From Washington.
[special Correspondence of the Dispatch.]
Washington, Dec. 24, 1860.
Friday night there was a great flutter among the Republicans at Willard's Hotel.
The cause of it was an article in the Tribune of the next morning, giving Lincoln's determined purpose not to yield one iota of the Chicago platform.
This settles the business.
It kills at one blow both of the Union-saving Committees.
It accounts for the vote in the Committee of Thirteen on Crittenden's amendment.
It proves the correctness of the position taken in my letter to the Dispatch of December 7th: That the best way to avert civil war was to get Maryland and Virginia out of the Union before the 4th of March, so as to make coercion madness.
Its effect on Mr. Crittenden was to throw him into despair of the Union.
Mr. Toombs yesterday telegraphed Georgia that compromise was impossible, and nothing was left but prompt, separate State action.
I know this most positively.
Why cannot Virginia rely on herself, in this great emergency?
It is too late for co-operation.
The crash is upon us. Let Virginia prove her fearlessness.
A member, who has the ear of Sherman, Grow Kellogg, and all the ablest Republicans, tells me they indignantly repudiate secession.
No matter how many States go out, they will enforce the Revenue laws at all the Southern ports.
You see they can't yield.
It would be political suicide — the death of their party.--And when such a party has to choose between civil war and their own destruction, it is certain they will choose the former.
We can't yield more than the Crittenden amendment.
That they scout.
It seems to me that a fight here, in this very city, is inevitable.
I see but one sign of peace, and that struck my eye just a moment ago. Looking up from the paper on which I am writing, I saw Sumner sitting side by side with John Cochrane, talking earnestly.
This may or may not mean anything.
Cochrane is one of the best friends the South has at the North, and Sumner would hardly approach him here in the House with any other than a pacific purpose.
It is thought that Crittenden and Pugh are trying to form a Union-saving combination.
I have not seen one Virginian, whether member of Congress or private citizen, who does not condemn in the strongest terms Gov. Letcher's action about the cannon to fire a salute for South Carolina.
The question is hotly asked, "Is Baltimore a better friend of the South than Richmond?
Shall Baltimore fire a hundred guns and Richmond remain dumb?"
Zed. 