The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-08-13
AFFAIRS IN WASHINGTON

The Washington correspondent of the Baltimore
Exchange writes as follows:
Gen. Mcclellan. took official command this morn
ing In company with Gen. Mcdowell he passed
through the camps Of the troops, and after slight
inspection, returned to this city to consult with
Gen. Scott upon some alterations which he deems
necessary should be immediately made
y war between the negroes of the District is
impending, aud should the influences which have
caused this enmity not be removed, there will
probably be a puguaciouS contest, which the mere
police cannot queIl. This feud has been caused
by jealousy. induced by the superfluous interven-
tion OF Tho Northern soldiery, and exists between
the tree blacks and slaves of this city. The sol
Gir.s Lave pettcd the free negroes here by prom
isog them protection and better times when the
war shall have endcl, that they have become ex-
cecdingIy saucy and impertncnt
These Garkies go into their camps work dill
gently, and are fed with the soldiers Many OF
them expect to go North with the regiments
Many OF the Federal troops treat these negroes
as boon companions, and, in many instances, the
most disgusting intimacies are formed.
The slaves Of the District bitterly hate the
.roops, and those of their race with whom they
are familiar, and avoid their presence. The result
IF the feeling on both sides has been the generation
/ vinG!ctive tcul which becomes more gene
lal every Gay; and if the discipline of the army is
not amended in this particular, there is every
son to believe that serious strife will ensue
Sixty-tour clerks in the Department who were
arraigncd at the inquisitorial tribunal Mr. Potcrs
sitting in the "Star Chamber iNo. 81 have
refused to take the oath Of allegiance.
Recruiting proceeds but slowly here. The hearts
of the people not with the ruling powers and
/ doubt if a single full regiment can be raised in
this city, with its population Of IS, 900.
Not only will there be great difficulty in OBJ
tanning the necessary recruits to supply the place
of the three months volunteers, but the army now
in the field will be considerably reduced by deser-
tions. | am assured by perfectly reliable gentle
from Anne Arundel, that as many as three
hundred men have managed to cross over from
Virginia into Maryland, and are now in this county
alone They profess to be very much dissatisfied
with their treatment, and Indignant of the man.
ner in which they have been deceived. Several
OF the soldiers told my informant that they had en-
listed under the positive promise of the extra pay
OF eight dollars a month to their wives during
their absence, but that they had only received one
dollar, and their wives only three, during three
months They said, besides, that they had each
been promised small turm in Virginia. An
officer who was in company with them corroborat-
ed this statement, and said he was sorry to confess
that four-ffths Of the men in his regiment had en-
listed with this expectation. Another gentleman
from Prince George says that at least three hun
dred more have passed within the ncighborhood
of Buena Vista. These have affected microscope
from the District. They were swapping THEN
coats and uniforms with the negroes for plain
clothing, and taking from them anything in ex-
change that would cover their nakedness The
brilliant display of darkies i'll full uniforms, next
Sunday, will be unusually attractive.
Private information has been received here that
a barbarous plan has been arranged by some of the
othcers of the United States Navy to arm aud
provide 900 negroes with knives and torches,
Tor the purpose OF landing them from boats ut some
point on the Southern coast where they can pro-
coed IN land TO ravage, burn and dcstroy You
may we'll think this too Infamous to believe
bus the source from which L receive it leaves me
to doubt its perfect accuracy
BE~ Mrs. HenningSen, the wife of Gen. Hen
ningsen, now in Gen. Wise's staff, has arrived in
Richmond She came from New York. via Louis
vile and Nashville. She was pretty closely
searched, but succeeded in getting through with
five reyolvers, five hundred ounces of qainine and
galvanic battery.