New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-12


minors, boys from seventeen years OF age up
ward, and of others who were otherwise unable,
under the laws, to vote. The Secessionlsts had
complete possession of the polls, and were able
from that circumstance, to control the vote, to
know how each man voted, and to admit what
ever votes they pleased. Consequently, not~Ith-
standing the fact that many persons whose SEN
timents were and are against Secession refused
to vote, the poll will show as large in most
places a. at any previous election, while IN others
IL will be much greater, almost double in some.
It may not be known TO your readers that by
the election laws of Texas, each voters name Ia
taken and numbered as he votes, and his ballot
marked with corresponding number before It'll
deposited in the box, thus destroying the sacred
uess of the ballot, and enabling the officers at the
polls 10 ascertain the vote of any suspected
person. 1t is true that the law says all
persons are strictly forbidden TO compare the
ballots with the poll list, but no safeguards are
otherwise provided, and it is evident that If
there were, the nature of the case would not ad-
NIT of their being of any use whatever. so
that the secessionists being, as stated, for the
present in the ascendsnt, and having control Of
The polls, with the advantages pertaining thereto,
and il being considered that whoever refused to
vote was under suspicion, many persons were
constrained to vote against their convictions; and
when it is remembered what atrocities were CON-
mi,ted throughout the State on suspicion, last
Summer, when the now exploded fasehoOds in
relation to incendiarsm and poisoning were
prevalent, il will not DO wondered at that quiet
and peaceable men preferred to act against their
opinions TO the danger Of exposing themselves
aud their families 10 the risk Of similar brutali.
ties. Tie Galre,ion Ne,es published the names
of several up-country persons who voted Tor
Union in that place, remarking that il was I'M
derstnod they voted open tickets.
This election, however, has elected one ray OF
light from the midst of darkness. just before 1t
took place, but hardly soon enough to have . full
effect, number of persons up the country, op-
posed TO the ha.ty and ill-adyised schemes Of tie
Secessonists, issued an address to the people Of
Texas, calling upon them 10 vote against Sece''
sion, giving reasons for so doing, which The
Gaireston Neus, the chief organ Of tho Secession
lists, felt called upon 10 denounce as incepdisry
and Helpersh. Your correspondent has been UNI
able TO obtain q copy Of this address, the ma
jority Of the newspapers having studousy re-
Trained from publishing it, and the fe" thai
reached this quarter having mysteriousy DIS
appeared; but the fact that there were men bold
enough To issue it, is cheering.
This town has been in great uproar and eI.
element for the past two weeks, by reason Of
the arrival and departure Of the troops destined
to operate against Fort Brown. When the first
levy of some TIVE hundred men and boys went
of, il was announced TO the pubic that the u.
s. troops being about TO bewiihdrawnfrom the iroL'
tier, it was necessary for Texas to garrison tho
forts, and especially Fort Brown, Cortinss having
lately been seen in that neishborhood. But alter
the surrender of San Antonio by Gen. TwYgs,
and the return Of Gen. Nichols, commander OF
the Texas forces, from Brownsville, where be
had caught a Tartar, the disguise was thrown
of, though to be sure nobody had been deceived
BY it. In obedience TO the call for REINFORCE
nients that was made, during the last few days,
,one four or five hundred more troops have ar
rived here and been dispatched 10 Fort Brown,
but fresh from the purlieus Of the whi,ky shops,
a. most Of them are, h-equpPed, and enervsted
by continuous debauch on their way here,
Capt. Hill has but little to fear from them. In
fact one Of the most amusing things that has
appeared in some time is published extract
from letter from one Of the Texas officers, in
which be says, II ue are attacked, the strug-
gle will be desperate" forgetting that bis mission
was to attack and not 10 be attacked.
Business is at perfect staDdstill, except in
the articles Of provisions. There Is not corn
enough in the State to last ten days, If the sup
plies were cut off. Cotton is coming in slowly, and
when the new tarf-the tariff of the Southern
Cobiederacy, Of which Texas ia now member
goes into operation, consumers will be in pleas
ant fix. We know that the LoaisianisDs are
looking with dread TO the 4th Of March, when
they have to pay "a per cent more for what they
use than they did in the United States. Gloomy
results are at hand, but from the tone Of the
Secessonists ono would think that the day Of
Jubilee was near. We shall zee.
March 81 open this letter to announce the
arrival Of Gen. Twiggs, who came in last night
over the Galveston, Houston and Henderson Rail
road He says that unles, Capt. Hill receives
his orders TO give up the Fort, be will fight
Fortunately, we know that the Captain refuses
10 recognize his orders. and will fight anyway.
The General is to be escorted to the New-Or-
leans steamer to-day by the 6remen and what
soldery is left in town, and will probably be
bonored with q salute. By the By, it was re-
ported last night that Capt. Hill told Gen.
Nicholas that be knew his duty US q colder too