Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-03-26
THE wAR-INcIpENTs AND NEWS.
MISUNDERSTANDING DISCLOSURES

Si ihanuiua. L ioTiua, iateiy taken possession Oh
by Com. Dupont is a letter dated Washington
Jan. Z, 1861, written by d. L. YuLEE, the Uni.
ted States Senator, addressed to "Joseph Fin
egan, Esq, Tallahassee, Florida" which gives
us most interesting glimpse of the secret do.
ings OF the chief secession conspirators at that
period. Curiously enough, the telegraphic
columns OF the New York Times, of that day, /,
contained the following Washington dispatch :
s'The Southern Senator's last night, (Jan-
uary oth,l held conference, and telegraph
ed to the Conventions of their respective
States to advise immediate Secession
The letter below, which has been furnished
to the Times, is a report by Yulee, who was.
present at the above noticed conference, at
| which the resolutions appended to the letter
were passed. Finegan was a member of a
'SSovereignty convention,' so-called, then sit.
tin in Tallahassee. The letter is as follows
ssWAsHINGToN, JAN. I, 1861.
'sMY DEAR SIR-On the other side is copy
| of resolutions adopted at consultation of the
Senators from the Seeding States-in which
Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tex
| as, Mississippi and Florida were represented.
s'The idea of the meeting was that the States
| should go out at once, and provide for the ear
| ly organization of a Confederate Government,
not later than 18th February. This time is al.
| lowed to enable Louisiana and Texas to parti-
cipate. 1t seemed to be opinion Gsicl that If
we left here, force. loan and volunteer bills
might be passed, which would put Mr.. Lincoln
| in immediate condition for hostilites-where-
as If [sicl by remaining in our places until the
4th OF March, IT rs THOUGHT CAN KEEP THE
HANDS OF Mr.. BUCHANAN TIED, AND DISABLE
THEsREPUBLIcANs PROM EFFECTING ANY LEGIs-
LATIoN WHICH WILL STRENGTHEN THE HANDS
OF THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION.
10 The resolutions will be sent by the delega-
tion to the President of the Convention. 1
| have not been able to find Mr.. Mallory this
morning. Hawkins the member from Flori-
da] is in Connecticut. L have therefore thought
1t best to send you this copy of the resolutions.
In haste. yours truly, D: L. YULEE.
Joseph Finegan, Esq, (s'Sovereignty Confer
ence") Tallahassee, Florida
The following is copy of the resolutions
to which reference is made in the above:
"ResofUed, l. That in our opinion each of
the Southern States should as soon as may
| be, secede from the Union.
"Resolred, 2. That provision should be made
for Convention to organize Confederacy of
the Seeding States, the Convention to meet
not later than the 18th Feb'y, at the City of
Montgomery, in the State of Alabama.
"ReSotred, That in view of the hostile legis-
lation that is threatened against the Seeding
c'"toSs anu "uiCn may De COnSummateQ SIC
In original for ii seems his secession mania ex-
tended even into photography before the 4th
OF March,we ask instructions whether the dele
CATIONS are to remain inCongress until that date
for the purpose of defeating such legislation.
''Resoired, That a Committee be and are
hereby appointed, consisting of Messrs. Da-
Wis, Slidell, and Mallory, to carry ont the OBJ
jectS of this meetiDg.''
How accurately was the plot of these traitors
carried out. They did tie old Buchanan's
hands most effectually. The letter is written
on the 7th cf January. Two weeks after, on
the 2lst, JEFF. Davis withdrew from the Senate,
Mississippi having withdrawn on the 9Th. The
other conspirators staid until their States went
out. Florida and Alabama went on the Ilth,
Louisiana on the Goth, and Texas on the lst Of
Februaryi while the reorganization of the Con-
fedefate Government'' took place at the very
time appointed, Davis being inaugurated on
the 18th day of February. What stupendous
treason The like was hardly ever known.
If these men do not meet their well earned
punishment at the hangman's hands, his Office
should be abolished forever. The Times we'll
remarks, in closing its notice of this letter:
ssBut how has Time brought round his re-
venges. A little more than year after the
date of this epistle, Yulee, the writer of the
letter, land Finegan, the correspondent to whom
1t was addressed, were both at Fernandina Fla.
Suddenly before their affrighted gaze the feet
OF the Union makes its appearance in the har-
Dor. They and the rebel soldery are fain to
take to flight by the railroad, away from the
wrath to come. And they just in time, for
one OF Dupont's gunboats sent she'll into the
rear car, and Yulee had but time to escape to
the lagoons where he will have ample opportu-
nifty to mediate on the sacredness of that oath
which he took to support the Constitution of
the United States. Moreover-for this affair,
like the rest of the rebellion is full of its dra-
matte elements-this same Florida railroad al
so plays not unimportant part in the farce
tasco of Yulee, Florida and Secession. He
and Flnegan- Jew and Irishman-were CO.
contractors on it, and the Senator was con-
stantly chasing Government for fat mail con-
tracts and subsidies. He succeeded better
than he deserved; but it is well known that it
was because his Jew heart did not get all it
craved that he urged the secession Of Florida
and, like the base Judean, threw away
pearl richer than all his tribe.''
Newbern, N. c., taken by Gen. Burnside.
The steamer Commodore arrived at Balti-
more on the 18th direct from the Burnside ex-
pedition, and reports the capture of Newbern,
and the defeat Of the enemy, and the capture
of a large number of artillery. Our troops
landed on Thursday evening the 18th neal the
mouth OF Swan Greek, on the west side of tho
Neuse river, Is miles below Newbern. Ow-
ing to the dense fogs. the naval vessels did
not participate in the fight. Our troops ad-
vanced along the country road running psral-
lei with the Neuse river, but mile or two IN
the rear. The road was skirted on the west
side by railroad and dsnse swamp All ..
long the river side were . series Of h&tteytes,
which were taken by our troops, ors after auS