The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-24

breadstufs were moderate. The heaviest shipments
making English ports were provisions chiefly bacon
and lard while 500 bales Of square and 400 do Sea
Island cotton were engaged for Liverpool atfu rates
The Journey OF a Night-The President
Elect IncOg.
A hundred years hence the night journey Of
the President elect of the United States, in the
year of grace 1861, from Harrisburg, the
capital of Pennsylvania, to Washington, the
capital of the United States, will be read by
wondering schoolboys, with all the circum-
stances and dreadful rumors and apprehen-
sions resulting in this expedition, in the same
frame Of mind in which the rising generation
Of our time ponder over the fight of Mahomet
or the adventures of Sinbad the Sailor. The
particulars of this remarkable journey between
ID days, as far as received, are before our
rcaders in the various dispatches on the sub
ject which we publish this morning.
1t will be observed that with all the facts
thuE placed before us, we are left wide
margin of conjecture as to the precise cause of
this mysterious journey, and as to the time
when it was arranged. Our Harrisburg cor
respondent tells us that, although not divulged
to Mr.. Lincoln till yesterday, as some say, the
whole plan was arranged days ago; but the
special sensation despatch from the same
quarter to republican contemporary says that
ION Thursday night Cat Philadelphia), after
he had retired, Mr.. Lincoln was aroused
and informed that stranger desired to see
him on a matter of life and death;"
that Mr.. Lincoln declined to admit him unless
be gave his name" which being given accor-
dinghy, "such prestige did the name carry,
that while Mr.. Lincoln was yet disrobed he
granted an interview to the caller" that 50
organized body of men had determined that
Mr.. Lincoln should not be inaugurated, and
that he should never leave the city of Balti-
more alive, if, indeed he ever entered it," And
hence this mysterious night journey to Wash
ington.
There may be something in this report of the
strangers call of Thursday night for on the
next day, in Independence Hall, Mr.. Lincoln
declared that he would rather be "assassinated
on this spot" than abandon the cardinal prin-
ciple of the Declaration of 1776-a remark
which indicated, perhaps, that his mind had
been preoccupied with assassins and treasona-
BILE conspiracies. But this extraordinary mani
festation of frmness on the 22d contributed
not little to intensity the public excitement,
curiosity and establishment, at the news that
the President elect, under cover of the night,
had doubled upon his track, and had slipped
through incog to Washington. 1t appears, too,
that he was ingenously disguised in ''long
military cloak" and "Scotch cap" the better
to accomplish the secretive purposes Of this
adventure. The Scotch cap" we dare say,
was furnished by Gen. Cameron, from his relics
Of the Highland clan of his ancestors, and the
military cloak was probably furnished by Col.
Sumner.
Admitting the expediency Of the enterprise
no objection can be made to the costume. His
tory is full of remarkable escapes of this sort.
Charles the Second escaped the clutches of
Cromwell and got out of England disguised as
servant; Louis Philippe escaped from the
French revolutionists of ls4S, and got out of
France in sailors pea jacket; and Louis Ma
poleon walked out of the prison of Ham
as laborer, with q plank on his shoulder. Nor
can we undertake to say that this night journey
of Mr.. Lincoln was ill-considered or iniudicious.
"Caution is the parent OF safety" Since last
autumn there have been threats and rumors
that he would never be inaugurated; and re-
ported conspiracies to cut him off from the
White House have resulted in the concentra-
ton at Washington, by General Scott, Of a
thousand disciplined men Of every arm of the
regular army to make good the approaching
Inauguration
These things, together with the fearful revo-
mtionary spirit and movements which have
made military camp of the seeded States,
were calculated TO impress the mind OF the Pre-
sident elect with sense of danger, although we
have not doubt that his journey to Washing
ton, according to the programme, would have
been continuous ovation all the way through,
including very fattering reception at
Baltimore. But there might have been
some unpleasant manifestations. For in
stance, il appears that two or three
sets of scheming Baltimore politicians
were anxious to monopolize the coming man;
and, after the squabble between the Governor
and the Legislature at Albany, we apprehend
that Nh Lincoln thought it eminently desirable
to avoid any more annoyances Of that descrip-
ton. We to'e. also, every reason to suppose
that Gen. >r.,s's advice had something to do
with this ride by the light oil the moon. Ger
tanly his military precautions at Washington
have been calculated to give degree of plausi-
bility to the widest rrtmors of dark conspira-
cies levelled at the incoming administration.
For the present, We are constrained to with
hold any judgment against this strange and
startling incident and the circumstances attend
ing il. Mr.. Lincoln has the reputation of
calm, courageous man. 1t seems too, that he
was hurried off from Harrisburg somewhat