The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-01-30


fortified, and that the troops are still at work
day and night In the ontrenchments.-
They arsin hourly expect tation OF an attack,
md :lssR 1s q s.s they o. ,:1ssp
mum Der some "a. 900 men, composedIof all na-
tionaiities. and mainly. from Tenressee, Ar
Kansas. Mississippi, aad 1onisi3na. The.
s.Sieser ~ ciosn. N.Y. = and Ia armed ned with % smproysd Cd
nauskets. Tho other troops, hoWsyer, are
awretchedly armed with shot. guns, and poorly
uni1oEMeds many Of them baSefoot4d, but AA
e ass els
1unberaof Union men, who have been i'm
pressed in 70 tho lssrvice, and Will sei2s the
ftTst opportunity 70 escape.
> Columbus 10 defended ny eighty pieces Of
sEdaance, commanding the river, the largest
a 12S-ponnder. The Submarine battery Is
planted three miles above Coluna bus, and
rife pits extend hack from the river for 4
distance OF; three.quorters of lntia. At
trate, and large fires were OF frequent occur.
STANTON, TIE xEw SECRETARY or WAR, II
BUcHAxAx's CABIH8T.
: fFrom the 81. Louis Republican, Jan. 20.
: A year ago, when Gen. cass-grieved and
indignant-teft mr. Buchanan's Cabinet, MIR.
Attorney. General Black was Transferred to
the portfolio Of State, and MIR. Stanton, then
absent from Washington. was fixed upon as
rived TIA late hour and learned from his
family OF his appointment. Knowing the
character OF the bold, bad men then in the
ascenrancy In the Cabinet, he determined 1T
once to decline; but when, the next day, he
ammo ounced his resolution at the White
House, the entreaties of the distressed and
helpless President, and the arguments OF Mr..
biuct. prevailed upon him to accept:
he attended the condition Of the ssceded
States and course to be pursued with the gar.
rison At Fort Sumter were discussed, Floyd
a1d npon NJ
"conrinuing useless garrison TO iacreass the
course Of action, but the designs Of the con-
spirators were plain to the new. Attorney
General. He went home troubled. He had
Intended, coming In at 20 late day, to re.
main a quiet member Of this discordant
council. But 1t was not in his nature to sit
quiet longer under such utterances.
The next meeting was long and stormy
one, Mr.. Holt, feebly seconded Dy,the Presi.
dent, urging the immediate reinforcement Of
Sumter, while Thompson, FLOYD, and Ihomaa
contended that qsasi tre&ty had been made
BY the officers OF the Governments with the
leaders VI The rebellion to offer no; resistance
to their violations of law and seizures OF
Government property. Floyd, Especially,
blaxed with indignation at what. he termed
son formally moved that an imperative or.
der be issued to Major Anderson to retire
from Sumter to Fort NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Sumter to the enemy, and proceeding to 3
post where he must a once surrender.
Stanton could sitstill no longer, aAd rising,
he said, with all the earnestness that could
be expressed in his bold and resolute features.
ssMr. President, 1t is my duty as your legal
ad wiser TO say that you have ne right 70 givs
mp the property OF the doyernment, or aban-
enemies; and the course proposed By the Sec-
retary OF the Interior, it followed, is treason,
and will involve you and all concerned in
trsasop." Such language had never before
been heard in Buchanan's Cabinet, and the
men who had 30 long ruled and 1uliied the
President, were surprised and entaged TO be
thus rebuked. Floyd and Thoudpson sprang
to their feet with nerce, menacinS gestures,
took q step forward % the side Of the 'Attor.
ney General. The imhectle PreeideLt i'm.
plored them piteously to take their seats.
S A.ter ,ew more oa'tss Tords ,a. t9s meeting
ang on that excittng question In which Floyd
participated. Before another .Was called all
Washing ton was startled with q rum0r Of
those gigantic frauds which have made his
zen it out with his customary clustering
manner; hut the next day the Cabinet waited
long for his appearance. At last he came;
the door opened, his resignation was thrust
Washington. Such was the end Of Floyd
and the beginning OF Stanton. q e.f,..,i -
aa 3G0L. co1cO1AN.
!. Col. Corcoran, Of the New York seth,
writes two letters from his prison in Charles
ton to friends in New York. He states that
his treatment IL courtsous and kind, though
atrict. He says: - -. ~ a -
/ have never yet bsen heard to utter a sin.
gle word Of complaint against any action of
nay Government, nor do I now wish to be
clsssed among the 1aultandeFs; but while
many Of those who deserted their posts on
the battlefield, and ran or from the face OF
danger to u place OF safety, nave been re-
warded with almost unpreceden ted promo
ton, I think tits due TO the omcers and men
who remained In the performance Of duty
faithfully 70 the last, and thus fell victims
to long gimprtsonment, that they should re.
caive at least suf1icient consideration TO r9-
Neve thSm from the most dissgreeable posi-.
tion tnat men can possibly be placed In.
TO the men who took advantages Of my abb
advancement Of their own sordld in terest, un.
der tho mask OF patriotism, shall have
something to say on more favorable occa.
sion. s5s @y~
+ The following intelligence 10 culled from
the PHI adslphta Isqxir~, Of Jan. 2ad:
Rumors here seem to indicate that Gen.
Burnside has aban boned the project Of enter.
ing Psmlico Sound. and has gone mp the
Cans Fear River to take Wilminxton, N. q.
Vim bs msds Sesi
at present. An arrival fron the expedltion
u now looked for with the greatest interest
From cairo. Ill, Van. 18TH. il is learned
that the recent reconnoissance In forcs from
Cairo was made in order TO ascertain the
strength and force Of our position In Misais-
sippi, The Yankee papers say 1t 10 soon to
3 S y sc.R ona aSxn
and in half q dozen directions. Another oh.