The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-02-01
Progress of the Great Plot.

that Gen SCOTS preparations have caused an ,
abandonment of the plot to seize the capital,
proofs multiply from various sources that the
ARRANGEMENTS of the rebels are progressing
with unsleeping vigilance, and letter from
a naval officer at Washington declares that,
By the most candid and well-informed secess-
ionists, the successful capture of the city is
regarded as foregone conclusion.
The cooperation of Maryland and Virgin
ia has been confidently relied on, and, as
their secession is all-important to the grand
scheme of a Southern Ccnfederacy, with
Washir gton as its capital, the invasion OF
the District of Columbia. of course. yields to
the more pressing necessity of the work now
in hand-the dragooning of those states into
rebellion. But, whether they secede or not,
the possession of Washington, for ever so
short a time, is essential to the secession
scheme, as affording plausible pretext for
procaiming that the Union is dissolved, and
for demanding the allegiance of the army
and the ravy as due to the new COnfederacy.
Such proclamation issued from the capital,
even though their possession was too inse-
cure to make good their claim to be the gov
eminent de facto, they naturally believe
would demOralize the army and navy, and
would also, by distracting the country, give
temporary foothold to their Northern allies
Those allies, especially those in New York,
are now compelled to caution, and wait i'm
patiently the expected opportunity to inaugu-
rate insurrection and rebellion in our sea-
board cities. Give them the opportunity,and
they will rival their Southern confreres in
filching our navy-yards, forts and arsenals.-
Already they are actively engaged in procur
ing aud shipping to the South arms and am
nunition. and so boldly does treason stalk
forth amidst US, that Mayor Wood telegraphs
to his correspondent, the traitor Toombs, his
regret that he is powerless to punish the po-
lice, who have intercepted some of the NUM-
lions of war destined. as the world believes,
to be used in overthrowing the Union and
numbering its defenders.
For the raid upon Washington, company
is already organized at Baltimore. The chief
of the Baltimore police may deny its exs-
tence, precisely as certain Of our own officials
may deny all knowledge Of the recently.de-
feated attempt upon the Brooklyn navy-yard.
Perhaps Toombs and his Northern cores
pondents are equally in the dark about it,
/ But such official denals do not alter the facts
they rather highten than diminish their sig
nificance. A letter from Baltimore Of the
24th of January, published in Saturdays Tri-
bune, mentions that the sons of TWO respect
able residents of Baltimore openly boosted of
belonging to this band, and were trying to
persuade Others to join it.
From Virginia we have accounts of minute
men and other companies in training for the
same purpose, including at least one body Of
cavalry and gentleman connected with the
first families of Virginia" is named as the
probable leader of the expedition. The peo-
pie are arming throughout large portion of
the South the stagnation of trade allows a
bundant leisure for daily drill and at the con-
vention of delegates from the seeding states
to be presently reid at Montgomery, instruc-
tions will doubtless be given to secret COM
mittee to organize for the capture of wash
ington on some day before the fourth of
March. and probably on or before the day on
which the electoral votes are to be opened
and counted in the presence of Congress.
The SeceSslon!Sts. who regard the success
Of their expedition as "a foregone conclusion"
to be realized whenever they may find it con-
venent, base their confidence, beyond all
question, OH the promised treachery of some
of the principal officers and troops to whom
the defense of the city, its navy yard. arsenal,
and public buildings is entrusted. 1t is o.
penlv declared that some of theSe-and their
names are well known at Washington are
warm sympathizers with secession; and it is
affirmed that the moment the shadow of an
apology is afforded by the secession Of suf
tcient number of statcS-and the prOcama-
ton of their delegates that the Union is dis
solved and Southern Confederacy formed.
hundreds of our military and naval officers
hailing from the South will hold themselves
ahsolved from all allegiance to the Constitu-
ton. and will, without warming, array them
selves on the side of the rebels, carrying with
them soldiers and sailors. tortreSses, and
ships of war. \ proclamation from rene
gade lieutenant was recently published in
the papers, assuring naval officers that they
would earn the gratitude Of the South by
such timely prc>ents.-war steamers and rev.
enue cutters being especially in demand.
We would not impugn the high integrity
of the loyal sons of the South, who, like Ma
ior Anderson, are maintaining in difficult
and irving position their OWL honor and that
of their country. But with such examples
of treachery and almost inconccivable base
ness as were presented to US by the Presi-
dents late Secretaries and their abettors in
the Senate: remembering that those men.
on returning home, were not hooted at as w.
ing traitors and thieves for deSpoiling TIE
country and bctray ing the Union they were
pretending to conserve. but are hailed as
gentlemen of honor; and remembering, too.
that the revelations by Floyd of his exceed
ing meanness were greeted with plaudits BY
the chivalry of Virginia. no false modestv
should deter US from making sure that we
are not still in danger Of losing by similar
treachery the capital and archives of our Re
public. The nation has right to require
that the defense of Washington be placed in
the hands of men as free from all faint of
2isloyal,y as Gen Scott himself; no man of
them Sympathizng with rebellion, or a. tici-
pating the day when he shall transfer his al
lesance to another and rival sovereignty.
We hear that Gen Scott declares that he
can hold the Capital for twcnty-four hours
against all corners, and that within that time
he can procure from the North fifty thousand
men. That telth Fart Of this number could
be so speedily placed i'll Washington, even if
their passage was unobstructed, we are in
clined to doubt. But how if the militia of
the District fraternize with the assailants ?
How if treachery is at work all around him,
among those on whom he chiefly relies q
How if the bridges of Maryland are broken
to pre' vent the passage Of the troops from
the North, and the telegraph wires are cut,
and the mails to the North stopped, while by
secret concert the cavalry of Virginia and the
troops from the South generally are concen-
trated upon Washington? Arc such things