SCOTT viii
be forced to move onward, though he will do
as little as he can till he is ready for decisive
work Still thaaa uaou apnaufp ill A. -.