Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-02-27
An Attack Expected frem Grant.

4,
| by Grant, in this direction is anticipated, and
every thing has been put in readiness for any
| attempt he may make. 1t was thought thaJ
| but for the heavy rain of yesterday, the enemy
would have developed his intentions. The
| day before il was known that the enemy was
| again massing on the aughn read, and il was
| supposed that another attempt would be made
| TO extend his lines on our right.
The Situation at Petersburg.
[from the Richmond Dispatch.
Since the sautes fred by Yankees, on the 22d,
| the sound of big guns has not been heard on
| the north sides of the James. At Petersburg a
national salute was fired by Grants artillery
with shotted guns, some OF the shells falling i'll
the city on this side. AS we have before stated
they contented themselves with letting Oft blank
cartridges.
| For several days past there has been so much
| stir within the enemy's lines south OF Peters
burg, as 70 give rise to report that they were
concen trating for another attack on our ex-
! treme right. As, however, no attack has been
| made, il is probable thar the commotion Oh
served was Incidental TO the reno val OF part OF
| the Yankee army TO City Point EN- route to CO.
| operate with Scnotield and Sherman In the
earolinas.
Runners from the Carolinas
The city was yesterday filed with rpmors
| relative 10 military movements in North and
South Carolina, but we have no official intelli-
| gence from that quarter. We however. know
that affairs in that quarter are already begin
ming to wear a mere pleasing aspect.
Johnston Succeeds Beauregard
Gen. Joseph +. Johnston was on Wednes-
general opinion that he has been assigned to
the command OF all the forces operating against
Sherman. IL has been rumored for some days
that Gen. Bea Hregard had asked to be relieved
on account of iii health Gen Johnston had
been with Gen. Beauregard since our troops
fell back from tNe line OF the Edisto.
Important Contraband News.
From Richmond Sentinel
Dispatches have been received 81 the War
Department from the South, which it is not
proper to.publish, as the enemy would thus
procure Information in advance OF that re-
ceived from their own sources of intelligence,
bat this much we must say, that the prospect
is fair for most decided check being given TO
Sherman.
Negro Troops.
The Confederate Senate yesterday re-
moved the Injunction OF secresy from the pro-
ceedings on the Senate bill introduced by M
Brown, Of Mississippi. to provide for raising
2uU,00N negro troops. l. appears that the bill
was lost in the Senate on Tuesday, the 2lst in
slant, by a vote OF II to 10. Those who veted
for an indefinite postpOnement of the bill,
which amouats 10 its defeat, were Messrs. Ba-
ker, BarnWell, Caperton. Garland, Graham,
Hunter, Johnson, (Missouri,) Maxwell, Orr,
and Wigfail. Those who voted IN the negative
were Messrs Brown, Barnett, Haynes, Hem
~, Oldham, Semmes, West, Walker and Wat
son. In official circles this is considered as
disposlng OF the question of putting negro SOL
diers into armies finally. The House ne
gro solaieI bill, which is very similar 10 the
Senate bill, has not been, and il is now be-
HeVec Will lot be acted upon by the Senate
Cotton IT Wilmington.
The Raleigh Confederate says From sHch
authority we have. we cannot doubt that at
least fifteen tho uSand bales of cotton are now
hid away in the town OF Wilmington, await
ing the advent of Terry. II this be so, we h0pe
our authorities there VIII ferret il OUT, aud
take care that disgrace similar 10 that which
has bafallen Savannah does MOI happen III
Wilmington.
Let the eneAy who conceals cotton be .sre-
cOnnoitred.' Let him be discovered before he
gels across the peninsula and ntrenches. 1t
is easier TO attack him on the march than b.
mind entertainments. These cotton hiders are
as sharp As the Yankees. and pickets who are
despatched to watch them will have 10 keep
their eyesopen and report, OF they will be
found 10 have worked their way across our
flank. Nota bale of cotton should the enemy
find III Wilmington il ne ever gets there. II Ne
cannot save II, at least don let the } an KEGS
have IL
That ii Should Come TO This:
Prom The Richmond Sensih3 OF Friday
We doubt II he weird mas ever before known
AZ example such as Is presented in the Con-
federale capitol tins day. Our armies are out-
numbered and pressed by an enemy that seeks
nothing else Than our utter and eternal de.
structioE. In this extremity n nnpl Der of citi
Zens are oesirous Of profering their servants,
with the consent oil the latter to assist III the
pubiic defense.
The General in. Chief of opr armies warmly
advises the policy OF securing this aid, and
pleads that ii would be OF great and essential
value. The President ard the honse Of Repre-
sentatives unite in his views The Governor
of Virginia warmly advocates the policy. The
legislature of the State concurs.
The Confederate Senate alone, and the Sem
ate by only one majority, assumes TIE respon.
sibility OF battling and disappointing the YER
dict or all the rest OF vetong the universal
will, and Of prohibiting TO the people ana the
army an a Id which the highest professional
and the most universal popular opinion pro-
nounces to be OF extreme consequences.
The Senator's decide, that however impor-
tant their conntrymen and their generals and
their soldiers may deem this measure il shall
not be conceded. This AID. which either We or
the enemy are to have, they say shall not be re-
ceiyed on our side.
All this the Senate decides and by one ma.
lority That majority isPade up, in part. ofthe
votes from the Senators from the State OF Vlr-
g1nia. whose capital is in danger, or Senator
from North Carolina, whose capital is threat
ened, and the Senators from South Carolina.
whose capital has just been sacked. In the
name OF our own immediate people we i'm
plore our own Senators to reconsider their ac.
ton.
That their coHrse threatens to be INJURIOUS, II
not fatal, is, we assure them, the over whelming
conviction OF that people through whose par
tiality they hold their present positions. The
fearful responsibility q the course they are
pursuing is eminently increased by the Ger.
tainty that they are exercising their trust and
their power In opposition TO the earnest con-
victions of those whs bestowed them, and who
are to suffer SO terribly ii they are in er ror.
We had hoped that the Legislature now in
session would have declared to onr Senators
ere this it's wishes and its Will in the name Of
the people. We trust that If 1t has not already
done so IL Will oCL O-u4y. Ii IL Sndll fati, II
that fatal delay and hesitation and timdity
which have brooded like nightmare over all
our legislative bodies, filing the people with
distress and alarm, shall still continue, then
we urge the people to meet in mass assembly
and declare, with q voice that cannot be mis-
understood or despised, their opinion OF tn
measure under consider alton, and their ludg
nient upon the course OF their representatives,
This is no time for mawkish delicacy. Tns
public life is in danger, and She public mus,
saw whether il shall choose to live rather than
a In MI ttxN 0f
wants.
Let us have grand meeting In the African
Church to- morrow night to consider this a ues.
ton, and declare, at least, the sentiments of
Hao firxoaa q ad on hax