, 1861-06-26


nothing WAS Enntonly destroyed, and an I'M
PRESTON WAS made which viii be fruitful OF
good among Ill tha we'll disposed in Missouri
J.J.F.
AFFAIRS IN WASHINGTON.
1nteresting Letter from the Sent Of
War.
There are many things In the following e1-
tracts from Washington letter to the Clncln-
natl Commercial, from which We might dissent;
but there are more that We may commend:
The Coufederates have hazarded their all On
the contest In Virginia, and seem willing now
to make the fight between The Potomac aud
the Rappahannoc. The day their army, which
has been advanced with such temerity, Is
driven BY battle, or any 'military necessity -
to fa4 hack, It is demoralized, and will pass
sWay like mist.
Tie Southern leaders have for SO long mis-
represented the North to their ignorant fol-
at thelr word, and "preclp.tated' in . way
they don't Ike. It Is reported that the sonlh.
eru soldiers at Manassas-Who labor under the
cruel disadvantage In war Of being gentle
men," and entitled, in their Own estimation,
to peculiar privileges have been holding 1855
inSadefs Of the stsacred soil.'' Hence, sup
pose, the increase Of the Southern force at I'D
yanced positions-the object being to allow
tie gentlemen who hold mass meetings to in
sruct their Generals to feel the weight Of
their enemy, that their tendency to impa-
tience may be Aountesacted.
: Gen. Johnston undoubtedly thought he was
playing siDgularly sharp game st Harper's
Ferry, By evacuating that position with snch
display Of de4tructiveness aud evidence of
would make haste to Cross the Potomac and
s'possess" the position Now, Hsrpers Ferry
is most indelerBible position If assailed from
the direction Of Winchester, aud Patterson
had sent 3 portion Of his men across the river,
Johnston's spies, who might have overlooked
the movement from the Shenandoah noun.
tains, would have notified him of the fact, and
the eyacuating force would suddenly have re-
appeaIed-8nd Patterson would have found
himself in an exceedingly tight place, obliged
to fig ht battle On ground Of the enemy's Be-
lection, with the Potomac and the precipIces
Of the Maryland mountains in his rear.
Gen. Scott's object in moving Putterson's
column upon Hasper'e Ferry was to compel
the evacuation Of the position-nos to fight
battle ut disadvantages, for the possession Of
the worthless town Of Harper'6 Ferry. The
evacuation removed the menace Of an advance
upon Baltimore, Or IN invasion Of Pennsylva-
nis: Nov. Gen. Johnston is welcome to re-
main in the valley Of the Shenandoah, and
bum and destroy everything there. In the
meantime, the fluwer Of PatteIson's command
retu1ns to Washington; aud the regiment Of
| regulars, who were to head the column Of At
tack upon Harper's Ferry, crossed the river
| here last night
Gen. Bea1regard's maneuyres point to O
! desire On his part to provoke ekirmtshes, and
! draw on our volunteers, to involve them in q
| battle Whtre the ground has been carefully
| prepared for them. But Gen. Scott will no.
| euf1tr m advance until he orders it to be made
| in force; aud then he knows that the enemies
tuaL
| lam glad to see that the officers of the
| regular army ere fully convinced that Gen.
! Scott is doing his WORK like great captain.
They have perfect confidence ttat the present
| angry impotence Of the country will present
~ give way 10 general expression Of grateful
admit alton.
| Ism told that Gen. Scott used the following
| words respecting the Vienna affair: sit does
| Eot APPEAR tlat tho new idea Of reccunoiter-
| irg en- eneny's country by railroad, is always
attended BY the happiest results-"
tEsops Entered town in Western Virginia
The efllcer commanding was met very soon
after his arrival by quiet gentleman, who
| prtseDteG his card, and perfect map Of the
surrounding country, With ca.ct information
- to the numbers, condition aud equipment
| confidential agent OF Gen. Scott. Tnc ofli.
