Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-04-04

The Way LAST MARES NRsr The city's
hotel halls were In a blaze Of excitement last
evening over a dozen different stories concerning
the purpose for which the steam frigates Min
nesota and Powhatan are now being fitted out for
sea service. The sensation newspaper men were
In ecstacies over the item, while the few dis
unionists still hanging arounds the Federal me-
tropolis were quite as elated by the prospect Of
the Inauguration Of civil war, which they thought
they discovered in the fact that those ships at
once to be placed In commission. A dozen dis
patches were sent South some Of them saying that
they were positively destined to support the rein
forcement OF Fort Pickens; while others declared
no less confidently that they were to form the
principal features Of squadron to blockade the
mouth of the Mississippi! Nearly all Of them
added tina. part Of the Governments programme
In the premises was the Immediate recall Of Com
modore Pendergrast, because he is a southern
man, from the command Of the Gulf Squadron,
recently assumed by him, and the substitution Of
Commodore Stringham in his stead.
Doubtless, by this time Richmond 10 all ablaze
with the mares nest, which 10 being used there
to strengthen the disunion cause in the Virginia
Convention.
As cruel az II may appear In Us to spoil the effect
Of this very last wonder, It is our duty to do that
thing; as the Stars prestige arises from the fact
that IT invariably publishes generally earlies) the
truth concerning what goes on here.
Thus, we have to say that IL 10 well known to
those here who see behind the curtain that this
supplemental United States G ulf 50 uadron (Which
is to be commanded by Commodore Stringham }
has been determined to be put In ssion to
meet the great increase Of naval force In the Gulf
which Englan and France are a bout to send there
and TO protect the Interests United States ro
far as they may be complicated by SPANS now
admitted designs upon st. Domingo, which are
probably at the bottom Of the movements Of Eng.
land and France in that quarter referred to above
and, further, that Commodore Pendergrast is not
to be recalled, nor are the duties Of his command
in the Gulf to be in any manner iuterfered with
by that Of Commodore Stringham.
Apropos.-On Sunday morning last Mr. A. g.
Patterson, of Baltimore, a bearer Of dispatc hes
from the United States commercial agent In ST.
Domingo, reached Washington, and was closeted
with the Secretary Of State for hours once or
twice during that day. be information brough bit
by that gentleman concerning American Interests
In st. Domingo has doubtless generated the haste
to get Commodore Stringham's squadron ready
for sea.
We may add, that the withdrawal of troops
from this point, which has commenced-thers
being no longer a necessity for keeping any con.
siderable number here's being twisted by the
Disunion letter-writers and telegraphers into de-
signs on the part Of the Government to invade the
South, OF course. These gentlemen are hard to
please, indeed. Up to week ago they were
grooming piteously over the presence Of these
troops here-denouncing IL as an act Of military
despotism, Of menace to VirginO &c. and now
that they are being sent elsewhere, they are
swearing roundly that they are to be stationed
there, only to be in better position to assail the
South than II kept at the Federal metropolis,
This is funny world we live in; and about the
most incomPrehensibly-f funny fellows in 1t, are
those whose vocation It is to get up, In Washing.
ton, cock-and-bull stories for the benefit Of the
Disunion cause