, 1862-04-25
0ER WASHINGTON LETTER,

oER WASHINGTON LETTER.
Don5ts Regarding Tue Situation At Yoy:Aaosen-
Senate Rtpors on the Loss Of NorfoIk Nary
Yard-INe Go1{fscation -BU-Sene.tor Hog
aYd's Speech-Pserce Butler and Simon
Cz,ne7o,s-1he Noyo2h Day BooA's Ieace Pro-
posltion-A Response Of Soldier 10 Senator
Grimes recent Speech-7he Slaughter, at Ear~
zctc1, Cyeek fno,0 ToTltoaeu)- - Whdt the FER
i"ontc7s think Of 1t.
From cur own Correspondent
W4suNGToS, April 70, 1862.
1t is becoming serious question in the
minds Of many persons here, which is the
beslcged and which the besiegIng army at
Yorktown; aud while the doubt exists there
is an anxious looking for reinforcements, not
to send to Fortress Monroe, but to sweep
around via Fredericksburg OF staunton, and
By taking the rebels in the rear, Or
By marching straight upon Richmond, re-
lieye General Mcclellan from his preca-
rious situation. The idea Of terminating
the WAT this spring, which WIS first gener-
ally indulged in after the fill of Done1son,
and Columbus, and before the army of the
Potomac moved down to the Peninsula sebas-
topo1, has been abandoned. Nevertheless,
there is muck ground for encouragement in
the gradual approach Of Gen. Banks and Gen.
bring them TO staunton, Va, and whose COM
bined forces Will make formidable army for
operations against Richmond, il that should
be their destination. Il the Monitor could be
spared from her post in Hampton Roads, she
in company with few wooden guu-boats
could take Richmond and hold it till such
time as an army could be found to relieve her
OF the burden.
The report Of the Select Committee of the
Senate, appointed to inquire into the surrcn-
der Of the Norfolk Navy Yard, dlscloses the
fact thut there never was the slightest neccs-
sitg for the abandonment or destruction of q
dolIur's worth Of the public property there.
The Committee have not arrived at this
conclusion without abundant EVIDENCE to sup
port it. They hare testimony to show that
tie military force Of the enemy ayaiiable for
an attack On the yard was less than onc+haE
that in OUT possession on the spot to defend it.
Tisat Capt. PauldiDg might have laid Norfolk
and Portsmouth III ashes at the first intima-
toin Of an attack, has been known from the
beginning. That he might have gone ashore
with his marines and Col. Wardrop's Massa-
ehusetts volunteers, and routed the shotgun
militia who were brawling about him, and
thus not only have saved the Merrlmac and
nine million dollars worth of property, but
have secured a most important base Of mill
tary operations, is now shown beyond dis
putc. Old Commodore McCau1ey, whose
confessed imbecility alone sayes him from
trial and conviction on charges Of mutiny or
treason, is still in the pay OF the Government,
and Capt. Fau1ding has been promoted to the
command Of one OF our largest navy yards
When Commodore NcCau1cy WAS before the
Committee he was 1l:1lf drowned in tears
His cries ard soh5 we're SO frequent that his
| testimony could hardly be taken iutclligibiy
! If VIC could forget the millions Of dollars ana
thousands ot lives that his pusiil1nitl1ity has
cost Us, he would be an object oil general pity.
| Ths Con1izeation biz, lhouesl1 1nosing slo sly,
! is still moving. Senator Howard Of Michigan
! made a very able speech in favor Of it yc5ter-
j day, whicl! enforced the attentlon Of the
t whole Senate. Henderson of Missouri, one
/ OF the most liberal and one Of the most prom
+; iising members Of the body, came over to the
| who is neither very liberal nor very promising,
I changed his scat so rs to get III front OF Mr.
/ Howard, apparently for the purpose of tai1ine
in every syllable. Mr. Howard's review OF
/ tic historical precedenls Tor vontisca:ion in
j this country and in Europe was very interest
iEg and exhaustive. The fate of the bill is Is
/ much in doubt Us ever. It bus been the gen
crll impression that it cannot pass the House,
t and yet the moral effects OF its passing the
Senate III it should finally p1ss) would con-
| 4uer the preiudices aud stitfen 1hc splncs OF q
| great many doubling and weak k-lointcd mcm-
| ber5.
