Signs of the times.
The subjoined extracts from late papers will prove interesting to the reader:
[From the New York Evening Post, Aug. 29.]
for
Matamoras or A Market.
A day or two ago the Evening Post called attention to the fact that the first applications for clearances to
Matamoras,
Mexico, made at the custom-house for three years past have been within a week; and, also, that the convenient town of
Brownsville, Texas, a little distance from
Matamoras, on the other side of the
Rio Grande, is quite as good a port as
Matamoras, with the known advantage of being near the
Gulf, and the probable one of being the port for which the shipments are intended.
A reference to our shipping list to day will show that the
William R. Kibbe, whose name is familiar in connection with the recent history of the slave trade, has just cleared for
Matamoras.
She sailed to-day under the
British flag, with a cargo valued at from twenty to thirty thousand dollars, and consisting of clothing, flour, provisions, coffee, potatoes, and a general list of articles which may be needed at
Matamoras, but which are actually wanted in the seceded States.
The
Port Surveyor the Naval officer have been watching the Kibbe for a week past, and as in the case of all suspected vessels, have refused to clear her without special instructions from the Treasury Department at
Washington.
The special instructions have been received, allowing the Kibbe to clear, and she has done so. It is not improbable that the Treasury Department has thus authorized the shipment of valuable cargo of provisions and clothing, which is intended to afford at least $30,000 worth of aid and comfort to the
Confederates.
While the provision trade between this port and the
British providers and some of the
West India islands is unusually active, and larger shipments are making to those places than ever were known before, the proper officers and their subordinates in the
Custom House are exercising the utmost vigilance to see that those shipments are for a legitimate purpose.
In every case of supicion the vessel applying for a clearance has been detained will a statement of the matter could be sent to
Washington, and explicit instructions respecting her clearing could be received.
Of course there is no such thing now as the shipment of arms and munitions from this port; but aid and comfort to the
Confederates, in the way of clothing and provisions, are afforded almost daily, and cargoes, by direction of the Treasury Department, are cleared for ports where their re-shipment to the seceded States is easy and certain.
We would suggest that the larger dealers in flour and provisions, whose position prevents the suspicion of their willingness to engage in an unlawful trade, should unite with the
Naval Officer and Surveyor in suppressing the shipments of provisions by suspected vessels.--The class of merchants referred to know whether or not the shipments are made in a legitimate manner, and can supply the Treasury Department with such evidence, in some cases, as ought to prevent the transmission of special instructions to clear the vessels.
The register at the
British Consulate in this city shows that within a fortnight a large number of vessels have changed hands from American to British owners.
Almost all of these vessels engage at once in the provision transportation business, and sail for
St. Johns,
Halifax,
Nora Scotia, and the
West India Islands.
To-day about eighteen hundred barrels of flour, besides meal, pork and beef, cleared for Now
Brunswick, and another large cargo of provisions cleared for
Turks Island, all in British vessels.
Our colonial friends are in danger of being over-fed this season.
Brownlow on the war.
It seems that
Brownlow's Knoxville Whig had not been discontinued or suspended.
We have received a copy of the paper of Saturday last, from which we copy and editorial, showing that the person has materially changed his views on the result of the war:
Some fears are expressed in this State that a Federal army is soon to invade
East Tennessee.
There are ten or twelve thousand Confederate troops in
East Tennessee at present, and we honestly think that there is a greater prospect of their invading
Kentucky, than of
Kentucky troops invading our soil.
However, we have no information on the subject, save what we see in the newspapers, much of which is very unreliable.
One thing we feel confident we can say, and in doing so we think that we are representing the wishes of the more intelligent, considerate and influential portion of the
Union men. That is to say, we desire that no federal army shall come into
East Tennessee, and that no Confederate army shall go into
Kentucky, to get up a civil war between these two States.
We desire to be let alone and to remain at peace whilst other sections carry on the war.
Union men once supposed that a strong Federal force would take possession of
East Tennessee and her railroads, and thereby crush out the rebellion against the
Government; but they now believe the rebellion will crush out the
Government, owing to a want of competency and energy on the part of the
Federal Government.
In view of this, Union men have calmed down, desire to be let alone, and not forced into this war on either side.
Whilst our principles have undergone no change, we confess that we have lost confidence in the ability of the
Government to conduct the war to a successful termination.
The Government held
Fort Sumter, but allowed the Confederate forces to erect fortifications and batteries in reach of its guns, to which it was forced to surrender.
