The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-02-14
THE ,aYELLOW BOOK.0
me French Minister'S Visit % ri


MERCER TO rHouvsnxL. a
Monsieur lie minstrel, to-day, give ar
count OF the results Of my excursion to r
mond. went from Washington on board
Gessendi directly to Fortress Monroe, whe
stopped only long enough to pay, visit to
Wool and Commodore Goldsborough, who
msnd at this point the Federal forces ons
and sea. From Fortress Monroe the Cess.
carried me to Norfolk. where she arrive.
nightfall, 80 IS TO prevent every kind emt
rsssiug demonstration. The same ev ing
n.nersI Huger, Who commands IL lnii
nenartment, and at my request he the Z
Iisensss to forward to Richmond II folio e
taleeraphic dispatch: a.. at,.5 fNst 3
N Eercier. Minister Of France, Is here. He
desires 70 visit Richmond in aprivate sspaeity,
W Il h agreeable" Of GioN sago .a3 II ~
A favorable response having oeen given I re-
,.;red TO Richmond. Ny Arst visit was to Mr..
Ren;amin, Secretary Of State, whom had known
vhen ne. represented Louisisns In the United
states Senate said TO him that the purpose
~ INV Journey Was merely 20 assure myself, for
myself. of the true condition Of thinge; and that
cslled to beg him to aid me in staining it.
M answered that be would do % with the great
81 Measure, and that he would be delighted that
should be able 70 penetrate TO the truth. which,
;udeipg from oil that came back 70 him from the
North, appeered to Do little Known tners.
.on6ense n. lie Ministre, what heard from the
mouth Of Mr. Benjamin. andin conversation wish
Others .sga1tl,I ,,i9
m, Europs. and tie power Of commercial inter
s.ts hut are determined 70 conquer our indie
eendence at Ill hazards. On this point the cen.
timents Of our people are unsnimouA They
Ave already suffered much, but they will endure
a. more. if necessary. TO accomplish their OBJ
;eet, We do not disguise from ourselves that
he Federals possess infinitely superior resources,
and the command OF the ocean: that they may
IN he long run make themselves masters Of our
norta But in capturing our cities they will ind
onlv women. old men and children. The whole
,,onulation capable of bearing arms will with
draw into the interior, beyond the reach OF gun.
boats. and ir presence Of such resistance the
North will be oblighed to yield. We remember
that, 10 the war Of Independence. the English
nomentarily held possession OF nearly oil the
cities on the coast, but succuobed notwithsteno'
ing. The same result will now occur The
/. present situation is exactly similar to what It
vas then. Like the English, the North fights to
retain its nover and wealth, and We, like the
Americans fight for independence. Our people
are TO-DAY animated BY unmistakable sentimental
Look at the women; they are foremost 10 urging
their husbands their sohs, their hfothers to take
up arms. By their habits our people are better
prepared for i military life than those Of the
North, and o. equal terms our troops hsvs AL
ways had the advantage. Our measures are Ia
ken to hold Richmond as long - possible, end
If. at last, We should be forced to abandon Vir-
ginis, it would be, certainly, heavy loss to %,
but We should not despair. Moreover, No can,
if absolutely necessary, defend ourselves, but
the North cannot attack 10 without money. On
the other hand, we will not hesitate an instant
to burn our cotton and our tobacco, rather than
permit them to fall into the hands OF the enemy"
have seen here al the most important per.
sonages. Ali have held the same language and
have expressed the same sentiments. Never.
theless, among those persons several are known
for the moderation oftheir character and for the
resistance that they opposed at the outset to
the movement of secession. But 10 the dispo.
sition which 10 90 unanimously manifested of q
nature to resist oil trials! This is what I do
not know, but l see many reasons for not call
ing in question their profound sincerity at this
moment How otherwise can one explain the
complete submission with which the people &C.
cept all the miseries to which circumstances
condemn them, and in the midst Of those mis-
cries accept also rigorous measures, like that
just taken by the administration, which, in order
to prevent new disorders caused by drunken.
ness, has just forbidden in the city Of Rich
mend and in the army the manufacture and the
sale of all kinds of fermented liquor. / shall
conclude by saying to your Excellency how
much reason have had TO be satisfied with
this step on my part. On the other hand, at
the South have met, together with much Gag.
erness to offer me (prevenance) hospitality and
opportunity for private discussion, true regard
- the delicacy Of my position. did not think
it proper to ask to see President Davis. He
made in this respect no suggestion to me, or
the least effort to give to my presence any 9th,
er significance than that which it really had
Immediately upon the return Of the Gassendi to
Washington was informed by the Secretary of
the Navy that all the resources Of the Navy
Yard were put at the disposition of that vessel.
and she Was urged to .repenish her cargo of
coal from the yards of the Government. The
next day President Lincoln honored the vessel
with visit, and Mr.. Seward gave q soiree in
honor of its officers. AZ to the results that We
might be able to attain in short time from the
simple raising OF the blockade, we found our
selves placed between two contrary afirmations.
The Cabinet At Washington, relying upon the
considerations which your Excellency will be
able to spprehend, declares that cotton will be
delivered to commerce, while in the South this
10 denied in the most categorical manner
What is certain is, that cotton has been burned
in New Orleans, and at different points, which
have fallen into the power Of the Federals.
TBr MURDER OF NEGRoEs At MuRyRErsBoRo
The wsuton murder, near Murfreesboro, of 20
negro Transfers, who were in the service OF the
Unionists, appears to be taken as matter of
course by the advocates of the South in this
country. We must presume that they know
their friends, and see no reason to be surprised
And yet there are circumstances in this case
which should make them anxious for . reputa-
ton with which they have go far involved their
own Theee negroes we're not killed in pursuit
Of any military purpose. They we're not in the
battlefield they we're not making armed resis,
maee They we're on the turnpike.rosd, driving
'neif wagons, when the Confederate party came
up The train which they we're conducting was
captured, AMI vas after that object had been
gained that the negroes we're taken out and shot
in cold blood. ''t't
is important to notice that this butchery
s0 perpetrated not In some corser Of Secessis,
ny agents out of the reach Of authority or pub.