, 1861-05-03
LETTER Fkf8lu CAIRO.

LETTER From CAIRO.
| Camp Uafon-EnltEl,tcnm ofsoutl,
co1. een Frsnsiss and ssnatee Jehnse, Hehse,
+ aud Gen. Ruckner. Of Kentucky
MusterinE af Companies into q.
! Rnmors, Of Threatsnsd a ASdsaSnil fsacRHaiii
Il ~isary Healfh OF fh
Candp-The Steamer Hfl11aan.
r. .#---- e.:
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribune.
~ CAMP UsuoN, oA1Ro April soth
a. Though much Of the bustle>: md dill
fdncident to the TRANSPORTATION Of d, peace
ful Illinois landing into military pcs
still continues, order is being rapidly evolved
from confusion, and under the yigilant una
untirlng supervision OF skllfnl officers, sec
onded Handsomely by the willing exertlons O
and form which speak well for cur State mill
tary, and are commensurate with the import
aace Of this position and It's prompt occapan'
CT. .... .-,.,.-., s..q.7.s g.. T.. =. -.
One process is rapidly going, on with ou,
neighbors over the bordor, aud by means o1
visitors and spies here ia being extended all
through the South, usueful Information more
| valuable In time Of war even than In an er1
of peace. 1t il not best to deceive ones Eelt
| By undertaking the opposition. In any en-.
terpr;se whether Of building house, or cop:
ing with On enemy, it is best to know the
worst and to provide for It."
aud Just here the Disunfon1st leaders and
followers in the South have deceived them.
selves about Cairo and Southern Illinois, and
| are now losing the Rcales from their eyes very
rapidly. Ihose who come up here from lower
| points on the river on tonrs OF inspection, go
| away sadder and wiser men. They find, in
stead Of community surrounding Camp
Union'' hostile to its. forces and to the Gov
ernment, aud chadng and eager to unite with
| aid from abroad to crush the little army Of
occupation" instead of finding abundant ma
teEia1 only. waiting to swell JEFF. Dayis's CO.
horts, when they shall arriYe--instead Of all
this, they find loyalty to the Union local and
firm here. They see volunteer companies be-.
ing enrolled In Cairo to fight for the old flag.
They see the emulation amount almost TO q
rivalry, whether the troops Of Southern Or
Northern Illinois shall be foremost at Cairo
toF whatever may happen. -..;
a volunteer company here enTolls eighty
stout fellows who last evening waited On Col
Prentiss and were received at Els headquarters.
With immense cheering. A German artillery
company IL also recruiting here They leara
all these facts here, and lees than ss nine days"
has opened good many eyes Of those who
were blind, and they 60 home sad and mad,
The latter feeling, however, they bottle care.
fully until at q safe dis1 ance from this neck Of
land. The occupancy Of Cairo will do good
for the cause Of the Union, If never blow is .
struck there, for It Is pushing solid mass of
~ oadoI ~ = Ae7e ~ n9ueAce Is gong Lar
:. This Fisit Was quietly made, and if tins vfsi-
tors carry back to Kentucky the proper spirit,
and use it in their State, it will do good The |
neutral dodge is nearly played ont, and It is
Doubtful whether any crest sympathy will be
t1on now ia, Who is on the Lord'sside p :,
The work Of mastering our State companies
into the eBerTfce OF: the United States is pro
gresslng, under the charge Of Capt Pope, U.
). A. An election has been held for regimen. |
tal officers, which resulted as follows, 7iz:--
Ben. d. Prentiss, Colonel; J. D. Morgan.
Lieut. Colonel; Charles Il. Adams, Of Jack.
sonVllle, Major. Col. Prentiss and Lieut. Col,
Morgan were both officers In the Mexican Wur.
aad Major Adams, I am told, sawae1Tice in the
same var under the gallant and la1nented Har-
dln: '1: they are all officers with bravery, cool
command this "First Illinois Regiment co11-
prlSlng ten companies; Of $50 men.