Ger exhibited some surprise that he should
be supplied so promptly with precisely the
| information he wanted, when he WIS told BY
! bis informant that three weeks before, Gen
Scott had laid out the work to be done, and
Federal forces, who would arrive in that
town Oh that txty day. There are nauea,
dates, 'p]aces, and other details connected
with this story, which an not permitted to
print, but which would add greatlF to its In
terest, and make its authenticity unquestion-
I Hzy$ IL
instructed, now regards General Scott, il
military matters as d sort Of Divine Proyi.
depce-
OF course our Congressman aud Editors al]
have their plans Of the campaign marked ont
and any CT THIN could tell Scott what to do
but he is prouder than LucIfer, and will have
his oTn Eay absolutely. So ne have only tc
wait 1nd watch mad pray"
The course OF true love is not destined te
run smooth at the meeting Of Congress- Ths
real friends Of the country want the session
short and harmonious. I don't believe it vii
be either.
The epeakersllp contest will not, suppose
be lopg-nefther will the con eat for tn,
clerkshlp. Tho Speakers Chair will be flilct
BY Col. Frank r. Blair, Of Missouri, or Galu
sha L. Grow, Of PENNSYLVANIA. Col. Blair il
the man who ought to be elscted. Mr. Grou
is gentleman who is very mu:h orefrated.
The C1erkship Is between Forney and Eth
eridge+ Ipresume Fornsy will bs reelected
| II Blair is Speaker, Forncy will be Clerk. i
Grow shonld be Speaker, Etheridge will b.
/ Clerk.
There will be Border State effort, bv mem
bers from Mnryland, Kentucky and Missouri;
led by Mr. Crittcnden, and backed By sue!
Democrats as Ben. Wood. Of New York, aut
Vaalandigham, Of Ohio-to stop the war mt
patch up disgraccfnl peace. This compro
mlse conspiracy will be crushed out, but /
will make g1ea: deal of noise aud confusion
| ha af ma IS tn
tarIass the Government Mr. Crittendcn:
part IN 1t w!n be as inj jur!ous and mistaken q
bis advocacy OF u compromise that surren
dered everything to traitors last winter. H
will play into the hands of jeff. Davis d Co
now, as entirely and as iunocently In intau
ton, as last Ei1ter.
lie idea OF making peace with the fcoun
dre1s Who have attempted the destruction 0
, our country, and all that makes life dear O.
tofe1ab1e, will no. be entertained for 1no
ment by Congress, which will ride rough sho;
over all twaddle aud tTaddls1s.
There is, however, in the North, q little par
II Of Abolitionis:s Mlo ayc disunionists per &C
md tEsy may have influence with three 0
tour CoIgrcsEmcn, who would be happy t.
make peace provided the Slaye States coul:
be eloughed Of But this for the present vii
, | not amount to mitch. We may have to tall
more Of it In the future.
After the compromise conspiracy comes th
: financial questions, which will assume gigan
, tic proportions
:. The f1rt thing NC have to meet il the hide
ous foclery Of the Morrill, Tariff. New Yor|
, demands 3 modification Of the tsrif; and tn
, secretsry OF the Treasury will recommend II
, 1t Is financial necessity to make the tarl
f one for the rals;Dg OF revenue, Why should n
blockade the the southern coast with ships {
; wsr, and the northern coast with foolts
ts11trs II . prohibitory tariff Is blessing,
blockade is q blessing. Il the Nort6er
Tarihltes insist upon protecting the North b.
be consistent advocate the withdrawal {
our ships from the Southern coast, that th
South may be afflicted with the horrors Of fre
, trade.
The Pennsylvania Tariff fanatics, will,
| suppose, squi11n. and howl feartully at th
| idea of converting their Protective Tari
, into aReyenue Thrift, but they must suhm
The next division Of parties In the Mort
. | wi1l be upon the financial questions and Il
: Northwest must choke Pennsylvania'e fde. {
protection out Of her.
It IL understood here that the great work
be done next winter, Is the opening Of T
= 10 preset will te humbled
! due time. And the great Northwestern Stat,
: areto make the navigation Of the Aisaissp]
a free forever more. The expedition Is to
: led by John c. Fremont. All the steamers
= the upper rivers will be employed to carry Il
:. army. 4 fleet Of gun boats and floating ba
> tcrrics are being made ready.
t The wisconsin, Regiments.
The following telegraphic dispatches +
: | explain themselves- We understand from t!