Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-05-06
NUMBER 235.


on the part of those who wish TO relieve
themselves from very disagreeable di.
Lemma, bat We can assure the French agent
ana all others that the scheme won't work
ine question concerning the protection oi
foreign flags has already been decided
The President having authorized General
Lowell, at New Orleans, to DESTROY. all cot
ton and tobacco belonging to citizens or
foreign residents, indiscriminateIy, where
1t was in danger of falling into the hands
OF the enemy. The same course will he
pursued here, and the French flag or auv
other, will not save the cotton from des-
tructlon in case the enemy threatens To
land at this point.
"PREPARISG FOR DISASTER AND REVERSE
The Norfolk Day Book, Of May lst. has
the following article:
"The Southern news still continues an
certain, but enough is known to prepare The
public mind for aiSaStsr aud TererSe. Let US
then address ourselves to the contemplation
of this melancholy fact as men and patri
OTIS. Let US consider the disaster with for
utude and discuss the result with dispaE-
! sionate calmness.
tIn doing this we cannot attempt, as,
some of our cotemPorairies have done, to-
judge the action of General Lowell We
dare not, in caudor, pronounce against his
course of action until we have his official
report before US. In the absence OF that
we undertake to say in his vindicatiOn that
thls course was, so far as we are informed
the only one lett for him to adopt
''ln the present state of public opinion
We are aware that this opinion will be
challenged and yet, when the first sharp
Paroxtsm is over, the people must see that
for him to have remained in the city would
have been to provoke its destruction.
"How far he is responsibled for the pas
sage of gunboats sy the forts below is an
other question upon which no judgement
can be intelligeutly formed with our limited
information. The act of evacuating the
city was necessary sequester upon the
arrival of the federal ships, for infantry
cannot fight men Of-war. By this move
ment he leaves room for the municipal
authorities aud foreign residents to protes,
against the destruction of the city, a result
which must have necessarily followed upoE
+ It's continued occupation by our troops.
''The responsibility-anI an aGfuL one i,
ts-was incurred, not by the evacuation of
New Orleans, but by the government, in
leaving the river so that the enemys feet
could pass tie batteries so as to assail the
town. This is an instructive aud costly
lesson, and comes as Il most happy Illus
tiOns of losses on the cost. We can only
defend our uavigable streams and harbors
by distinctions.
"There is 10 earthly use in builling new
forts and accumulating ordinance behind
earthworks with this object in view. Dur
ing the Russiapwar it was conclusiyely
established at Odessa, Bomersund, Kibburn
aud in tue naval cannonade of Sebastopol.
that ships, with steam power, would en-
gage land batteries of the most formidable
character with success.
More recently the splendid dash made
by Captain Tucker aad his river squadron
past Newport News, under fire for an hour,
show, that mere forts will not answer.
"This being demonstrated, what then ?
Will the Government take timely precan-
ton to save Richmond, or let it fall before
an Insignificant fotilla? We have more
than once proclaimed this danger; we
have more than once called on the author
tiles to take steps to this erd and what
ever may be the result we will have the
consolation of knowing that we discharged
our duty by pointing ont the danger and
its remedy, -l Alst
"The distractions of granite can be
placed under the guns of our lowest forts,
and thus leave open the river above for
transportation.
"With distractions below, and proper
arrangements to increase them ABOVE in the
narrow passes of the river, the capital will
be sate-and not till then. The press of
Richmond has taken the matter in ha6d
let others urge it forward"
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