The attack on Charleston — what the Yankees thought about it.
The last papers from the North show that at Yankeedom was on tiptoe to hear from Charleston. They boaster up their hopes by rehearsing the immense armaments they sent against the "doomed city." They say they sent 34 guns, capable of throwing 8,232 pounds of iron into the "rebel works" Capt. Hudreth, of the steamer Yankee, has arrived in New York. He passed the Monitors lying off Charleston. The Tribune says:‘ He reports a statement made to him by Capt. Howes, of the Spaulding, United States transport steamer, on her way to Fortress Monroe from Charleston, to the effect that the Monitors were at North Edisto Island, and that the rest of the fleet were lying abreast of the bar off Charleston harbor. Capt. Howes also reported that the officers of the fleet were, when he passed them, assembled on board Admiral Dupont's flagship, where they were apparently in consultation. This was on Saturday, April 4th.
’ Capt. Howes noticed that Fort Sumter presented an unusual appearance, and, as near as he could discern by using his glass turret had been rested on the top of the fort, in which there seemed to be one large gun mounted. It is supposed that the armament of this turret will be used to discharge plunging shot against the Monitors when ascending the harbor towards Charleston.
A correspondent of the New York Evening Post writes from Baltimore, Wednesday, April 8th:
A gentleman who has just reached here from Port Royal, by way of Fortress Monroe, gives us come highly interesting particulars in reference to the movements against Charleston. My informant left Port Royal on the morning of Saturday, the 4th, and passed Charleston at noon on Sunday. Nearly all the troops had left, price to his departure for North Edisto inlet, eighteen miles from Charleston, where it was understood they would remain for some days, awaiting the action of Dupent. Gen. Hunter left Port Royal on the 3d, in the steamer Gen. Defend.
The iron clads had all left for their destination and most of them were off Charleston on Sunday. In addition to the Monitors, several other vessels-of-war were lying off the harbor. The Ironsides was prepared for action; her spare and rigging had been taken down, and nothing remained exposed but iron. The rest of the fleet were also said to be ready for an immediate assault, which it was believed would take place immediately.
When off Charleston, the Spaulding, upon which my informant was a passenger, was boarded by an officer of the steamer Mary Sanford, who reported that a number of shells had been thrown at Fort Sumter in order to test the range of our guns; but beyond this no demonstration had been made. The utmost enthusiasm was manifested by the officers and men of the fleet and no doubt at all was felt as to the result of the engagement admiral Dupont was said to have late information as to the, actual condition of the rebel forts and other defences, and was also precisely informed as to the peculiarities of the harbor, explorations of which have been industriously made under cover of night for some weeks past. It was said the Admiral would make the James Adger his flag-ship, but would go into action on the ironsides.
It was understood the land forces would move after the assault had been commenced on the harbor defences, when the rebels would be less able to offer a formidable resistance to our advance than they would be were the land force to take the initiative.
A tremendous explosion took place in the harbor of Charleston, a few days since, causing a jarring sensation to the whole blockading squadron, six miles off. It is supposed to have been a premature explosion of some submarine torpedo.
The New York Times of Friday, contains the following gratifying intelligence:
‘ The United States steamer Sumter, J. F. Winchester, Acting Master Commanding, hence on the 23d ult for Port Royal, S. C., has returned in distress. She left this port on the 23d ult. for Port Royal, S. C., but sustaining some damage to the machinery, put into Hampton Roads for repairs.--She sailed thence on the 1st inst., designing to proceed on the voyage with the submarine battery Alligator in tow, and from the 2d to the 6th inst. experienced a succession of gales and tornadoes which were almost unparalleled in severity. Acting Ensign E Southron, and Frederick Way, ordinary seaman, were washed overboard and her hatches, boats, bulwarks, and the submarine battery Alligator, were lost. The Sumter also sprung a leak, and sustained considerable damage to her machinery. For three days her officers and crew had only hard biscuit to eat; but they undauntedly tolled on, and, by their skill and unremitting labor, saved the vessel.
’
The peace party of the North.
