The Portland daily press., 1883-06-14

i"nu, was dppolnitu III Hls place. lue
choice was an unfortunate one The Secre-
tary was coldly received in Wall street; his
efforts to obtain aid for the Government
were met by frigid silence. AT length the
PRESIDENT was given to understand distinct
ly that not dollar would be forthcoming
from the banks and financial institutions of
the Metropolis until he should have placed
in his Cabinet men ON whom the friends of
the Government and the Union could de-
pend. The argument is one to which Ad-
ministrations are compelled to yield. The
President asked what would satisfy them;
and at meeting of our leading men, held
at the Bank of Commerce, 1t was decided to
require of him, as a condition to their sup
port, the appointment of General Dix to
Cabinet position. The understanding among
the gentlemen present was that the position
should be that of Secretary of the Treasury;
although they did not deem II courteous to
express 1t openly. No higher proof could
have been given of the moral power OF
good name.
On the evening of Tuesday, January Sth,
my father received dispatch from the
President, asking him to come at once to the
White House. He went Immediately, and
was offered the War Department. This he
declined, informing Mr.. Buchanan, as had
been agreed upon, that at that moment he
could be of no service TO him in any position
except that of the Treasury Department,
and that he would accept no other post.
The President asked for time The follow
ing day he had Mr.. Thomas's resignation in
his hands, and sent Gen. Dix's name to the
Senate; 1t was instantly confirmed. The
news of the appointment was received In
New York and elsewhere with profound sat
isfaction; the financial deadlock was at once
broken; the Government found itself in pos
session of all fhA that II xvaptad and
the country saw strong Cabinet and a
Union Administration.
On Sunday, April IA, the fact became
known that Fort Sumter had surrendered.
The excitement created by the lombard
ment OF that fortress and its magnificent de-
fence by Anderson was prodigious. The
outrage on the Government of the United
States thus perpetrated by the authorities of
South Carolina sealed the fate of the new
born Confederacy and the Institution of sla,
very. Intelligent Southerners at the North
were well aware of the consequences which
must follow. In the city of New York a
number of prominent gentlemen devoted to
the interests of the South, and desirous to
obtain bloodless dissolution of the Union
were seated together in anxious conference,
studying with intense solicitude the means
of preserving the peace. A messenger en-
tered the room In breathless haste with the
news; General Beauregard has opened fire
on Fort Sumterw The persons whom he
thus addressed remained while in dead ST.
lence, looking into each others pale faces
then one of them, with uplifted hands cried,
in voice of anguish, "My God, we are
ruinedp'
The North rose as one man. The aues-
tion bad been asked by those who were
watching events: "How will New York
go?' There were sinister hopes in certain
quarters of strong sympathy with the Sc
cession movements; dreams that New York
might decide on cutting off from the rest of
the country and becoming free city. These
hopes and dreams vanished in day. The
reply to the question how New York would
go was given with an energy worthy of her.
self.
The 18th of that month brought Presi-
dent Lincolh's proclamation and call for
10000 men-a bagatelle, as it proved, com
pared with the number required; but the
figures seemed enormous to the popular eye,
and the demand set the whole city inFa
blaze. Never, TO my dying day, shall for
get scene witnessed on Thurday of that
week. A regiment had arrived from Massa-
chasetts on the way to Washington via Bal
timore. They came in at night; and it was
understood that after breakfasting at the
Astor House the march would be resumed.
BY 8 o'clock in the morning an immense
crowd had assembled about the hotel.
Broadway, from Barclay to Fulton street,
and the lower end of Park row. were oceu-
| pied by a dense mass OF human beings, all
watching the entrance at which the regi-
ment was to file out. From side to side,
| from wall to wall, extended that innumer-
able host, silent as the grave, expectant,
something unspeakable on their faces. II
was the dead, deap hush before the thunder
storm Z last a lnxr mn lar rvrrao nd.
sounded somewhat like the gasp of men in
suspense; and the cause was that the sol
diers had appeared, their leading files de-
scending the steps. By the twinkle of their
bayonets above the heads of the crowd their
course could be traced out into the open
street in front. Formed at last in column
they stood, the band at the head; and the
word was given s'Marchr' Still dead ST.
lence prevailed. Then the drums rolled out
the time-the regiment was in motion. And
| then the band, bursting into full volume,
struck up-what other tune could the Mas
sachuseets men have choseng'-s.Y ankee
DOODLE | caught about two bars and a
half of the old music, not more. For in
stantly there arose a sound such as many a
man never heard in all his life and never
will hear such as is never heard more than
once in lifetime. Not more awful is the
thurder of heaven as, with sudden peal,
~ Siuit-S lulO StitDCe all lesser SOUNDS, and,
rolling through the vault above us, fills earth
and sky with the shock of lis terrible voice.
One terrific roar burstfro the multitude,
leaving nothing audible save its own rever-
beration. We saw the heads of armed men,
the gleam OF their weapons, the regimental
colors, all moving on pageant-like; but
naught could we hear save that hoarse,
heavy surge-one general acclaim. one wild
shout Of JOY and hope, one endless cheer,
rolling up and down, from side to side,
above, below, to rights to left the voice Of
approval, of consent, of unity in act and
WILL No one who saw and heard could
doubt how New York was going.
recall, in this connection, an incident
worth relating; it illustrates the General S
firmness as a commander, his sagacity as a
statesman, and his equity as a judge. The
| condition of Baltimore was like that of a
| volcano intent ON eruption; signs p0inted
distinctly to terrible outbreak as immi-
nent; and had blood begun to flow in the
| city it would soon have been flowing all
| over the unhappy State. What the COM
| manding General would do in case of an
| outbreak wss anxiously asked; the rumor
was that In such an event he would shell
the town. A deputation OF ladies went to
| Fott McHeDry TO see him and demonstrate.
| They we're received with the courtesy char
acterstic Of the General In his dealings with
the sex. After some conversation he invited
them to walk around the walls. At GER
taiu point they came upon an immense col
umbiad, the largest in the fort. Here the
General stopped and said: 'Ladies, there
will be no trouble in the city unless it is ere
ated by persons of your own social position;
the common people will not rise until they
see the aristocracy of Baltimore moving.
The safety of the town and the lives of its
citizens are, therefore, substantially in your
hands. viii you oblige me by mounting
these steps, looking over TIE top of that gun,
and noting the place to which 1t points.
The ladies' complied, and one exclaimed
replied the General, ''and ! now tell you
that, If there should be an uprising Ia Balti-
more, / shall be compelled to try to put it
down, and that gun is the first that | shall