The New York herald., 1862-02-23
The One Hundred and Thirtieth Anni-
Versary of Washing gton's Birthday.


The Birthday of Washington throughout the
United States was celebrated yesterday as it
never was before and as it never will be again.
At our national capital and in this commercial
metropolis, and in every city, town and village
throughout our loyal States, fighting for the
maintenance Of the sold Union" inherited
from ''the Father of His Country" the day
was hailed as day of jubilee in honor of our
recent glorious victories over gigantic Sec
tional rebellion. In the rebel capital at Rich
mond this sacred anniversary of ''liberty and
union" was mockingly devoted to the inaugu
ration of JEFF. Davis as President of detached
part of the Union under what the con-
spirators call the permanent government" of
said confederation {; but at Richmond and
throughout the South, to all devoted to the
cause of Davis and his colleagues, the day was
doubtless one of unusual despondency, gloom
and despair
To all classes and parties of the people
of our loyal States, and to the Union loving
people Of our rebellious States, the day, with
all its cheering associations, promises and pros
poets, was welcomed as the harbinger of still
greater victories for the Union-grander results
and brighter days to come. 20 Davis and his
confederates in the spurious government at
Richmond, to their beleagured armies and i'm
poverished adherents, the day furnished nothing
but its budget of disasters, dangers, difficulties
and impending defeats on every side. Thus
this one hundred and thirtieth Birthday of
Washington, back to the beginning, and for all
time to come, will most probably stand as the
most remarkable, il not the most conspicuous
in the records of this anniversary.
On the same day year ago, between fears
concerning the safety of our federal capital and
hopes of sectional compromise, everything
was in doubt and confusion. President
Lincoln, then on his way to the White
House, had joined in the celebration of the
day at Philadelphia, and in the raising of the
Union flag over old Independence Hall he made a
little speech in which he declared that he thought
the country could be saved upon the platform
issued from that hall in l776; but he con-
tinued, ''if this country cannot be saved without
giving up that great principle was about to
say would sooner be assassinated on this spot
than surrender it." We refer now to this re-
markable protestation as suggesting some hint
of that mysterious personal danger which Mr.
Lincoln avoided by his night journey, incog.
through Baltimore to Washington. On the 22d
of February, also, of last year, the Border State
Peace Conference at Washington (presided over
| by ex-President Tyler, since decessed), came
very near breakup in q row about delegate
from Kansas; and at the same time the Pro.
vsional Confederate government Of the seven
original seeding States was in full blast al
Montgomery, Alabama.
These "reminiscences are sufficient to recall to
the mind of the reader the condition OF the
country on the 22d Of February one short year
ago. Seven States had seeded and had organ
lied separate national government; they
were arming for war, and plotting to drag the
border slave States into their rebelious league;
they had, in arsenals, forts, custom houses.
mints, navy yards, &c, seized perhaps over q
hundred millions Of government property: their
chief conspirators were meditating a military
seizure and revolutionary coup d'etot in Wash
ington; and to defend the city and government
against this serious danger, General Scott, with
military force Of only some two thousand
men, had barrcsded the Capitol, the Treasury
and some other public buildings for final re-
sistance. In word, one year, and much less than
one year ago, our President, Cabinet, Congress
and national capital we're clearly within tho
reach Of our rebelli0us Southern e0nsprat0rs,