Below we give some extracts from a speech of some length and of no ordinary power and boldness, written by Ben Wood, and, by content, published in the Congressional Globs. The fact that such a speech can be calculated in the United States and such editorials be published as those from which we have published extracts, can now be spoken and written with impunity, and their authors go unpunished, evidences a marked and important change, favorable to us, in public opinion, and in the policy of the Government. Among other things, Mr. Wood said:‘ It is habitual to throw the weight of responsibility for our impotence upon the Administration and its Generals. Imbecility and iceman potence have indeed, been sufficient and conspicuous but not to these do I attribute the failure, the alter, unequivocal, and irredeemable failure of our enterprise of conquering back the Union. The failure of the scheme is simply due to the impossibility of its accomplishment. We can never by force of arms control the will of a people our equals in the attributes of enlightened manhood; and while the will of that people remains adverse to political companionship with us, political companionship is impossible. Bloodshed, destruction of property, and occupation of lands are possible; much suffering, grief, and folly are possible as we have too sadly proved it; but a constrained union of sovereign States is an impossibility. which if omnipotence could accomplish, omniscience would not attempt. Six millions of Americans, whether they occupy the North, the South, the East or the West, cannot be governed except in accordance with their sovereign will.
’ But granting it possible, the question arises of equal moment; is it desirable? Has not the struggle already been too fierce to admit of unity and cordial feeling between a conquering and a conquered section? Sir, I fear it has I believe that, while the memory of this war exists the people of the North and South, united by constraint, would never sufficiently forgive the past year's record to admit of friendly relationship in the same political household.
Eight or wrong, men will cling to their own impressions of a great and sanguinary struggle, in which they or their sires have been participants.--As the living fathers of future generations this day feel so will they bequeath to their children, and in natural course the North and South will nurse their own and separate views of this unparalleled epoch of carnage and contention.
I confess, sir, I apprehend no-difficulty or misfortunes in the event of separation at all commensurate with those that must inevitably prove the sequences of reunion by mere force of arms.
I can conceive two great republics, expanding in grandeur, moving side by side upon principles almost identical, extending the area of self-government, the one northward and westward, the other southward and westward, united for mutual defence, and protected by wise and generous alliance from the jar of conflicting interests, I can conceive them gravitating towards each other, drawing nearer and nearer as asperities and unpleasant memories soften with the lapse of time, until, when the safe and natural limits of political affinity shall have been determined the two mighty nations shall merge again into one upon a foundation perfected by the experience of the past. But I cannot conceive a happy, prosperous and republican union, cemented by blood, remounted to repugnance and prolonged by the submission of the weak to the dictation of the strong.
In my view, therefore, this war, nominally for the Union, has actually been waged against it — With that belief, rather than prolong it, I would concede a separation as the means of an ultimate reunion upon such principles as a true Republican should entertain. Animosities have been engendered, and conflicting principles have been developed by hostilities to an extent that render a reunion in the present state of feeling an event to shrink from as unnatural. Those conflicting principles may be reconciled when the smoke of battle shall have passed away, but surely not until then.--When every conciliatory measure shall have been resorted to in vain; when negotiation shall have been exhausted; when the purpose of the Southern people to abstain from political companionship with us shall have been demonstrated as fixed and irrevocable, and not the passionate resolve of heated blood, then, as a necessity useless to struggle against, I shall not only counsel, I shall urge, a separation.
Sir, I appreciate the extent of this Government's military resources. I acknowledge its wonderful strength in ships, men, and munitions. Had we a foreign foe to grapple with, one half the battles we have waged against the South would have decided the issue to our triumph. No earthly power could resist our magnificent machinery of war, directed in a cause that touched the people's heart. If the Confederate armies, all massed together and fired with the inst of subjugation, should invade one Northern State, the thought of our violated fire sides would accuse an energy that would scatter the invaders like leaves before the wind. But in this war we have no principle that comes home to the heart of the masses; we are fighting for subjugation; with a patriotic ulterior purpose perhaps, but still for subjugation. If that is a principle, it is one that can never accuse the energies of the American people.
The foe has us at a disadvantage, sir. He be- lieves that he is fighting for the sanctuary of his home; for the freehold of his native soil; for social institutions that he was taught to justify, and for his conception of self-government.
Therefore it is that the South has maintained itself, defiant resolute, and hopeful, against the most formidable military operations knows in the history of war.
