--A dispatch from
Columbus, Ky., June 12 to
Col. James Colman, of
Memphis, says:
‘
The City of
Alton landed at our town, at 11 ½ o'clock A. M., filled with troops and 12 pieces of artillery, and took down our flag and trampled it under foot — spitting upon it. They warned us that if we uttered secession sentiments we would rue it in three days. --The citizens could not resist, but old defiance.
The commander asked if there was one man who wanted it down.
The answer was ‘"No."’
Columbus is all right for the
South.
We want your assistance.
Gov. Magoffin has been addressed by a special messenger.
’
It appears that the
Lincoln troops, after tearing down the flag and sufficiently frightening the women and children, returned to their transport and made their way back to headquarters.
The Memphis Appeal thus alludes to the raid:
We have no reason to doubt this very singular procedure, the intelligence of which seems sufficiently confirmed to attest its truth.
It seems to us to be inexplicable on any other ground than that the adventurers who perpetrated the raid, did so with the mere intention of testing the extent of
Kentucky's submission.
The duty, of course, now devolves upon
Governor Magoffin, upon ascertaining the full circumstances of the case, to demand of the abolition commandant at
Cairo the design of this insulting movement, and to take immediate steps that will effectually prevent its repetition.
It is sufficiently well understood in this community that the occupation of
Columbus, as a roosting place for the unclean birds now congregated at
Cairo, can never be tolerated a single day by
Tennessee.
If
Kentucky's pretended neutrality should be violated by such an attempt, without resistance on the part of her constituted authorities, an immediate dislodgment of them by the soldiery of the
Volunteer State may be looked for as a necessary measure in the prosecution of our defence.
It will, perhaps, save
Governor Magoffin no small deal of trouble and annoyance to turn his attention to this matter now, with the view of preventing other and more embarrassing complications.
The following is the
Northern account of the affair:
Cairo, June 12.--A steamer with two Federal companies and a squad of artillery was cruising, when a few miles below
Columbus, Ky., the machinery of the boat broke and she drifted ashore.
Three persons went ashore and cut the Secession flag down.
