Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-10-09
Ihe kOfsta on q Volcano.

The following letter from the Washington CORES pom
dent OF the Cincinnati Gazette under date Of The 10th
at is significant Of lively times ahead in Lincons do
minons. 1t must be terrible rebellion il they can.
not get along with it without war among them
selves
If, by any combination OF msfortunes, there should
ever arise the necessity for Military Dictator, it will
be because Mr. Lincoln has failed to make the full and
proper Of the Military Dictator's power which he
already claims and exercises 1t will be another man
not power which will appear the necessity that
shall prompt the change.
And now, having said this much, by way, as Ken
lucky politician would say, OF clearing my records let
me add that the most significant well the most
dangerous sign of the times the uudercurrent of ON
inous whispering On this very subject.
The New York Tribune was right when, few days
ago. 1t declared that protoundest peril lay in the
possibility that the people, in the anguish of their
iety 10 crush the reoeion might consent to evince
their gratitude to the savior of nationality by max
ing him present Of our liberty. In other words so
exhausted becoming with the distractions of
civil war; that too many might be willing to accept a
Dictator who should end it.
cannot adequately tell you how unsettled the very
foundations OF all things becoming. The very air
is electric with the sparks OF revolution and the whole
community has become so inamabe that single spark
might set it in blaze We seem treadng the thin
est OF cruss that can cover crater. Any moment
there is too much danger it may give way and engull
US.
What, for example must be the condition of public
affairs when prominent United States Senator can
publicly declare that if the Capital ia any large
city should have provisional government in thirty
days? do not know that it would be right to give
bis name though the remark publicly made, but a
distinguished Senator (nOt a Western one either1 said
precisely that many words, to half dCz3n of
| the other day, on the Avenue
Nor Is there wanting military men WHO nave for
months been locking forward to Dictatorship as the
end OF ali this distraction. know one prominent Gen
eral who six months or more ago, to friend tina
Dictatorship would be the upshot of this business,
that he wanted hin TO ener the army at once, " be
| cause when the tine comes, our frind must have
hand i'll the matter" Aud that Generals conduc
since has convinced those who were behind the cur
tain that his eye has never lost sight of the glitter
ing prize.
Said one ct our most distinguished public men, bu
Gay or two ago. il conversation at which had th
fortune to be listener have been spending the al
ternoon talking with OF leading Generals hi
very subject oil possible coup d'etGt He has give
me- inside view of military Vaccinations and re
you we have more than orc General who has bee
trying to shape events so as to make himself Die
tator." And that public kne1c whereof he a
frmcd.
From the outset these Vaccinations have been Cor
fined almost exclusively TO Generals OF the prOslaver
school. Never heartily in favor of republican nsttu
lions, it not unnatural that they should look for
portunltes OF personal aggrandlzement In the wreck
those institutions which they believed the convnlsiOn
OF LIE war were sure TO BRING Inc od secret organ
cation along certain of regular army officers, whc
looked to the establishment of great military empr
the inception of which should be found n the conque
ct Cuba, bore Northern we'll as Southern names ~
on its lists and Simon Bolivar Buckner could point
more than one fellow member among cur Nations
Generals. That organization, of course has died out
the idea has not
t But of late these revolutionary ideas begin to
whispered in other quarters. Within fortnight hay
n heard the words Provisional Government on lii
that year ago coald not have been tempted sylab
it, do not say that with any class of our loyal me
u Administration anti-Adninistration, such cont
gency has come to be regarded necessary prob
% ble but do think it fact Unmarked Significance tb
# the idea begins to he tolerated possibility.
times arc revolutionary; the sooner the powers that
>. recognize the fact the better for US all.