The Government held
Fort Pickens, well manned, but in reach of its guns permitted the
Confederates to entrench and fortify, and they could now take it if they chose.
The Government allowed an army and a brave commander, numbering 8,000, to be overrun by one of three times the force in
Missouri without reinforcements.
The Government allowed an army of 15,000 fresh troops to come down from
Winchester and stock the cards upon the ‘"Grand Army,"’ when there was a stronger force near
Winchester, under
Patterson, which never tried to engage the
Confederate force there.
The Government has a navy--a navy which, in other wars, was the nation's chief means of defence, and a terror to the enemy.
This navy is doing worse than nothing — not even rendering the blockade efficient.
Nowhere along the extended coast of rebellion has this navy ever struck a blow.
We believe this is all owing to the imbecility of the
Government.
A few days or weeks more will decide whether the
Federal Government is able to hold on to the
Capitol and records of the nation.
If they fall in this — and the indications are that they will — for God's sake let them not start a little army of raw militia into
East Tennessee, to involve our mountain men in all the horrors of a civil war. On behalf of our people — our women and children we call upon the old United States Government to let us alone, and to let us here, ‘"alone in our glory."’
Every where the affairs of the United States Government abroad are becoming more and more complicated and critical, and unless there is more energy and talent displayed on the part of
Lincoln's Administration, matters will soon arrive at such a point that the
Federal Government will have to fight, not only Confederates, but the allied fleets of
England and
France.
Reason right and vigilance.
The
Syracuse (N. Y.) Courier holds forth as follows upon the overbearing tyranny of the Federal party:
‘
Any man who desires to perpetuate for himself his constitutional rights and privileges must see that it is due, not to Southern traitors and interests, but to all true and loyal men, to the rights of the loyal
North, to his own freedom and to the liberties of his posterity, to rebuke each and all of these violations of constitutional right, each and all of these assumptions of unwarranted and arbitrary power.
Let men then remember that "eternal vigilance in the price of liberty !" Let them awake from their dreams of necessity, from their fatal slumber of security and confidence.
Let them remember that the exercise of Illegal, unconstitutional, unwarranted power is tyranny — a tyranny which will ever be resisted, not by mobs or illegal acts, but by the lawful and constitutional action of a free press and a free ballot ! For as long as a free press and a free ballot remain to a free people, lawless remedies can only be inexcusable and aggravate disorder and anarchy.
Are we not now living under a higher law than the
Constitution?
or are not those rights and privileges which were ever possessed by the American citizen, being gradually but determinedly taken away, and perhaps lost to them forever?
Let every American citizen, without regard to past party differences, watch, and judge, and defend !
’
The Philadelphia Ledger says:
‘
While we may entertain unbounded confidence in the gallant man and their gifted
Generals who guard the line of the
Potomac, we must bear in mind that whatever disasters we have experienced thus far have arisen from over-confidence, and that there is a possibility of further disasters, against the results of
which it is simply prudence to guard our selves.
In the present temper of
Baltimore and
Maryland, it is quite probable that a serious reverse to our arms on the
Potomac would transfer the seat of war to this side of
Baltimore.
The rebels have shown us their expectations and intentions by extending their military system, by not of the
Richmond Congress, over not only
Maryland, but over
Delaware--and
Delaware's Northern boundary is but a few miles below
Chester.--In this view of the matter,
Philadelphia becomes a frontier city, and is to be strengthened as such.
Yet, what has been done to meet a contingency which the chances of war may at any moment bring upon us?
Our Home Guard and Reserve Brigade are but a nucleus of partially trained soldiers, and though our teeming population would be ready to pour forth manfully, they would avail but little in the open field.
It is only behind defences that our numbers could be made available, and those defences should be provided.
’
A Western view of affairs.
The Detroit Free Press thus discusses the war question:
‘
It seems to us too clear for argument — it is like spending time to prove a self-evident proposition — that any attempt to make this war an issue between emancipating four millions of slaves in the
South, or defeat and recognition of the Southern Confederacy, is but another mode of announcing that we must submit to the latter alternative.
We look, there fore, upon all such papers as the New York Independent, the National Anti-Slavery Standard, the
Liberator, and their associates, wherever situated, as far more dangerous to the
Government than any Secession paper in existence.
They assail the
Constitution in a point which, if vulnerable, is death; they trample on the
Constitution and laws with delight; they laugh to scorn every principle which patriots hold sacred and inviolate.
