, 1863-04-21
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
The C0n6crIptIon EsIl1-Thc Iron Clad
71cconnotssnnce-W In Thought
of 1t.
Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribunc.l

Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribunc1
WA=u'sG7os, april IL, 1863.
THE coSsCR1pTIoS BILL. -
The Conscription bill and its enforcement is |
now lie Eubjrct Of consideration in the Cabl- !
net, and The cl.icf topic Of conversation every
where. The appointments Of Masshals are to
be made with great care. Men Of influence
and character art to be appointed, wherever
such material can be found. Some Of the
most prominent and talented men in Illinois
have sisniacd their Willingness to accept the
appointment for their Congressional Districts.
But if there should be no necessity, and no at
tempt to enforce the Law, it has already &C.
comp1ished wonders for the Union cause. 1t
has convinced Europe, aud therebels, that the
loyal States arc determined to put down re-
beIlion; aud it has carried CONSERVATION into
the secret tens Of the Copperheads. 1t has
been St. Patrick to the snakes-tobacco on
the tongues Of the ripcrs-a regular eS1er1ni
uator-and eilcncer Of treason In the Nofln'
as the late elections and the tone OF certain
papers conclnsIyely prove You no longer
hear ohin ions to the organization OF negro
regiments, or to the enlistmenI OF hegau1s, ,.rc
Gofsrhe11dts e1t i, ara :, TRi sase one Of ther
hor from 1hn draft. 1t has suddenly dawne1
upon their visions that negroes mahe soou
st,}a;ere. aud that Copperheads are " @T
o1,;d;np citizens and will not resist the ola1C-
It can 10 logger be doubted that Copper.
bcsd is a coWard1y as we'll as I'll odiou5 and
disgusting specimen OF the viper race.
TIE IRON. CLAD Reconnaissance.
The President ind the Cabinet, it is under
stood. regard the late iron clad reconnaissance
in Charleston harbor, not as q disaster, but as
satisfactory. It was the object OF the move
mcnt to test the power Of the iron-clads to
stand tile fire Of the forts, to ascertain the
The distractions In tue channel. This was ac-
| conI1ishcd successfully. II il now known
| that certain boats c.sn safely pass the forts,
| and, without much doubt. get within shelling
distance Of Charleston. The land forces Cat.
now attaek the city on given day, With some
able to cooperate to advantage. Before the
| reconnaissance, there WAS no such certainty
| It was not known but our most invu1nerable
Monitors would be shot through and through
bv the guns in Forts Moultria and Sumter.
The exaggerated reports Of terrible torpcdoes
| and iufeinal submerged machines in the har.
bor, were, ard arc still to certain extent, q
source Of serious apprehension and danger.
So far, however, as the gunboats proceeded,
these dangers hare been shown to be not of d
| very formidable c1aTnc' eT. anQ IL may DC
safely Inferred that the remaining unexploret
distance to the harbor is not very dangerous
road to travel, on account Of submerged pow
der in any Ehape, however difficult othor OBJ
| structious may render the passage. I thinE
there is no cause tor writing down tho Chat
lesion reconD Doissance Il serious attack unor
the forts, or disaster in any sense. It il
true, We lost the Keokuk, and other boat
were more or less injured. But on the part Q
many it was matter Of grave doubt wlethe
| the kcokuk would stand tic test, and not ON
oftheiron c1ads had ever been subjected to any
: thing Ike such a terrible ordeal. The result i
that nearly all Of the Monitors came of wit
| no very serious injury. It is true they wer
| eomcT hat bruised aud battered, but these il
inries serve to point out to the engineers an
: builders, what could bc learned ii no othe
Tay, the weak points and imperfections Of tn
| beats and their arrangements, and to nnabl
: t them to apply tue proper remedies. The in
preston ought not to 50 out to the countr
that the guuboats are failure, and th'
Q | Charleston cannot be taken. There Is 4
= | sufficient ground for such . conclusion, AZ
no reason whatever for putting on i long fat
: on account Of what has Geen done, or failed
Q be t1une. The gunboats are not n failure, At
Charleston will be taken and destroyed whe
the attempt is made by the Union force
|. The apprehensions Of the rebels are VIZ
,. founded in this respect. They do not claim
victory in the late engagement between the
e. forts and the iron clads, and arc looking for
# speedy and serious attack upon Charlesto
r. and they by no means speak confidently
~ their chances Of success. G..