The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-01-30
81.OO A YEAR
The Seizure of the Capital.

When in the year 1914 Great Britain
sent q feet up the Potomac suddenly
and burned the peaceful Capitol, she
inflicted an immense disgrace upon
beraelf, because it was not fortified, but
Gid as no comparative harm. Any at
tempt on the part of the seeding
States to seize the Capital at Wash
ington, though infinitely more disgrace
FIJI to the aggressors, would yet be so
much more mischievous now to the
who&e country, that the slightest posi-
hility OF such catastrophe ought to
be watched and guarded against with
the utmost vigilance. 1t would not be
merely the loss of all the millions cost
by the public buildings, not the de-
struction of at least three fourths Of
she value of all the private resid noes,
and stores, and building lots of city
nf sixty thousand inhabitants, and of
the land contiguous 1t would not be
meEeF the loss to history of the ar
ehiyes, nor the attendant loss of life,
but ii would be loss of the national
character that would be disastrous,
drgraeeful and destructive of all the
feelings which make the peaceful main
tenanes Of the Republic possible, or
even peaceful separation, if no other
cause should remain.
That there is at this moment very
powerful and dangerous conspiracy
going on, with Jefferson Davis at its
head, to form new government for the
seeding States, and pull down the Ma
tional Government at Washington,
there need now be no doubt. The on
y question among those engaged is,
whether lbs seat shall be at Montgem-
cry, Alabama, or Washington, d. c.
In order to coax Virginia into the con-
spiracy, and for the sake of the pres
tige of the national name and author
ity, the possession of the Capital of
the United States, if only for one month
would be worth millions to the seceders
and cost of hundreds of millions to
the country in its peace and power,
and history. He who holds Paris rules
France, and Jefferson Davis maintain.
ing himself in Washington would de-
mand recognition of European powers,
and win over one-half or three-qua
ters of the regular army He would
at least attempt the entire seizure and
command of the navy, form military
despotism, and create q civil war in
every town and village of the country
by all possible falsehoods and decep-
lions. Such civil war for horrors
the world has never seen as would in
that ease certainly arise, till the West
was thoroughly aroused.
1t seems almost incredible that any
class of conspirators should be so mad
and so wicked as to contemplate such
3 crime for moment But that there
are conspirators ready to attempt it,
all, if there is only the slightest pros
Peet of success. is now beyond doubt.
Aud there never has been so strong
conspiracy before in the history of our
government. Not all the South, or
even ell of the seceders could be per-
Ruaded to go into this. But there
wonld be no effactEal opposition to it
from any quarter there The telegraph
woHld be unmolested in their hands, to
be nsed against Washington, but not
for it. The railroads would be torn
UP as against the United States Gov
eminent, bat not to prevent the trans
portation of troops from Charleston to
Washington. The South is armed to
the teeth with Sharpe's and the May
naPd rifles, which make each soldier
worth ten men armed in the old style.
Governor Wise, in Virginia, and JEFF
aersan Davis, in Mississippi, could bring
sn a large force of armed men, as fast
HArailroads could bring them, provided
only that Washington were once in the
hands of the secessionists for twenty
eoHr hours.
Against this we have Gen. Scott,
with a few companies of flying artille-
sy, in all perhaps thousand uen.-
Bht what is this with plotters against
The Government, with Col Hayne at
Heal Quarters, instead of being in
prison or sent away There is weak
ness and paralysis about executive
measures that astounds the country.
General Ssett is able, but younger men
like Jefferson Davis, with Floyd, tho
roughly posted up, may prove more
than match for him and his plans, and
end like the Star of the West at
charleston. The President could at
once appoint reliable Marshals in place
of any suspected ones men who could
ind would call out the loyal forces of
fAs Union, and crush this foul conspi
racy like rotten egg, at least SO fer