Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-16
Especial Correspondents of the Chicago Times.I

Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Times-I
WASHINGTON. February 7.
The news from Charleston is ominous, and
the complications arising from the raising of the
blockade there may have the effect OF bringing
the war 10 an abrupt termination. 1t the facts
are as alleged-that our entire blOckadng beet
was driven of and dispersed, aud that the Tor
eign COnsuls resident at Charleston were out TO
sen in a steamer, aud proceeded five miles beyond
the usual anchorage of the blockading vessels,
without seeing one OF them-lf these facts are es-
tablished. they constitute complete raising OF
the blockade, according to all writers on inter
national law. Let il be remembered. in addi-
ton. that steamer was Immediately dispatched
from Charleston to Nassau, bearing the inteli
gence of these facts in the form OF an official pa
per from the Confederate Secretary OF State.
The facts, thus officially promulgated, will be
published to the world. The sixty days notice
OF the establishment Of the blockade, impera-
lively required by the rules of international law,
will have to be given by our Government; and, in
the meantime. the port OF Charleston is open TO
the commerce of tho world.
II, during the sixty days, the vessels of foreign
nations are captured by our blockading fleet.
their capture will afford to France and England
n casus belii which they will not be slow to EN-
brace. This is the view taken of the subject by
all foreign dipomatists here: and the New York
Herald says:
"If this were so. il would naturally alter the
character and probable duration OF the war Two
months unobstructed commercial intercourse
with Europe would place the South both in re
gard to finances and war supplies, in position
infinitely stronger than that which il occupies at
present IL would infuse fresh life and vigor into
its military and naval operations. end render it,
with its united sentiment, impossible to con
qner"
strong pressure is now being brought to bear
upon the President to induce him TO send rs .0UO
troops and strong naval force, including several
of the largest irOn-clad vessels to Texas. 1t is
very true that there is nothing TO be gained in
Texas and that nothing can be gained there un
Ill the Mississippi is opened. But the friends OF
many Of our Generals are here. all camoring for
separate commands" for their friends, and, as
some OF them are supported by the radicals there
is n strong probability that Texas will be created
into a " Military Department" and some mush-
room General like Carl Schurz, appointed to
command it, Then $4,000 of our best troops
will he drawn from the Army of the Potomac,
or from some other army where their presence is
needed and will be sent down to Texas in rotten
transports At the same time, a feet OF iron
clad steamers, which could be proftaby employed
in the siege OF Charleston Savannah or ut
least in the blockade of those places, will he sent
down to Galveston. 1t is not at all likely that
such an expedition, sent to Texas, will be sue
cessful But, even if it should be. of what avail
would it bel The possession of Galveston, or
even of the whole of Texas. would not be of the
smallest particle Of use 10 US. as long as Rich
mond remains untouched-as long as Charleston
Savannah, Mobile and the Mississippi River re
main in the possession Of the enemy. But an ex
petition TO Texas would take away from our
army at the East so many troops that those lett
wpull hq useless. and wanid TAX fror nur
navy 80 many iron clad vessels that those lett on
the Atlantic coast would he powerless. Perhaps
this is what Mr.. Lincoln, Mr. Halleck and Mr.
Welles desire IL certainly seems so.
ln two of my recent letters ] spoke of the
probabilities that existed of the speedy termna
ton of the These probabilities would have
become certainiics by this time if it was not for
the influence WELD d over the President and over
Congress by that faction in the radical camp
whose hatred to the South overpowers in their
minds all other considerations. know not how
many other factions there are in the "Republi
can" party; but these two are strongly markell:
The faction lei by Horace Greeley, who
are tired of the war; who despair of being able TO
bring il to a successful termination; who fear us
Horace expressed il, "that their armies will con
quer ours" who are determined To have mo union
with shareholders" who dread nothing so mu IN
reconstruction of the Union as it was; and
NHOy w NlGCt W dNCib Niidt CtlitlibN k.ls dIc
moving heaven and earth to bring about a separa
ton and an acknowledgement of the independence
of the Southern Codfederacy. Up To "A lew days
ago, there was every reason to believe, and il was
generally understood aud believed here. thu this
faction had succeeded in bringing the President
over to their views, and that he cordially indprSed
them. Horace had been here, accompanied 10y
the notorious Wendell Phillips, hobnobbng with
the President, and boasting of his happy accord
with the Administration. And, indeed he ha,
Cause to boast. He had ordered the President t.
issue his emancipation lrocam ition of September
%, and the President had obeyed At his com
mand, too, the President had issued his emanci
patton proclamation of January LIST He had
commanded the President TO authorize negro
troops to be raised in Massachusetts. and the
President had Obeyed, and caused his Secretary of
War 10 issue the order to Gov Andrew accord
ingly. be had commanded the President to
order negro soldiers to be employ ed on the coast
of South Carolina, and they had been so EN-
ployed in compliance with his order Therefore,
when he told the President the war must be
stopped on The LIST of May, and that he must then
recognize the South as an independent nation, it
natural To suppose that the President would
obey with the same dOcility as heretofore But
it seems. Abraham kicks against the pricks, al
thourh it is hard for him 10 do so There Is
another faction in the Republican camp m mely:
SrcORd-1he faction led by LoveioY. Chand
Ter, Sumner, Jim Lime, and Thiddeus Stevens
These men hate the South. the Southern people
and Southern institutions so intensely that i'm
order to destroy them they wonId be willing to
'!rS'rry the whole country. Sooner than stop
the now. they would continue it until both
North and South are swallowed up i'm one indis
tinguiShable ruin. That Is indeed. their present
aim They know. as well as Greeley. that two
years of war hive demonstrate that the South
cannot be conquered. They are as averse us he
is 10 Union with sltveholdcls. They know
that if the stops the Union will he restored
Blu, their aim has been. from the beginning, the
utter ex'ermiI'ntion of the Southern people.
This attractions purpose was holly and shame
fully avuM ell f,y nne OF them. lew DAYS ago. on
the Il ,rr of Congress These wrefches," he
said Spe king OF the Southern people, must he
exiernlnare.; they must he swept from the face
of the earth. which they polute."
Thee men have sagacity enough to see, how
ever. that the war must stop unless our Govern
ment is completed, subverted and converted into
despotism. They have determined, therefore,
to subvert the Government, and convert il vrtu
ally into an absolute monarchy. in the manner
indicated in my leucr of Feb 6. Mr. Stevens
openly stated, in the House of Representatives
few DAYS ago. that we only have 500 ,0D0 troops,
aud that. of these. the time OF 100000 viii ex
pire IN May. This statement, made by one Of
the lie r,lers oil the House. will give great comfort
to the enemy; aud. taFen in connection with Mr.
Greeley : declaration THAT III the Rebels hold out
till Nav, We will have to abandon the war" it
will niuse new lie into the Rebels, and will lead
them to every exertion in order TO ''hold out"
till May.
But it seems now that this faction of the radi
cial party have no idea of stopping the even
in Nay, AMI that their negro soldiers bill'' Is
only one of their expedients for carrying on the
war. They have three other expedients for per-