February 12, 1861; The Charleston Mercury
Great efforts are making by the Republican press and by men in and out of Congress, to detach, by every sort of trick, the Border Southern States from union or sympathy with the other Southern States. They promise them, if they will only renounce the seceding States, any amount of plunder they may ask–such as subsidizing a line of steamers to run from Norfolk to Liverpool to carry the mails, and to give them a larger share in all the Federal appointments. How far their efforts may prove successful, remains to be seen.
There is another scheme behind this application of soap–that is, secret preparations for the coercion of Maryland and Virginia under the force of a coercion army, organizing at Washington under General SCOTT. The Black Republicans have picked up and kept alive fabulous reports of a ‘raid’ upon Washington. To help this the recent hubbub about the attack on the navy yard at Brooklyn was originated by them. Under the cover of these reports, they have induced General SCOTT to form the nucleus of a large coercion army in Washington, for the purpose of compulsory operations against Maryland and Virginia first should they conclude to secede, and against the other Southern States next.
I have gleaned the following important particulars regarding the movements of General SCOTT, from the most reliable military authority:
The corps of engineers have been removed from West Point to Washington–a measure never resorted to unless the country is engaged in hostilities.
The entire garrison of soldiers have also been ordered from West Point, leaving the place without a regular soldier. This has never been done before since the establishment of West Point.
SCOTT has, at the present time, no less than five light artillery batteries in Washington, a quantity of artillery for a body of 5000 men.
He has also ordered a large supply of ammunition to be sent to Fort McHenry, Maryland.
The ultimate design of the present assemblage of troops and military stores, in and near Washington rejects the idea of an apprehended raid upon the Capitol; but on the contrary, evinces a strategic arrangement for more extensive military movements.
Every military man knows that the body of regular troops now in Washington, is quite able to repel 10,000 irregular troops, had such a number designed to prevent LINCOLN inauguration. Nobody knows this better than General SCOTT; yet, he is still ordering more troops, not only to Washington, but is concentrating them within convenient call of that city. He has 600 gathered at Governor’s and Bedloe’s Island, New York, besides others in Eastern Pennsylvania and other places; and also in Maryland.
This secret coercive army is to pass under the control of LINCOLN as commander in chief, around which his Northern volunteers are to flock, to wage a civil and coercive war upon the South!
The Virginia Peace Congress sits surrounded by armed troops.
CATO.