Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 1.
Frank Moore, Ed.

The attack on Washington.--The papers in the interest of the Southern rebels have repeatedly avowed that the capture of the national capital was the ulterior object of the rebellion. The Secretary of War of the so-called Southern Confederacy publicly avowed the same purpose, in his speech at Montgomery after the evacuation of Fort Sumter. Notwithstanding this official declaration, some persons still affect to believe that no such movement was ever or is now intended. The following testimony on the subject from a gentleman whose respectability is abundantly vouched for by the Tribune, ought, we think, to be conclusive on the point. The gentleman was escaping from Fayetteville, North Carolina, to avoid impressment in the rebel service. He says:--

At all the stations crowds were assembled, and the secession fever ran high. At Warsaw, where our informant took the train, he found Alexander H. Stephens, who was on his way to Richmond. At nearly every station Stephens spoke. The capture of Washington was the grand idea which he enforced, and [61] exhorted the people to join in the enterprise, to which they heartily responded. This was the only thing talked of. “It must be done!” was his constant exclamation. At Welden a man supposed to be a Northerner was whipped and tarred and feathered just before the train arrived. There was a large crowd, deeply excited, which Mr. Stephens addressed. Vigorous measures were on foot to arouse and arm the people, and they were answering to the call as one man.--Commercial Advertiser, April 25.