The National crisis.
An "irrepressible conflict" in New Jersey.
It appears that
Capt. Gracile, of New York, was a captain of a military company in
Mobile, and was ordered by the
Governor of the
State to the protection of
Fort Morgan, near
Mobile, where, as a soldier, he executed the orders of that State.
Capt. Gracie has been in
Elizabeth, N. J., for some days, on a visit to his wife and children, who reside there --but was about returning to
Mobile.
On Wednesday night a rough crowd, the tools of Abolitionists, doubtless, gathered around his mother-in-law's dwelling, (
Mrs. Mayo,) and hung
Mr. Gracie in effigy, firing Roman candles, and burning a tar barrel, with great noise and yells.
After this demonstration they returned in procession.
A poster was put up, during the night, threatening
Mr. Gracie with "tar and feathers," if he did not leave within 24 hours, and declaring him to be a "traitor" for serving in the
Mobile forces.
It was the intention of
Mr. G to leave, but he now intends to stay, to give them an opportunity to carry out their threats.
He has a large number of friends in
Elizabeth, who have promised to defend him from violence at all hazards.
Launch of the South Carolina floating battery.
A Charleston letter, evidently unfriendly to
South Carolina, gives the following description of the launch of the floating battery at
Charleston:
‘
If I had asked any
attache of the press in
Charleston if he thought
Lieut. Hamilton's iron-plated floating battery would be launched this morning, from
Mr. Marsh's ship-yard, he very likely would have told me that he "really did not know; it was talked about; it was uncertain," &c. I told one of my specials that if he saw them greasing the ways, or doing anything stirring this morning, to hurry and tell me; so at 7 A. M, he rushed into my room and informed me that everything was ready, and
Lieut. Hamilton would give the word in a few minutes.
Arrived at Palmetto wharf, I saw a small crowd gathering, which each moment increased, as the news spread through the town.
By 8 ¼ o'clock at least 5,000 people were present, and the unknown quantity, called by many the "
slaughter pen," rolled heavily and clumsily into her new element.
They haven't christened her, and when they do, it is my private opinion that it will be done in the blood of all who embark in her.
’
I hope the Richardson Guards, in particular, will say their prayers, even if they never did it before, and make their wills in some sort of earnestness, for they never will see
Charleston again.
It will be another ‘"Baklava charge,"’ without the glory of that superb act of daring that
Tennyson has immortalized.
God help those who do go, if the tide should turn her round and present her unprotected side to
Major Anderson's death-dealers, at only
six hundred yards. Only the gun-side is plated, and the roof of that part looks very like an old-fashioned rope-walk.--The machine fell into the water with a strong list to starboard, as the sailors phrase it, drawing on the gun-side full seven feet, while on the other, not more than four!
Lieutenant Hamilton is an ambitious man, and first brought himself into
Palmetto notice by his extraordinary appeal to his ex-brothers of the
American Navy, to tear down the Stars and Stripes whenever they had a chance, and after nailing them ignominiously to the mast to bring the ships into any confederate port.-- The
Lieutenant is a brave man, even unto rashness; he can give no better proof of it than his intention to head the boys who are ambitious of seeking a bloody grave.
It will take some time to get her ballasted and to get her guns properly mounted, and then we wait for the Ides of March.