The following joint resolution, introduced
by Mr. Hickn1au, will be tried if the other
measure should fail:
'Bs it,e<o'rea 6y kae senafe and House Of Repre-
se7{GfiTes nf the United States Of 4xneFicd in Con
g'esx osse,ntaed, That in the opinion OF Congress
| the President OF the United St1tcs, as Command
erin Chief Of the army and navy OF the United
| States, shonld make use of all means not incon-
sistent with the laws Of war, which, in his judg-
/ ment, may he deencd necessary to crush the re.
bcl1ion including the seizure and final disposition
| gagged in armed rebellion against the Government
ef the United States, or aiding in such rebellion,
gress, DECIDED measures, on the part of the E1.
/ ccutIse, have already become necessary.
If the earnest hatcrs Of the rebellion shllI
fail III their efforts TO lift from the shoulders
Of loyal citizens just proportion of the bur.
den Of the war and place it upon the malig.
nant traitors who brought all these evils upon
us, it will be for the people in electiug tue
next House OF Representatives, to say taiethc,
they zoish it to be done.
The prosecution Of ez-secretary Cameron
Aut !alse 1Aip1lstHlAcut, Hatu!llit setS 6omt
people here thinking. If every man who has
been arrested and cast into Fort Lafayette
Fort Warren or Fort McHenry, shall, after ths
present Administration goes cut OF office brine
bis action aggainst the persons who caused hiE
Incarceration, they will have nothing else tc
70 defend themselves in court and pay costs
nnot tines. They will need an amnesty ac
as much as any rebel One Of the first thing;
mootsd ut the present session OF Congress
was this very subject-Judgu Trumbnl1 pro
posing that inasn1uch Us ali such arrests wert
in violation Of Law, however much they mgh
be required hY the condition of the country
there shonld be additional legislation franco
to cover them. To this end be introduced res
olution lnquiEing OF the Secretary Of State fol
what oflenses such arrests had been made il
the loyal States. But Mr.. Stewards friend
i wouldn't have any help in that direction
They succeeded in defeating the resoIutio.
; and the intended legislation: hence, it vii
} not be. for them to complain if Mr. Piers
f i Rut1er's example hereafter becomes genera
: i among the inmates Of the Federal prisons, All
| ; proves 10 be extremely annoying aud vaSa
: tlous. II anticipation, as it would seem, q
: this danger, Mts.rs. Dix and Pierpo11 II
quire every person liberated to sign an a,ra,c
t 1nsnt that he will not take any measure:
c nor authorize any TO be taken for him, for til
: prosecution OF any person making the arrrz
: or causing it to be made, or Of auy pcrso
holding him in custody or authorizing him
: ue so held. 1t is quite questionable wh=the
c such paper would be held valid or biodiu
5 in court OF justice, inaamucl as it is obta!t
: cd in each instance from persons under dures:
.; Ex-Masor berret, while emphatcalIy deetit
- ing The appointment as A Commissioner, u.
+ der the District Abolition act, because he
d opposed to the principle Of the bill, ackno :
Q edgrs the nomination as an endorsement Of b
n loyalty! That is certainly a logical dcductlo:
il and it he should ever deem it worth while I
r institute legal proceedings ayaillst those wt
q Imprisoned him, his subsequent nomination
Z an Office Of trust and proft-au Office whic
t embraced the duty Of deciding upon the lo7
t atty OF other pcople-wou1d tend strongly
Y the presumption that he might be entitled I
! | 8 verdict.
4 The ValJandsgharn party have clutched
4 tho recent article in the orfolk Day Book pr
!. posing cessation Of hostilities as somethiu
j particularly significant aud worthy of atteI
- ton. As the proposition Of the Day Book #:
h simply that tho Government of the Units
:, States should surrender everything for whis
+ they hare contended, and coneent to fin
!. dismemberment Of the country, it is easy
), sec What Is meant by those who prate abo1
, "peaec" while rebel armies art fauuti1
! their banners On any portion of Americs
= soil. The military force arraycd under Je
- Davis must be destroyed before anything in Il
;, nature of peace will be to1erable to the peoo
- Of the loyal States, or inconsistent with Il
~ funniest tegree Of selfrespect on the part
4 the Government We could have had q pap
Il peace on the same terms as those propose
i. by the Norfolk editor. before Enn Was fire
:. soldier enlisted, or victory won.
CnpHtnr CRIMES has .a-nivn1 +tst