Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-04-25

Great interest Is felt in the proceedings at
Cairo. Illinois. as our own city is deeply
concerned in what is done there. There Is
nothing exactly authentic received and the
accounts given BY persons arriving from
| Cairo vary considerably the number OF men
Is stated as from 800 to 1900, and even
higher. Tt !. confidently stated that some
! Of the officers Of those troops had steam got
~ on the P. B. Cheney, the boat that
ats as a fsrry-earrying passengers between
the terminus Of the Mobile and Ohio railroad
at Columbus, Ky, and OF ths Central Illinois,
at Cairo-and that on this boat they saus
down to Columbus, Ky, ard made a survey
there. This is eorroborated BY the fact that
when the next train from this section reached
Columbus the Cheney was not waiting ss
usual, and the passengers had to 60 forward
on a transient boat. The information as to
the absence Of the Cheney we bavs from Mr.
Flack himself. Dispatches have been received
to the effect that as the Baltic was passing
Cairo, on her way up the river, 4 shot was
dred across her bow 90 bring Der to, and
that she was examined to ascertain whether
any troops wers on board for the pnrpose OF
being landed Ia the rear OF the enemies' forces
at Cairo. Finding nothing Of the kind, the
boat was allowed TO proceed. Milton Brown,
Esq, president Of the Mobile and Ohio rail-
road, spent a portion Of Tuesday, and the
whole Of the succeeding night. at Memphis.
He found the men unaeguainted with The OBJ
iect to be accomplished by their presence in
Cairo; that was a secret confined in the breast
Of their commander. The people Of Cairo
generally objected strongly to tue presence
Of the Union military, and a strong report
prevailed that the railroad track, t~xsnty-thrse
miles up, had been torn up to prevent the en-
trance OF any more troops. That more troops
were on their way 20 Cairo was unhesitatingly
asserted BY the msa TIE proceedings at Co.
laubus have awakened the spirit Of The people
there, and a committee OF their citizens,
beaded by Mr.. Vance, formerly mayor OF Lou
i~sville, was in this city yesterday, consulting
with cur military and civil authorities.
When the messenger OF Adams & Co.'s
express reached The company's office, on Court
square, last evening, it was found that two
cases Of guns, and one Of repesters, directed
to Col. Sam. Tate, and a package, doubtless
also containing arms, marked S. & G.. were
missing-these, the messenger reported, had
br,n ssisea at Cairo. It is evident that sXcit-
ing events may be looked for in connection
with the presence Of opposing troops at Cairo.
Since writing the above we learn that either
the track was not torn up, as reported, Or it
had been replaced, for the early train ysstsr-
day morning arrived in Cairo as usual An
additional number Of soldiers were on the
cars they were well uniformed, well drilled,
and well armed. Our informant, a substantial
merchant, residing sixty miles above NaPo-
leon, on the Arkansas river, states that there
were sixteen hundred troops there, and It was
asserted that still more were to come. At
Csntralia, a southern man, who came down on
the cars, was charged with attempting to set
fire to the railroad depot there further on, at
hslf-past twelve at nigh, our informant states
that be saw the MAJ led from the train, be
heard the firing Of a voIlsy, be heard a shrek
from the mamie was shot. His corpse was
put 10 a case and brought down to Cairo. The
people on the line Of the road appear to be IN
8er the influence Of fear from the soldiers, aud
it is the universal opinion that important pro-
eeedirgs on the Mississippi river are contem-
plated BY the Administration at Washington.