The Portland daily press., 1864-10-27
The New Rebel Tactics.

In copying this few days later the argus
of this city omitted the words printed in ital-
les, which is naturally construed into an ad-
mission that "the men" referred to are not in
the interest, to say the least, of the Union
party. No one doubts who the men to exc
cute the plan are. They are either Southern
desperadoes in disguise, like the st. Albans'
raiders, or they are northern copperheads, like
the western "Sons of Liberty" who stand
ready to strike hands with the rebels for the
subverslon of the Government, and for pur-
poses Of the most damnable import.
Young, the leader of the gang of Williams.
who committed the robbery and murders in
Vermont, has written letter to the Montreal
Telegraph-a secession sheet-in which he
says, referring to the affair at st. Adams: "a
went there for the purpose of burning the
town and surrounding villages, in retaliation
for the recent outrages committed in the
Shenandoah Valley, and elsewhere in the Con-
federate States.
am a commissioned officer in the Provis-
ional army of the Confederate States, and have
violated no laws OF Canada.
l do not wish my name coupled with the
epithets now applied without knowledge on
the part of the people of Canada as to who we
are and what caused our action.
He describes his capture, which he regards
as very barbarous, as follows:
was seized on Canadian soil by American
citizens with arms in their hands, and violent
ly searched. My pocket-book was taken from
me. and / was started toward the United
States. l reached ont my hands and caught
the reins of my horse, when three pistols were
levelled at my head, with threats to shoot the
d-n scoundrel dead ii he moved.
Some Canadian citizens then spoke up, and
the Americans, seeing the bailiff, started with
me toward him, two of them holding arms in
their hands.
This cut-throat talks about the violation of
neutrality by the people Of Vermont, and says,
"some one, hope, will be sent to investigate
this breach of neutrality, and award to those
American citizens doing armed duty in Cana
da the just merit of their transgression."5
At Eastport we have had another manifes-
tation Of the new tactics of the rebels; for no
one can doubt that the terrible fire there a
few days since was a part of their programme.
Other fires, nearly if not quite as calamitous,
have recently occurred in other places; and
VIC AoNo ~ uOuue tAOy WoHc CduScu ny Inc
men who were "already there" as intimated
by the Richmond papers. Where the torch is
TO be next applied no one can tell but the de-
mons themselves. This is no doubt the latest
form of the rebel programme, and there are
desperadoes enough in all northern cities to
execute their plans. 1t is time such things
were met by heavy hand. We hope, should
any such be found in our city, that lamp-posts
will be made available, SO that no question of
military status may come up to embarrass JUS
tice. No Confederate shoulder-straps should
avail for moment. If the emissaries of re-
beliion are found In our midst they should be
regarded as spies, and treated as such without
the slightest hesitancy.
In relation to raids from the North, it il
believed the Canadian Government will do the
right thing; but III they do not, but harbor and
screen cut-throats, burglars and incendiaries
to invade our border towns, we would have
vigilance committees organized upon the Dor
der, and pursue the rufians and shoot then
even at the very horns of the Canadian altar
II this brings war with England, then let Il
come, and God defend the right.