Within q day or two past, State Senator
onnson Of Kentucky. and Genetal Buckner
2t Inc kentucky militia, waited upon Colonel |
Erenuss, commanding here, with view to learn
ne u, p1Icy OF the State in regard to blockading
ne Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The inter.
ftew was courteous on both sides. give YOU. i
y permission Of Col. Prentiss, the gist Of the
General Buckner-sI wish to inquire Of you
Ehether = any arms belonging to the State Of
= Aentneky, and coming from the United States
oaRs ?" -
Colonel Prentiss-tI 1haye mo authority
o moleEt them. have seized no goods With
,ut especial authority. know OF no feeling
1ut TIE utmost regard and friendship between
he States Of Kentucky and Illinois, and hope
. ssna1or sse 1eeng a4~eys continue"
:uthorlzed statement which will serve to allay
POLITICAL excitement. There are priygte citi. |
ems who wish to purchase arms for their
'Wn defense, according to the. clause in the
q! onstltution allowing a. "well regulated MI
ltia;'' and re do not know WHY llinois should
ake It upon herself to make Kentucky % IN ex.
eption. Private citizens near hy are desirous
u turnishing themselves with arms but want
90 nothing wrong OF clandestinely"
Col Prentiss-"L could not commit nv
'tate OF Government to any future policy; but
,ot Of Until were convinced in my own mind
nenales Of my Government, would I seizs
hem and then It would be in sell dafence.
FithoUt committing the State to policy"
Ten, Buckner-"D Does your position ind H.
tructions allow you to be the Judge Of the DO
lIleA i, character Of the citizens On the other
Col Prentiss--I am in receipt Of very nauy
eports from satisfactory scurce5, that at Co.
Qlnbus and Memphis, and other points ID the
entral States, there are being armed aud !
rllled considerable bodies hostile to us''
zen: 4sa. BnckneI-" 5; yon aPprehend anything
alnly be used to crush any such hostile in !
ants toward you; at least my ,power, as the
ead Of the militia, shall be 90 used. The an ,
1orlties Of .Ksntucky will not permit any 2
Fmea force from'any quarter to cross her soil I
u invasion upon Illinois," +
Col PfentlBs- That is gratifying. md If IL
y hope that friendly relations be perpetu- t
ed between all our brethren Of the border i
tates.'' = =
Gen. Buckner-"If, among the goods you t
I'VE seized, there should % contraband ar t
cles 9eiohelng TO the citizens Of Kentucky f
?'1 '119'8 '"A D''' "oula lucy ne SURRENDER a
Col Prentiss-'1 should feel It my duty to | :
rrender them but having in this Iustance | n
ceiVed the authority for their seizure, I
oula nave to - submit i their return to my P
Gen. Buckner-'tAs the head Of the militia Of | q
entueky, should strive to ayoid any COLI. 81
on but You can see how difficult it Eould | ~
to repress the excitement growing out Of D
ese matters" :,
Col. Prentiss-"I wou1d consider 1t nv duty n n
stop arms going to Columbus; but not 3
ose gong to Lexington. because the former 81
aee Is In armed 1ebsllion and threatening Is. b
1ile the lAtter Is not" ~ :, =
Gen. Bnckner-"Then 1t seems to me to he II
net Of arbitrary power.' Ia
@oL IseALtss-Lel me ask, II Kentucky. nj
rough her Governor, has responded TO tie n
81 obligations made by the President ?" r.
Sen. Buckner-"There is a constitutional II
nedy for that w ~: ~ -
senator Johnson-"Th Legislature OF hfch - f..
N member is soon to N ct; and Lwould n,
G to take some definite information encon. " "
ing for peace" ~ ~
len. Buckner-'IsIt 1t the purpose ofthe Cor. ~ :;
lment 2 to hold possession Of any Ct the soil 2yG
3ol Frentfss-"I do not know whattha pur- ~ ~
Sc OF the Government Ia ; but, from the in. ~
actions have heretofore received, should AZ AZ
|gs gs hat the Government had no such ~
len. Dackner-"That ts gratifying, exceed. ~ ~
II, although expected itnnt- Itismy Dur. NJ
'e to 60 down to Columbus and examine NJ;
condition o. Affairs, and take measures tn - q,
vent any hostile action toward you.N ~, a.
j course Oil sorts Of Fumors preYatI hers ns eA'
the threatened attack. It snterferes with n,
hing, however, officers and men working o.
ad1}y at the work Of Preparation. to hoI3 -.
70 against all comcrB. -
! romor hss been quite prevalent Ill dav nv nv
6, that the rebels had thrown up q fortif7. sei M
ion, With heavy battery Of large cannon so' M
shell guns, at place about four or i've - ~
es above here On, the Mlss{Esippi. It1sno ~
for your correspondent to disouss rumor. J.,
nodes aud quarters OF attaek, for these sre t.,