The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-05-16

PoO1uAC VI PuOAC uA0lIp HOt " put ulo totV OH
proceedings so repugnant to popular feeling
as soon as they are brought to his attention.
Washington Not Yet Out or Dangsr-The
Rebel Confederates and Their Pro-
gramme.
Within month the late general alarm among
the loyal citizens of the United States, con-
corning the safety of their federal capital, has
given way to general feeling Of security.
The vigorous and united action of the admins
tration, the great awakening Of the mighty
North, and the comprehensive business capa-
bilities, the untiring energy and activity dis
played by the Secretary of War and his right
hand man, our experienced old General-in
Chief, have accomplished wonders in behalf
of the preservation of the government Thus,
an army of fifty thousand men, fresh from the
ranks of the people, has been concentrated in
our federal city and in Maryland, or hard by,
all of which, within twenty-four hours, if
needed, could be thrown upon the same point;
and yet, we are apprehensive that Washington
is not out of danger.
From the very beginning, the seizure of
Washington was the great object and the great
necessity of this Southern revolutionary enter
prise, and that object and that necessity among
the Confederate rebels are stronger to-day
than on the first day of last December. Had
spirators, in calling the Maryland Legislature
together in December last, instead of disclos-
ing their plans to General Scott Maryland
would have been hurried out of the Union,
and revolutionary mob from Bald-
more, cooperating with a similar mob
from Virginia, would have overthrown the
government of the United States, perhaps, in
February, so suddenly as to throw the whole
country into chaos. In the midst of this con-
fusion Jefferson Davis, in occupation of the
White House, assuming the powers of our
government and the control of the army and
navy, would be able, as it was calculated, to
hold his position until his authority as the
de .facto government at Washington would be
recognized by the great Powers of Europe.
Next, it was thought that this recognition
abroad would enable him quickly to crush out
all domestic hostilties, and to reconstruct the
Southern section of the Union upon the strong
foundations of military despotism.
This scheme of securing Washington through
the secession of Maryland having failed, it
next became indispensable to secure both
Maryland and Washington through the secession
of Virginia. But her State Convention was
doubtful; it had been elected for the Union;
it hesitated, when called, to abandon the
Union. Fort Sumter then was bombarded,
and Virginia was launched into the waves OF
this Southern rebellion, for the bowling seces-
sion mob of Richmond carried everything be-
fore them. With this act the game Of the re-
volutionists in Maryland was not neglected
The secession mob of Baltimore, instructed in
their part, quickly seized the occasion of the
passage of Union troops through that city to
inaugurate there the reign Of the barricades
They succeeded, in single hour, in getting
the control of the authorities Of the city and
the State; and, by the secession conspirators of
the Legislature at Frederick, the State would
have been rushed into the arms Of Jefferson
Davis. had not the government at Washington
and the startled patriotism Of the North been
too quick for them.
That Baltimore mob has been followed by a
succession Of damaging reverses to the cause
of the Southern Confederates They have lost
Mary land beyond the possibility of recovery;
they have lost Baltimore, the base of operations
from which they had hoped to move upon
Washington, and they stand in very doubtful
position in Virginia, threatened in front by
General Scott and in the rear by the Union
sentiment Of the Western division Of the State
The projected secession trick of the conspira-
tors in Missouri has also been foiled. Captain
Lyon understood the plot and his duty. and
General Harvey is not the man to stand upon
trifes. Kentucky, though laboring under the
misfortune Of secession Governor, with q
body Of active legislative Confederates to aid
him, still holds to the Union, and the brave
loyalists Of Tennessee do not despair of saving
that State, although, like Virginia, she has been
turned over to JEFF Davis, upon the presump-
ton of popular ratification.
These are encouraging manifestations Of q
powerful reaction against the Southern re-
bellion, in oil the border slave States, from
Maryland to Missouri but still we ap-
prehend that Washington Is not yet out
Of danger. In fact as a stroke Of policy
to recover his lost ground in the border slave
States, and to bring them over completely into
his service, the capture of Washington is more
than ever the paramount necessity Of Davis.
Granted that he could not safely now attempt
a descent upon the city with less than fifty
thousand men, how do we know that he has not
full that number at this time within two or
three days march Of some undisputed passage
across the upper PotomacS
We are reliably informed that between Rich
mond and Harper's Ferry there are various
bodies Of Confederate troops, amounting in all,
TO not less than thirty thousand men; but we
have no information Of the forces behind them.
Tfm