April 6, 1861; The Charleston Mercury
WASHINGTON, April 3, 1861.
Military movements, sudden and secret, are attracting attention, and giving rise to apprehensive speculation. I mentioned yesterday the presence here of an unusual number of engineer officers, and unwonted activity in the War Department. This morning, the sappers and miners, who have been stationed in this city since the commencement of the SCOTT dictatorship, left by railway for New York; another company proceeded in the same train, and it is understood that tomorrow morning other companies of artillery will follow. The generally received opinion is that these troops are being removed to forts in the vicinity of New York, whence they may be quietly shipped to Southern points.
Simultaneously with this change in the disposition of troops, it is noted that several of the officers, summoned hither within the last few days, have left; and there are grounds for believing that they have been sent on secret missions to Southern forts yet retained by the United States Government.
The impression produced upon the minds of the calmest observers and the best informed politicians is that the prospect is considerably more warlike than it has been for some time past. The removal of soldiers and the prolonged labors at the War Office are but a part of the circumstances which have led to this change in the estimate of the future. The treachery of the Administration no longer admits of doubt. The landing of soldiers, en route from Texas, is admitted to have been effected through deception; a trick, in fact, for which the commanding officers avow their responsibility, but of which the authorities at Washington are undeniably the authors. Moreover, it is known that both LINCOLN and SEWARD have become more chary in the use of pacific promises. The Union saving Pilgrims, who wear out shoe leather in tramping from the Convention Hall, at Richmond, to the White House, carry back discouraging accounts. The other day an influential Union man, who visited LINCOLN as the mouthpiece of Virginia Submissionists, was constrained to confess that his success had been scanty. He obtained nothing with which to revive the drooping spirits of the party he represented. Altogether, the conviction is strong that there is no outlet for pent-up feeling, no escape from surrounding difficulties, but through war.
Singularly enough, though not unnaturally, the desire of Gen. SCOTT to avoid war, proceeds pari passu with the increasing belligerent propensities of the Black Republican guard, by whom the President is controlled. The old soldier, with all his vanity, realizes the nature and consequences of conflict with the South. The TRUMBULLS and BLAIRS of the party care only for the pacification of cherished malignity, and the furtherance of Abolition designs through a servile insurrection.
The exciting intelligence from the Rio Grande is considered indicative of other methods of attack contemplated by the LINCOLN Administration, in their crusade against Southern independence. Allowance must be made for exaggeration and error in the telegraphic report received today. It is possible that the whole story has grown out of fresh efforts by CORTINAS and his bandits, who will, of course, be the fit and proper allies of ex-Governor HOUSTON; but even this supposition implies a greater or less degree of participation in the movement by the Federal authorities. Certain it is, that HOUSTON is cooperating with LINCOLN, and that the President, in return, is rendering aid and comfort to the ex-Governor. On the other hand, assuming the despatch to be substantially correct, and that AMPUDIA, at the head of Mexican troops, is marching upon Brownsville, the conclusion is irresistible that the United States Government connives with the Mexicans, for the purpose of harassing the Texans, and swelling the difficulties of the Montgomery Executive.
The appointment of CORWIN as Minister to Mexico has, from the outset, been regarded as the precursor of trouble on the Mexican frontier. The aim of the Administration is two fold: to stimulate and assist Mexico in resisting the natural growth of slave territory, and to profit by a Mexican alliance for the purpose of keeping up a border warfare, and so distracting the plans of the Confederacy in the event of war with the Northern States. CORWIN is the very man for the business. Traditionally opposed to Southern expansion, and impelled by his anti-slavery associations to hate the new Confederacy, he will bring all his cunning into exercise to commit Mexico to a policy of hostility toward the Confederate States; and Mr. LINCOLN is quite ready to help Mexico in return.
Adverting again to the alleged invasion of the Texan frontier, it is impossible to overlook the well understood calculations of the Republican party, with regard to aid derivable from the Indians. When it was clear that Texas would prove true to itself and to the South, the exposed position of its frontier settlements was dwelt upon with fiendish exultation; and in the discussion constantly going on here, reference is uniformly made to the use of Indian savages as assistants of federalism in the work of coercion. The Republicans are ready to re-enact the demoniac horrors which eternally disgraced the British cause in the Revolutionary War. CHATHAM’S scathing denunciations are forgotten by the ruling party of the Northern States.
Perhaps it is premature to speculate upon the extent to which the LINCOLN government relies upon the aid of Spain in its interference with Mexican affairs. The indifference with which the Spanish occupation of San Domingo has been received in this city is, however, inexplicable, on any other hypothesis than one that attributes to the Executive a willingness to submit to any thing, to foster anything that seems likely to be convenient or profitable in connection with war upon the commerce of the Confederacy. The administration journals content themselves with the intimation that the news is not credited–although it is in perfect keeping with other occurrences, and in harmony with the policy of Spain in relation to the Southern continent. Prominent Black Republicans are less discreet than their newspapers. Individually, they do not conceal their disposition to tolerate any possible movement of European governments tending to the consolidation of any other power than that of the Confederate States in the Gulf and the ocean. The hate of the Black Republicans is equalled only by their duplicity and their cowardice.
The numerous newspaper conversions in Virginia startle the Unionists, who unhesitatingly ascribe the fact to the employment of corrupt agencies by the local Secessionists. The explanation is far-fetched–the truth being that the journals which have recently hoisted the secession standard have but followed the lead of public opinion. The demand for immediate secession grows apace, and the editors find their profit in bowing gracefully to a fate that is irresistible. The change of the Richmond Whig is the most significant of these occurrences. RIDGWAY, the Union editor, was in Washington yesterday, seeking Black Republican subscriptions to a Union saving sheet, projected as the successor of the Whig.
I erred in stating that only a single Washington bid was tendered yesterday for the new loan. There was a second, in the name of SWEENEY, RITTENHOUSE & CO. Secretary CHASE has rejected all bids below 94, at which rate some $3,000,000 have been awarded. The remaining $5,000,000 are to be provided through Treasury notes.
S.