Gilpin observer., 1915-05-27

iei' that there would be conflict soon: but
when or where no one could foretell II was a
day Of suspense
/ Lincoln, at the time, had not served tbroa
months as president. Between the time of bic
election and his inauguration seven of tn, soutb
ern states had seeded. Soon after his inaueura
tion Virginia had seeded and before this tbir
tieth of May Arkansas and North Carolina b.d
followed the example of Virginia ImmediateIv
after the fall of Fort Sumter Lincoln had issued
his call for $4,000 troops. Most of the northern
states, in loyal obedience to this call had cont
troops to Washington; but many of the states
near the border line between the North and the
South had defied the call. Some of the questions
asked by the people of the North on this dav
must have been: "Wi these states, too, secede ,"
Can President Lincoln hold them in the Union .,
But question: more momentous than these
which must have been asked by these peonle
was "Can our troops at Washington defend tho
city,? For 1t must be remembered that II wac
only IL days before this thrtieth of Nav when
northern troops had been fired upon by a mob
while they were passing through Baltimore on
their way to Washington.
Many people, at the time interpreted this act
70 mean that Maryland, too, about to secede
True, the Union soldiers at Washington seemed
at this time to be successfully defending the
city; band of troops six days before this thir.
teth of May had crossed the Potomac and had
taken possession of Alexandria. This had made
the Union people hopeful, but they were by no
means confident, for, at this time, they had lust
received news from abroad about the expressions
Of Joy which had just been made By certain Eu.
ropeans who were predicting the immediate
downfall of the American republic. Then too
many of the items about events Of the
war which were appearing in the daily news
papers indicated that there might be some foun-
dalton for the prediction of the people in Europe,
Here are some the news items that the people
Of the North were reading in their home papers
The Boston Journal for this thirtleth of May con-
tanned the following telegraphic dispatches:
The report of the surrender of the United
States troops in Texas. under command of Lieu.
tenant Colonel Reeve, the Confederate force,
under command of Colonel Van Dorm. is fully
confirmed"
General Mcdowell mas been informed that
General Lee with 1000 rebels, is advancing on
Alexandria"
The New York Tribune for the same date
to its northern readers somewhat more hopeful
Here some Of its headlines:
Frank Blair Ordered to Fortress Monroe"
"Harpers Ferry Threatened. The Rebels Like
ly to Be Currounded."
go 900 Troops to Rendezvous at Cairo"
These news items, taken from northern news.
papers, reflect the general mood and spirit of the
people in the North who were at the time read.
ing the papers. Among them there was spirit
of uncertainty and doubt. They were uncertain
as to the strength and purpose of the South
They doubted the ability Of Lincoln, who had
Gently been elected by a new and untried po
tical party. They were uncertain as to whether
he would yield to the demands of political bosses
Lincoln was not a trained soldier. They
uncertain as to whether he could succeed in the
management OF his army
But the people of the South. on this thirtieth
of May, were hopeful and confident. Loyalty
from their point of view meant allegiance to
their states. They held that the general govern
ment had no right to interfere with their forma-
tion of new government. Their loyalty 10
their cause almost amounted to enthusiasm. They