McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-10-30
DEFENDING THE C4PITIL.
Cdssins NJ. CIay's "reminiscences of the Early
Days Ofthe Var.

: One of the first acts of the admins
, tration of President Lincoln was tn
! superseding of the diplomatic represen
tatives of the United States at foreign
', courts, in order to put stop to the in
trigues which it was known were beins
carried on to the prejudice of the estab
lished government, and in the Interests
of the rebellious states of the south
says the Philadelphia Times. Among
the first of these appointments wa!
Cassius M. Clay, of Kentucky, commits
stoned just twenty-four days after the
presidents Inauguration.
The following autograph letter, writ
ten by Gen. Clay to Maj. Armes, re.
tired officer of the army, and recovered
from mass of private papers, presents
an interesting picture of the condition
of things in Washington the first few
days after Mr.. Lincoln assumed the
reins of government, and also sheds
light upon his supersedure at st. Pc
tersburg by Simon Cameron. The let
ter read as follows: ''DEAR SIR
In response to your letter of December
Is, 1880. In the spring of 1S61-62, be-
ing appointed envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary to the Russian
government at St. Petersburg, was
awaiting, with my family, at Washing
ton, my instructions, when United
States vessels were sunk in the Chesa-
peake, and the railroad and telegraph
communications with the north were
destroyed by the confederates. As
soon as learned that the ships were
/ hat
cit was near night, and the omnibus
was standing at the door of Wizards
hotel, going to the Baltimore depot. |
ran to the rooms of my family and told
them to get at once into the carriage or
they would be left, and after that they
would not be able to get out of Wash
ington. They did so, leaving their
clothes and trunks unpacked, and set
ting out awaited my arrival in Balti-
more. That, as l anticipated, was the
last car that left the city.
''FOr nearly thirty years l had dis
cussed the slavery issue in Kentucky
and elsewhere, and | knew from long
observations and the avOwed designs of
the Shareholders that war was inevita-
BILE, and | had so stated in my many
speeches made in the presidential can
vass in 1860 in Illinois, Indiana and
Ohio. [ at once went to Gen. Winfield
SCOTS headquarters in Washington and
asked an interview. He granted it, but
his military staff then present, hearing
my request for a private conference and
not retiring, | asked the general into
another room, but they followed HIM in
also, and refused to retire. As | then
had reason to believe there was treason
in the army refused to say anything,
and, telling the general l would call
again, | retired.
I'm the quadrangular court of the |
yard of Willard hotel was an old thea
tire which had been disused and was |
then turned, | believe, into an Occa-
sional church. 1t communicated with |
the main hotel by passage and door,
and also opened upon the street in the |
rear of the house.
The hotel was full of guests, friends |
and foes of the union. consulted with |
such as knew to be true to the old |
flag, and they agreed with me that the
president and the other officials of the
government and the capital were in
danger of capture.
1--WE began Immediately to organize
a volunteer force for defense. | was
placed in the leadership. L received but
those whom | knew to be true, gave the
and introduced them into
the old theater. This nucleus took
others in. All were brought to my pri-
vate room, enrolled and sent into the
common quarters. When the enemy
found out what was going on, they at
tempted to bully me. Three gentlemen,
one notorious person from California,
finding me alone in my front room,
came in and demanded admission into
my corps. l asked upon whose recon-
and they answered insolent-
y upon their own. [ kept two revol-
7ers upon my red in the next room,
md, going in, came out with one in
Zach hand and ordered them out They ;
slowly did so, but their chief rolled up
ome balls in his open hand and then
out them in his pocket, as much as to
ay, Well give you these. Very WELL
said. we will meet you Again, as
stood at the door of our quarters as '
he crowd of our force were entering, an l
face appeared. l challenged t
lin for the watchword, and. not having {
t, and still advancing to enter, lev
led my pistol at his head. told him it
vas revolutionary times and | would c
boot him. He then retired. The t
James of allmy corps were taken down; I
cry distinguished men they mostly c
we're, governors, senators, judges. etc. a
Is soon went to Europe, | don't know
THAT became of this list. n
4 was more fortunate in another call y
pom Gen. Scott. gave him my views y
nd got his consent to arm my men,
-hich he did. For the moral effect,
ENDING TO my quarters TO Uet arms to s.