Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-20
Special correspondence Of The Chicago Times
Important from Washington.

Relations Eristing Bct,rccH The Gcaeral in Chief
Of the .drlny and the Secrefary Of War-7he
beg 10 the Poetic Declaration af NGpoieOa-
Effect Of the Recent Union Victories on the
Probable Duration Of the War-On arl,at Ba
sis shall the Union be Reconsirncted2 -Inspu
dent Threats of the EngliSh AbOitiOnists
WAsnSGroN. February IA
During the last three DAYS, the General in
Chief of the army has been in constant commu
nication with the Secretary of War, at the house
and request of the latter. On each of these
three DAYS important orders have been sent, both
bv mail and telegraph, TO Gen. Halleck, Gen
Buell., Gen. Hunter and 10 two other Generals at
the head of divisions, signed, such orders
always have been signed, by the General in Chief
OF the army. One of the New York papers,
which was at first duped by the silly story OF Nc
Clellan'S degradation to the mere command OF a
division retracts its errors, and gracefully
saws that Mcclellan continues to direct as ne
has heretofore directed, the grand national cam
paign; and Secretary Stanton i too happy to
have such an arm to lean on" 1eS-the bril-
liant victory at Somerset: the capture of Fort
Henry, which isoates both Columbus and Bow
ling Green, and renders them both untenabe; the
brilliant expedition up the Tennessee river to Al
ALBANIA and Mississippi, the very heart of the Cot
Island, are all parts of the grand plan of the
paign formed by the General n-Chiei, and the
execution of which he cOnfided 10 men whom he
knew he could trust
Since my last letter, the full text of the address
OF the Emperor Napoleon to the French Chambers
has been received here. and scrutnzed by every
one with the greatest interest. ! here are 4 great
many French gentlemen in Washington.
and they all agree that the passage IN the speech
which refers To America may be construed into
highly belhgereut sense while it Is impossible to
put upOn il perfectly pacific construction. Read
the passa .e IN the original, ami lt VIII be seen
that when the Emperor SAWS that our civil war
has great COMPROMISED the commercial Interests
OF France. lie Use, the strongest possible expires
sions. And facts at tins day exist which substan-
tate what the Emperor says. At tbs day there
are IN the tobacco warehouses OF Richmond,
Lynchburg AMI other cities Ia Virgins. axe mil
lion dollars worth OF tobacco OaHed 10y citizens
OF France bought on the spot between the
months OF January and June. lo6l, and paid Tor
in French gold coin; each caSk. hogshead OF box
bearing the distinct announcement that II belongs
u a French citizen. There may be i've times
that amount but that much know Of. There l.
also IN the interior cities of Alablmt and Mis-
sissppi, twelve million dollars worth oi cotton
in bales the property OF French citizens, bought
and paid for N the same way The owners OF
this property live ia France I hey feel ~ gi-
easneS> at all about their property, satisfied that
they viii Get it ia soIne way.
l. Is p)ssib that the recent Union victories IL
Somerset. Fort Henry aud Roanoke Island ~all
speedily be followed by others At FeFt DOmelson
and Columbus. and by the occupation % Bowling
Green. the Cumberland tap. tue North Carolina
railroads and those in kentucky ana 4 ennes>ee.
These successes of the Federal arms viii not ter
inmate the wal but they will give it an entirely
different aspect from that which il has worn ia
ring the lat three months. Their greatest effect
will be abroad Ii the French Emperor has not
already committed himself Ia a hostile policy, he
Will. in the view OF the possible huai success OF
the Union cause, pause for tea months longer.
and wait the course OF events. Ii, during the
next ieW months. the blockade cot the ports OF
Mobile. Savannah. New Orleans, Gals eston. Mat
auaogss ard Charleston be made really effective
by the actnal presence of ships OF war, the probA
bliues are that the Emperor will not interfere tor
the present But if the blockade shall remain a.
Ineffective as IL has been. and X Beauregard shall
succeed in siemming the tide OF UnIon victories
IN the Nest, there = not the slightest doubt that
both England and France will actively intervene
IN favor OF the South. IftheSe expected UBon
victories take place. the Southern military lead
viii merey retire TO Their next defensive line.
anG make an effort 10 hold them. But u there
n much Union feeling in the other Southern
StAteS a. has been recently manifested ia Ten