Let the friends of peace proclaim themselves as such. Let them not fear to be premature. This day is not one day too soon for their lips to assert what their hearts know to be true. If the people are not prepared, let us commence the task of preparation. It is a task already half accomplished; for, indeed, the masses, with their unerring institute, have already fathomed the depths of this great sea of troubles. They would welcome ruin for its own sake, and for the memories of old; or, if inevitable, they would accept separation with a sigh of regret, and then push on alone in the path of progress; for their self reliant, Anglo-Saxon natures would spurn the timid doctrine that the sturdy North--their North, built by their energies, and with millions of acres yet unreclaimed from the wilderness for expansion — is dependent on the South for prosperity and grandeur.
Refined Thieves — a raid on Graveyard statuary.
The dwellings of Dixie are not the only places pillaged of works of art by the Yankees. Serg't Hammond, of the 5th Michigan cavalry, and a private in the same corps, have been arrested for stealing two statuettes from the Congressional burying ground at Washington, and a bronze statue from the residence of Clark Mills, the sculptor.-- The Chronicle says:‘ The most conclusive evidence against the sergeant was in the shape of copies of letters addressed to him from his home in Michigan. They are written by different members of his family, and evince education. Intelligence, and a sensitive appreciation of the beautiful. The articles were evidently not stolen for the sake of money-gain, but for the purpose of sending them home for preservation.
’ To show how his presents were appreciated we give a few extracts from the captured correspondence. On the 8th of February--writes: "We got a lot from you last evening and, oh, Noble, what beautiful cherubs you do find! I don't know but we shall almost worship them.--stands and gazes at them perfectly entranced. They go so far ahead of anything he ever saw that he is perfectly lost in admiration.--says to them, oh, you dear, sweet little angel, I want to give you a kiss; and — says,'me feels as though me should like to wake them up and play with them'They are the pet treasure of the family."
The first part of the above extract--"what beautiful cherubs you do find" --shows what representations he made to the persons to whom he sent this statuary.
From the following it will be seen that the sergeant is being engaged in collecting a number of botanical specimen: "Mr.--is making an awful tearing up in the green house to make room for those new plants. I expect by next summer the conservatory will be in a blaze of tropical splendor.--
From another letter, dated on the 8th February, we extract:
The Sleeping Beauty has arrived during my absence, and reposes in all its cold purity in the conservatory. Mother says that Divine Love was broken on the journey. We very much respect it, for I think it better for conservatory decoration than the Sleeping Beauty, which is more of a parlor piece, and the finer of the two.
Another letter says:‘"The statuette which you sent is a most exquisite gem. The countenance and expression is perfectly Angelle. How much genius is shown in chiseling such perfect forms with expressions so life-like out of inanimate marble. Were it not that artists have almost always to contend with poverty one would think they must lead a kind of charmed existence in creating such beautiful formations."’
We close the quotations with the following:"Oh, how often I wish you were all at home. It has got to be too much of a nigger warfor my boys to be in it much longer. Old Abe and Republicanism is fast losing ground in these parts. Keep your eyes open, and as soon as you can all come honorably, come, by all means," It is to be hoped that "Old Abe" and the Republican party have not lost ground in Washington as fast as the Congressional burial-ground has lost statuary. It will be some time before "my boys" will go home "honorably." They will have to modify their intense admiration of beautiful statuary in graveyards.
The conscription Act in Vallandigham's District.
The following is a letter taken from the person of an Ohio cavalryman, captured at Danville. It is from the brother of the prisoner; is post-marked Ash Hedge, Ohio; and this extract from it may give our readers some idea of the sentiment of the Democracy of Vallandigham's District:"Bill Davis has been at home two weeks. I don't know whether he has a parole or not. I had entertained the hope to see you soon. You are perfectly aware of what you are fighting for and I would ask, is that what you enlisted for? It is not; then there is nothing compulsory or binding to make you stay. You enlisted for the sole purpose of defending our Government and its institutions. But since the 22nd September the programme is changed, changed to what? To a d — d infernal crusade against the institution of slavery. I know you did not enter for that, and I know you do not entertain such principles. Where, then, would there be any dishonor in leaving the service, where you was deceived as to its true calling? But enough of this, for you are well posted. It seems, from the latest news, that the conscription or draft bill has passed; but we don't regard it as amounting to anything, for they can't make us go."
