Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-04-30
SPIES AND TRAITORS.

A BSutlSludI W iiO pdSoeu tnlOuSu 1ISueiICh
City, Md, day or two since, gives some ac'
count of what he saw and heard there. The
Union sentiment is usually supposed TO be pre-
dominant in that part of the state. He says
"On entering the ladies' parlor, while its in.
mates were mainly at tea, / was somewhat
surprised to receive from an elderly lady seat.
ed there, a pantomimic invitation TO approach
her, which, with some trepidation, l obeyed.
She requested me 10 be seated, and this done,
inquired, with the greatest apparent anxiety,
If was not from Washington, and whether Or
no the city was likely to be destroyed, and the
government ..,d nT1 Fzt bought OF
ed. HaIIng given my Opinlon, ana learned
that she lived in the vicinity OF Frederic,
made inquiries as to the state of feeling there
among the people. She protested to be, her
self, very strongly for the Union, as indeed
the people OF that section had generally
always been; but she said that deiec-
tions were becoming SO common, that she
feared for the result. She even appre-
hended that Frederic county might secede.
thought her patriotism little suspicious, and
SO directed the conversation as to touch the
key note of secession-Damely, coercion
whereat she seemed to manifest much feeling
in favor of the notion that an attempt 10 exc
cute the laws would be attack on the rights of
the south. inquired about the companies
had seen marching in the streets she shook
her head and feared that they were for seces-
sion. "But," said !, 'they march under the
Union flag" ooh 70 she replied with evident
warm til, that is because the captains are for
Union; but the men are all right" set the
old lady down for spy, and went to look at
ter my baggage; and my suspicious were GER
tainly confirmed on learning afterwards that
she had drawn several strangers into CONVEX
SNfT ,.4 Il,
in accordance with those of the persons whom
she addressed"
In all cases of war, women have been the
most effective spies. They penetrate where
men can not go and get more into the conf
dence and social life of those with whom they
mingle We are less on our guard against
them them, and less inclined to treat them
severely when they are suspected. All over
Europe, at the present time the most dan
gerous spies and secret agents of diplomacy
are women. 1t is to ba expected that such
agents will be extensively employed by the
traitors who have undertaken to destroy our
government, and we should guard against them
with sedulous care, and send them to Coventry
wherever they attempt TO make themselves
current in society. 1t is very noteworthy
circumstance, that the notorious Senator Wig
fall has sent his mother and children to reside
in Massachusetts, while he devotes himself to
q reasonable war on the Union. This fact
shows that he recognizes in Massachusetts
much higher civilization than he finds at
home but it suggests something more; and
II it be true, as stated, that his family have
come to reside near Boston, let it not be for
gotten there that women can be spies. We
can not be brutal as they are down south, but
we may isolate suspicious persons, shut them
out of society, and leave them to reflect whole
somely on other places of residence where they
will be more at home.
There are now spies from the south, and
other traitors, moving about in the free states,
with evil intent. Some Of them have attempt
cd to burn the arsenal al Springfield, SO that
it has become necessary to put special guard
around it. Such creatures should be punish
ed in the most summary manner, and all who
abet them, by word or deed, should share
their fate. To talk and act sympathy with
treason, at time like this, is not in any sense
matter relating TO freedom of thought and
opinion. MOI it is crime against the life
and welfare of the nation