The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-12-14
CssfsanAnos q IL HawksEys1
WAsnuofoN. Nee. q. 1861.

wAsMuUex0N CoH1EsRoNDBNCE.
tCssssasnAsaes . tAs Hawk-Eysl
WAsnmafoN, Dec. Q, 1861.
FR1zSD DuHsAN-Ype may havs noticed some-
hing With reference q the mission Of gentle
nan from North Carolina hither, concerning the |
property Of NJ. Douglass children. During HE
'tay here, became very we'll acquainted with
he gentleman. His name Is John F. Udey. He
. British subject, and it was through his priv.
Ilsges - such that he made bis way through
both lines Of beliigerents, though he vas de-
lained some time at Richmond, and At last got
away from there with much difacuIty. He Is In
partnership with "Gov.' Gilmer in gold mine,
and came at the request Of Mr.. Gilmer, who was
employed - an attorney - attend 70 the matter
and 70 " 70 ave tho property for the children.
The property u large in amount, comprising
the often-spoken-of property in Mississippi as
we'll as the large estate in North Carolina. The
Arst Mrs. Douglas, the mother Of tho two surviv-
ing children Of Mr. Douglas. was an only child.
Her father was one of the wealthiest men In
North Carolina. All his property in that State.
together with the Mississippi plantation. was be-
uueatl,ed TO his daughter and her children-Ar.
Douglas being excluded, as the old gentleman
considered him too unsafe depository for
large property. This property is now all liable
% confiscation, and likely very soon to be con-
fscated. Besides that, squatters are encroach-
ing upon it, and its value is depreeiating. Mr..
Udey informs me that the Carolina property
alone is estimated at 500, 900 to 100000 Of
the amount, there is about 100000 in hard
cash that can be had by coming after. There Is
fine home estat,, with an elegant mansions
full of servants and ready fo.' the occupancy
the family. Mrs. Douglas was invited through
Mr. Udey 70 come down with the children, oc-
cupy the mansion and save the property. The
children (boys) were pretty much raised there,
and Especially the oldesD seemed not avcrse to
going. Reverdy johnson, the attorney for the
children advised that they should 60, as it was
only a temporary matter, and involved neither
the legality nor their permanent residence. But
Mrs. Douglas, being their guardian, refused not
only to go with them, but, after many interviews
and consultations, resolutely, and at every in
terview, refused to let the children CO. Her
chief argument was that che did not believe
that Mr.. Douglas, if he we're alive, would allow
his children to take up their residence in dis
loyal State for the purpose of preserving their
property, or for any other object. No effort
could surmount this objection, and Mr.. Udey has
returned. The property win doubtless soon be
con6scated, and, for the present at least, en-
tirely lost. 1t is great sacrifice, especially as
it is understood that it leaves the children, who
would otherwise be very wealthy, substantially
penniless. There is some property here of COM
paratively small value, worth perhaps $4,000
but mortgage will by and by devour that.
The rent derived from it is the present source Of
livelihood for the family. The Chicago property
10 understood also to be mortgaged so heavily
that it will never be available for the family.
The recovery Of North Carolina to the Union il
the only present pocuniary hope of the children
Of Stephen A. Douglas. IOWA.
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence Of the Hawk.Eye.]
WASHINGTON, DEC. 9, 1861.
Log cabins and rough board houses are goinl
up for the winter quarters Of part of our i'm
mense army. The dense forests along the Poto
mac afford ample material, and the labor an,
rude skill of the soldiers do the rest. And a
the style of achievements is dependent on tn
taste Of each soldier, their villages present
decidedly unique appearance. Still, nobody be
lieves the army is to 60 into quarters befor
| some great movement
| In Washington, the presence of the immens
throng which the Army and Congress bring wit
them, has given great ,ctivity to every branc
Of business. Every petty boarding house mil
tress holds her seven-by-nine rooms at tripl
the prices asked six months ago. Every lttl
store room is crowded with knick.knacks fc
soldiers, mostly under the auspices of Jews, an
flaming sign-boards announce to the world tbs
Suffers Supplies can be had cheaper than
any other locality. The amount of busine.
done by these suppliers of suffers is immens
and large fortunes will doubtless be made by i
But would not advise any newcomers to en-
vinced that the department Of suffers, undo
the existing regulations, is . most atrociol
swindle, and will doubtless place it hereafte
under the most stringent restrictions, if nc
abolish it altogether.
| The Presidents Message is commented upo
as plain, Straightforward document, with NJ
much literary elegance, and considerable
amount of metaphysical abstraction which migt
have been omitted without injury. Nobod
cares now for essays on capital and labor.
The accompanying reports are all able. Til
Secretary of the Navy gives such plain stat,
ment Of the energy which has dealt such blow
to the rebellion, and such firm and unreserve
commentator of Captain Wilkes as justly max
him very popular.
The Secretary Of War, apart from statistic
and his reserved views as to slavery, starts
| novel idea, the division Of the cumbrous Stat
of Virginia, into several portions, all west {
the Blue Bidge, to be the State of Virginia, a
east Of the Blue Ridge to be annexed to Mar,
land, and all Of Maryland and Virginia, east {
Chesapeake Bay, to be incorporated into Del,
ware. Virginia, it is claimed, is an anomalou
State without any great natural boundaries. Th
division would give these boundaries, and woul
make Maryland and Virginia two States Of d,
sirable size, and would constitute Delaware, no.
hardly more than geographical name, a Stat
OF very respectable dimensions. But its chic
merit is that it would place the Capital of tn
nation in the interior of Maryland, thereby a,
cording to Mr.. Cameron, rendering it much safe
from the dangers of civil discord.
The report of the Secretary of the Treasur
is not yet submitted. 1t is looked for with gres
interest, as it is understood that Mr.. Chase vi
recommend radical changes One of these W,
be the doing away of the shiuplasters of irr,
sponsible banks and the substitution instead, {
national notes, secured BY the best property
| the nation.
A society has been formed to secure cours
of lectures from radical men in this city th
winter,-a new wonder in Washington. lear
that Wendell Phillips, Gerritt Smith, Beecbe
Chaplin, Greeley, Bayard Taylor, G. w. Curti
Whittier, D. s. Dickinson. and host OF other
have been invited and that many of them hay