The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-04-20
CITY INTELLIGENCE.

THE SEIZURE OF HARPEas FERRY-A gentle
man who arrived yesterday evening. from Har-
per's Ferry gives us the following account of the
seizure of the United States armory at that point
by the Virginia troops on Thursday night. He
states that early on Thursday morning Messrs,
Alfred NJ. Barbour and James Seddon, members
of the Virginia Convention, arrived at Harpers
Ferry and informed the citizens that they were
commissioned by Governor Letcher to instruct the
people to take the arsenas and hold them until the
people had voted upon the ordinance of secession,
which had been passed in Convention by a very
decided majority, there having been only IL mega
tive votes. In accordance with orders previously
given, troops from the counties of Jefferson, Berk
ley, Clarke, Frederick, Fauquier and Culpeper
assembled at Winchester and Haltown, the latter
place being about four miles from Harper's Ferry
Between one and two o'clock yesterday morning
these troops marched on Harpers Ferry and drove
the U. s. soldiers, who were there stationed, from
the town. Lieut.. Jones, who was in command of
the U. S. forces, before leaving set on fire the CEN
trail shop in the yard, stating that he had orders
from Washington to destroy all the property in his
power before retreatng.
The flames were quite promptly exlinguished by
the citizens and the loss bv the burning of build
ings is comparatively small-but few thousand
dollars. There were about 81, 900 stand of arms in
the arsenals Of which Is, 600 were saved from the
flames. The Virginia troops at that point now
number Z, 500 strong, and more were coming in
Garrisons planted at each entrance to the
bridge oyer the Potomac, and at every point
troops marched in the direction of Frederick city,
but their destination was not certainly known
1t is highly probable that they continued their
march to Washington. From another source we
learn that after the q. s. troops left Harpers Fer
ry, six barrels of gunpowder were found under the
bridge They had been placed there by the soldiers
in position to insure the destruction ofthe bridge
1t is supposed the intention was to blow up the
train which was expected with the Virginia troops
STATE RIGHTS SOUTHERN RIGurs CoNvENr1oN
fipr nf fho Gt,ba ps,,k- 4
Rights Convention, held at Taylor's Hall, on
Thursday, April 10th, 1861 on motion of MIR.
Ross Winans, it was unanimously
Resolred That in the opinion of this Convention the
prosecution of the design announced by the President in
his late procamation of recapung the Forts in the Sc
ceded States will inevitably lead to a sanguinary war
the dissolution of the Union and the rreconceable
arrangement of the people of the South from the people
the North.
Resolved, That protest in the of the people Of
Maryland against the garrisonng Southern forts by
militia drawn from the free States the quarering Of
militia from the free States in any of the towns or
places of the savehoding States.
ReSolped That in the opinion of this Convention the
massng of large bodies of militia exclusively the
Free States, in the District of Columbia, is uncaed for
by any public danger or exgency, is standing
to the State of Maryland and insult her loyalty
and good fah and will if persisted in, ALLEVIATE her reo
pie from government which TINS attempts to overawe
them by the presence OF armed and treats them with
conem pit and distrust.
Resolred That the time has arrived when it becomes
all good citizens to unite in a common effort to obiterate
all the party lines which have heretofore unhappy div
ded and to present unbroken front the preserva
ton and defence interests our homes and our FIRE
sGeso avert the horrors of fivil war; to repe if
need be, any invader who may come to establish mill
tary despotism over
A. C. ROBINSON Chairman
u Harlan Williams, Albert Richie, Secretaries
From NoRFoLK.-Tbe steamer from Norfolk ar
rived here this morning, and reports all thing 5
quiet there. Yesterday afternoon another vessel
laden with sand, had been sunk in the channel and
the steamer was obliged to pass over the sfiats,"
as did the Georgiana the day before. The report
of Capt. Pendergast having threatened to fire on
the towns OF Norfolk and Portsmouth, is false.
THE CRY CoUNcII.-The City Council had a very
brief session yesterday. 1t was understood that
Mayor Brown desired that the Council should be
in session at an early hour to-day, to transact
such business as the exigences of the times might
require, and accordingly both Branches, without
transacting any business, adjourned until this
e mo ming a. 5D'vt~Ie-
AID FOR THE WoUNDED.-Any persons injured in
the affray of yesterday will be received at the
Church Home and lnfrmary, without regard to
anything but their necessities.
PROCEEDINGS or TIE CITY COUNCIL.
THURSDAY, April 10.
FIRST BRAYCH.-Present-Th President, JoHN
c. BLACKBURN, Esq, and all the members.-The
President presented an informal message from the
Mayor, enclosing the communications from the
President of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company, and telegraphic despatch from the
President of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and
Baltimore Railroad Company, to be found else
where in this paper. After they were read Mr.
MEYERS moved that ia message be sent to the Second
Branch proposing that the City Council adjourn
till tomorrow Saturday morning, at 8 O'Clock
Mr. Meyers said he made the motion understanding
that such was the wish of the Mayor. He hoped it
would be adopted and no other business transact
ed.-Mr. NICHOLAS alluded in very feeling terms to
the melancholy incidents of the day. The death
oil several of citizens had occurred by the law
less acts of persons, and it necessary that
the peace of the city should be preserved in future.
There was, happily, no prospect of any further dis
tubances in our city; but in the terrible state of
excitement at present existing here, well as else
where, circumstances might unexpectedly occur,
which would render it desirable to the Mayor to
have the immediate advice and aid of the City
Council. He hoped the motion would prevail.
The message was sent to the Second Branch, and a
communication soon after received from that
body, concurring in the same, when the Branch
adjourned to Saturday, at 8 A. NJ.
|. SECOND BRANCH.--Branch met. Present c. J.
BAKER, Esq, President, in the Chair, and all the
members.-A message received from the
First Branch enclosing communication from the
Mayor with letters from the Presidents of the Bal
timore and Ohio and the Philadelphia railroads
(see elsewhere, which were read-The Branch
then adjourned until o'clock this morning.