The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-05-01
Tho Next troie Of the Cor.pira,ors

since the first Of January last, can scarcely
fail to agree with us that the next step of
the conspirators--at whose head stands the
talented, intriguing jeff Dayis--is, or has
been, to attempt the capture Of Washing
ton; We say is or has been, because the &C.
ton Of the government within the past two
weeks, has probably forcclosed their ability
TO accomplish their designs. Indeed, there
has been no conceal,uent of this intention
m the part Of Mr. Davis and his Cabinet.
The boast was openly made at Montgomery
but few weeks since, that the President of
The southern conledcracy would soon ad.
minister the duties If the Executive from
The White House..
The plan of their operations secured to
have been that Virginia and Maryland
should scccle from the Union and the
united forces Of those states, consolidat-
I'd with the regular army Of 1000 at South
Carolina, should concentrate at Alexandria
and suddenly rrecipitate themselves upon
Washington, before the government would
Be enabled to check them with any opposing
force, other than the 600 regular troops To-
Gated at the Capitol since the Inauguration.
The delay Of Virginia in seeding and
the failure Of Maryland to take that step as
yet, added to the prompt action of President
Lincoln, has made the seizure Of Washing
ton very difficult job. Yet tho prize is
tempting and anything short Of that will
give them little vantage. '-
The concentration of 10000 Virginia
troops at Richmond, 5000 at IIarpcr's Fer
,ry, 300 more at Alexandria, together with
,hc recent movement Of the South Carolina
Forces northward, are indications which Ger.
.ainly point towards a demonstration on
Washington. The disturbances at Ball
more, the attempt to destroy all the rorth.
ern Railroad approaches to Washington,
snd the erection Of batteries to close the
navigation of the Potomac, also, by every
;'ulc Of military Interpretation, favor this
Flea. ....... -t
TIE approach to Washington will I'm.
'ioubtedly be by one Of three routes, viz
the crossing Of the Potomac at Georg. town,
four miles above Alexandria; or, ut the wa
ter works two miles still further up; or, a
diversion across the same river opposite
Alexandria, from which point they would
descend upon the cast side Of the city by
making the circuit of the Navy Yard The
first two plans are almost impossible of &C.
complishment by reason of the construction
Of the draws (Which slide towards the
Washington side) and the frowning attitude
nf heavy batteries which sweep their entire
length, rendering any attempt at passage
overwhelmingly disastrous in every contin-
sency. The third plan is the only one
that can be regarded as feasible.
To resist this attack, Gen. Scott stands in
person, with nearly or quite 10000 Of our
citizen soldiery, most of wholn arc bred to
military service. This force, under the
generalship Of that brave veteran and patri-
OF, must be regarded as adequate to save
US from the humiliation Of seeing the rat
tlcsnakc emblem float from the flagstaff
Ct our national Capitol
Two weeks ago, had the gallant u army
which envirc ned Sumter made dash upon
Washington, they could easily have TEX
en- it; now we regard it as quite sc.
cure from that contingency. Nevertheless,
failure either in attempt or success, at that
point. puts the indictments upon the de-
fensivs, and speedily to an overthrow.
We trust the downfall Of treason may be
speedy and bloodless but be that as it may,
h<oonspi,acy must and sciu be orertArsun!