Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-18

Richmend net YET. Evacusted.
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Special correspondence ofthe Chicago Tines.I
WASHINGTON, Janusry4 =.
The death of Senator Bowden, Of Virginia.
from smallpox, the narrow escape Of the Presi-
dent from death by the same cause and the
alarming prevalence of that loaths0De disease in
this city, have drawn the attention Of those mem.
bers Of Congress who have remained there during
the holidays TO the practicabiiity of devsing some
means of efadicating it from the capital. The
canse of the widespread prevalence Of the dis
ease Is the indux OF so many thousands Of ne
groes, OF all ages. and most OF them in state Of
great destrution. The squalor in which they
live. the iith and stencil that pervade in the ne
gro quarters, in spite of the efforts OF the so
called "freedmen's Aid Society,"" and the i'm
possibility of providing medicines, clothing. or
even shelter and suitable food, for one half of
the negroes that are congregated here. are the
csuses that haze produced 80 great q mortality
among the delcded victims of abolition philsn-
thropy, End that have occzsioued the spread Of
the infection even TO the dwellings OF the rich
and great Il was perhaps necessary that some
such calamity as this should befall the negroes
who have been entced here. in order that they
should see on what broken reed they have been
leaning. and how powerless their pretended
friends are 10 afford them sny real aid. Bus the
sin OF depriving these poor people Of their com-
forsable homes had. besides to be stoDed for by
those who perpetrated that great wrong on an
unofsnding race: and therefore it is that the in
fection is spreading among those who are in
blind support Of all the measures of the admin
istrstion.
Mr.. Bowden, the deceased Senator, vas man
of very ordinary attainments. and OF no ability
whatever. BE was, perhaps, capable of filing
with credit the ofhce of member Of Town
Council; but be was entirely unfit 70 set as q
member of the United States Senate He vas
an estimabe gentleman in private life; and be
gave the Union army mach valuable information
Immediately after the battle OF williamsburg.
he was. think. the only Union man In Will
llamsburg at that time. Indeed, l believe he
was indebted to his intense Unionism alone-as
that word is understood by the Administration
for his seat in the Senate His successor will
probably be Hon. Joseph Segar. at present one of
the Representatives from Virginia. Tie latter
gentleman was a member Of the last Congress.
also, and is a man of real and marked ability.
His speeches, If not eloquent. are repete with
weighty facts and sound reasoning, and he is al
ways listened TO with great interest he is real
Union man. He ID in favor Of the prosecution
of the war; bat he wishes it 10 be prosecutedac-
cording to that mode Of warfare which is in favor
with Gen. Mcclellan, and not with the abolition
of slavery in view as the chief end Of the war.
he is opposed 70 emancipation, con6scation and
subiugntion, and he believes that tie Southern
States are still n the Union, and that The Govern
uent has right to make Our fellow
citizens merely because they live in Alabama or
Georgs, or 10 interfere with any OF the constitu-
tional rights Of the Southern States.
IL the doctrine thus briefly ennnciafed would
come 10 be entertained br majority of the
members of Congress, there would be a Fair
prospect of peace and restoration OF the
Union.
Soon after Congress re assemblies. the country
NAV expect to be entertained with wonderful
stories about the attempts 70 raise cotton in the
Mississippi Vzlley next summer. which are 10 be
made by parties who expect TO Get from the War
Department permission 10 work the abandoned
plantations between Memphis and New Orleans.
/ have seen some OF these statements, aud they
present an extraordinary array of alegei facts
and figures. IL is stated that any man who can
prove 70 the Administration that he is loyal"
can get permission 20 enter upon and work any
abandoned plantation land perhaps. If he ends
one not already abandoned, and in the possession
Of q Southern man, he can induce the latter Ia
abandon H., Then, With an outlay OF $50 600
to purchase animsls. wagons. utensils. pay of ne
gro sborers, and subsistence of the latter, Is 10
stated that one loyal man csn raise 500 bales Of
cotton, each worth 5000 Here, then. will be
clear profit of fl4O .O6O.
Attracted by rose colored statements like these.
there is no doubt that many "loyal" Yankees
will be led to embrace this mode of getting rich
hartily. Between now and spring, no doubt the
War Department will be besisged by hundreds Of
loyal" men from the North. all Of them anx-
ious TO take charge of these cotton plantations Of
our deluded Southern brethren A great many
of them will receive. Of course, the desired per-
mission, and will rush down the Mississippi VAL
ley. aud try to hire enough negroes 20 WORK their
newly acquired plantations"
Now, il there was any prospect that the coun-
try at large would be benefited by this operation.
there would be less objection 10 il. II, by this
means. cotton could be produced 10 any extent.
aud the price of that necessary article brought
down from so TO even 30 cents per pound, there
might be some reason for looking upon the pro-
ject with favor. But il will not be 50. Nine
out of ten o. these cotton spectators will fail of
raising any crop at all. The Administration will
want all the able-bodied negroes for soldiers. and
will take them all. IL requires skill and expe
rience 10 raise crop of cotton, and these Yankee
aaventurers have neither the one nor the other
Then, again. the cotton growing country In our
possession will be infested with gangs Of guer
rillas, will be sure 70 destroy the crops, run of
the negroes, and murder the Yankee sdventnrers.
TO Tue exten. Of their ability. All these causes.
and some Others. will ccnspire to prevent any
extensive raising OF cotton at the South In the
summer of 1864 All that is raised will be sold
AZ the present exorbitant rates. and will 20 mere
ly TO enrich the Yankee speculators
The Administration papers are beginning TO
boast, AGAIN, that the rebels viii be compelled to
eEacuate Richmond. and, indeed, the whole Of
Virginia, in the spring. Do not believe any
such tales. The defenees Of Richmond are ss
strong ms the defences Of Washington. and the
Confederate army in Virginis. IN the spring. will
he strong enough 70 give Gen. Meade. or his sue
cessor, abundant occupation.
The special committees Of Congress on Emsn-
cipation and Reconstruction are hard at work on
plans. but they win amount TO nothing. There
can be no reconstruction, except on the basis OF
the constitutional rights Of the Ststes- x.