The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-01-04
Treason at WashingtOn.-.COnspi
against the Peace of the Country.

The country is coming rapidly to the con-
clusion that there is worse and more danger
Gus treason at the federal capital than in
South Carolina,a land that the two departments
of the government, the most important at
this crisis, have been conducted for months
for the direct purpose of strengthening the
conspira,ors against the Union and weaken
ing and impoverishing the general govern
ment and the country. We have reason to
believe that disclosures yet to be made will
give a still darker coloring to this startling
aspect OF affairs. President Buchanan may
not have been in the plot directly, but if not,
then he has been the dupe and tool OF the
conspirators by whom he was surrounded,
and who have dictated the policy of his adj
mlnls;ration and weakness at such mo-
ment is as bad for the country as connivance
with treason. The Troy Arena says:
1--WE learn from undoubted authority that
ten thousand muskets, old pattern, ~ere sold
by order Of the secretary Of war on the 9h
Of the present month to S. B. Lamar Of Sa-
rannah, Georgia, at $3.50 each, and shipped
to New York about the 14th inst. These are
the muskets referred to by the Evening Post.
This act of tie secretary of war, considering
the fact that he knew the guns rere pnrchas-
ed for the purpose of being used m making
rar upon the government ofthe United States
!, tails little, if any, short Of treason"
The Pittsburg (Pa.) Dispatch, in reference
to the shipment of cannon from that place to
the extreme South, says ttat assurances were
givenat the al,hat no small arms would be
sent. but that thirty heavy boxes of muskets
would be sent from the arsenal on Wednes-
day, directed to Galveston, Texas. The Dis
patch expresses the belief that the arms re-
naming there will be shipped South from
time to time, until on the 4th of March the
South will have nearly all the national arms
and ammunition, and the North none. The
Pi,tsbnrg Gazette calls on the people of the
North to arm, and advises every man who
las no gun to buy one at the earliest mo-
ment. that when the administration attempts
to consummate its treason We may be pre-
pared to meet it. To show the necessity for
this it says:
| "Look at the facts. The Northern arsenals
belonging to the United States have been de-
nudcd within the last three months, every a.
valuable arm within them having be shipped
South. The state arsenals have all been emp.
tied by the Southern demand, and have or.
ders far ahead of their ability to supply. The
government has ordered allthe United States
troops to the Pacific coast, out of the way
and all the available force of the navy has
been sent to distant stations, where orders Of
recall cannot reach them under month,
time. All these facts demonstrate tina: while
the South is fully armed and ready for war
the North is defenceless."
Of the Southern forts to which the gov
eminent is sending guns. hut 20 soldiers, the
Washington correspondent of the Tribune
says:
1.-The question of the South Carolina forts
being settled, attention is now directed to the
other Southern forts, all of which are in
totally defenceless position from Norfalk tc
the Baize. With proper garrisons they com
pose line Of defence of almost unequallec
strength. Many Of the Notifications. like
those at Key West. the Tortugas. at Pensi
cola. and at the mouth Of the Mississippi.ar,
among the strongest in the world. But there
is not garrison in one of them, and SO fal
as can be ascer,ained, no steps are being ia
ken to furnish any. 1t looks as though i
was the intention of the administration tc
Voluntarily surrender every one that lie.
within seeding state"
There are also vague threats Of conspir
acv to prevent the Inauguration of Lincoln
by violence. They probably amount to It'll,
now. bu, a months nursing of the scheme b,
the treason in the cabinet and the imbecilit,
in the presidential chair may make something
troublesome if not dangerous of it.