It was this element which gave the extreme bitterness to the late Presidential contest, and roused up the passions of men to the point of madness; it was this element which pointed the finger of hatred to the
South, and held them up as objects of derision to the world; it was this element which laughed at all our fears, and declared that the
South would not dare to raise the standard of rebellion; it was this element which treated the war when once commenced with such levity, that the world was deceived as to its character and its importance.
* * * * * *
It weakens us in
Maryland; it paralyzes us in
Virginia; it gives strength to our fees in
Kentucky and
Missouri; and at
Washington it is unceasing in its partizan attacks, and ostracises men for opinion's sake, who would lay down their lives in a moment to save the country from the perils which now surround us.
’
The Cincinnati Gazette, a war journal, in a grumbling editorial upon the situation of affairs, says:
‘
Since our hands is in, we will also remark that the
Manassas disaster every member of the
Cabinet should have held his office only till his successor was appointed.
His resignation should at once have been placed at the service of the
President.
The disaster was too great, the disgrace too eternal, and the responsibility too direct to be shuffled off with the imbecile consolation that defeat may be better than victory.
This would have enabled the
President to have formed a Cabinet that would have revived the hopes of the country, and then defeat might have been turned to good.
This would not have placed the responsibility on those members of the
Cabinet who opposed the total policy, for their re-appointment by the
President would have endorsed and vindicated their precious course.
’
The Kentucky Commissioners.
We copy the following from the Louisville Courier:
‘
It is reported that a dispatch has been received in this city announcing the result of the interview between
Mr. Lincoln and the
Commissioners sent by
Gov. Magoffin to
Washington.
It is stated that the
President has determined to shape his policy, so far as regards
Kentucky, agreeably to the wishes of the
Union members of the Legislature and the
Union delegation in Congress.
We regard the reply of the
President to the
Commissioners — if it shall move as reported — as by no means satisfactory — as a trick of the Union party to gain time, so that by an act of the Legislature the
Lincoln encampments in the
State can be increased and legalized, and the State Guard disbanded; and when this shall be done, there will be no difficulty in matching
Lincoln soldiers into the
State, and re-enacting here the same scenes which have transpired in
Maryland and
Missouri.
’
More Hessian Cutriges.
The
Romney (Va.) Intelligencer says:
‘
Dr. Sangster, of
Moorefield, recently had stolen from his pasture five horses by the
Northern vandals who are prowling about in the western section of
Hardy county.
The residence of
Mr. Issue V. Laskeep, on the
North Branch of the
Potomac, in this county, we understand, was visited a few days ago by a portion of
Lincoln's vandals — The scoundrels took what property they desired, and injured the house very seriously.
Rev. William Welch, of this county, was arrested as a prisoner at his residence, on yesterday week, by a party of Northern invaders and taken to their headquarters at New Creek Station.
After detaining Mr. W. a day or so, he was released.
’
The war and the newspapers.
That the war has had a very damaging effect upon the newspaper business at the
North, is certain.
Some changes have lately taken place in New York, in regard to which one of the Abolition journals says:
‘
It is understood that the New York World and Courier and Enquirer, were sold out a few days ago — machinery, stook, good will, and all — to
Mr. John R. Ford, one of the principal stockholders, for $30,000. Out of this sum,
Mr. Ford is to pay all the debts incurred by the establishment since the 1st of July last, and the $17,000 mortgage on the press, held by
Mr. Hoe.
As the World paid $100,000 (in stock) for the Courier and Enquirer a few weeks since,
Mr. Ford has evidently obtained a bargain.
The expenses of the World are said to be $1,500 a week in excess of the receipts, the old Courier advertisements being by the year, and paid for in advance, proving a loss, instead of a source of income to the World concern.
The experiment of publishing a daily religions newspaper has cost the proprietors $200,000 in cash, and their journal the very slight reputation for piety which it established at the start.
The Journal of Commerce will probably announce this morning the retirement of
Mr. Hallock, his half of the paper having been purchased by
Mr. D. M. Stone, the commercial editor, and
Mr. Wm. C. Prime, the ‘"W"’ correspondent of the Journal.
The other half is still owned by the heirs of
Mr. David Hale.
Here after the Journal will be independent of politics patriotic in sentiment, and a first-class medium of the commercial community.
Its circulation through the mails, under the new regime, will be unimpeded, and many of its old friends and patrons have already returned and promised it their support.
’
