The War.
The depredations of the Confederate Navy--a fleet of sail and Span vessels ordered off to Catch the "pirates"--Indefinite commission to charter vessels.
The Yankees are driven to madness by the successful career of the Confederate vessels, and the destruction of their commerce. As an evidence of the alarm created by the appearance off Cape Delaware, on the 14th inst., of the little sailing privateer Tacony, the New York papers state that Admiral Paulding there has received authority to charter any number of ships he pleases to go in pursuit of her.--He has already chartered four steamers. The New York Herald says:‘ The recent depredations on our commerce by the rebel pirates have stirred up the Navy Department to such an extent that all the navy-yards are perfectly revolutionized by the amount of work ordered to be done within a few days. On Saturday orders were received by Admiral Paulding to complete at once all crafts nearly ready for sea, and to dispatch immediately those in commission and seaworthy. He was not to stand upon the order of going, but to go at once. Similar instructions were sent to Philadelphia and Boston. The excitement occasioned by this unexpected energy was remarkable, and has increased every hour since; for fresh dispatches, each containing new commands, have succeeded each other rapidly for seventy hours. The resources of New York may be judged from the fact that twenty-four hours after the receipt of the first orders the following fleet was outside the light:
| Name. | description. | speed |
| 1. Seminole | steam Gunboat | S knots |
| 2. Dai Ching | steam Gunboat | not known |
| 3. Virginia | iron Steamer | 10 knots |
| 4. Tuscarora | steam Sloop | 8 knots |
| 5. Kitatinny | steam Gunboat | 8 knots |
| 6. Adela | iron Steamer | not known |
the Tuscarora and Kitatinny were to have sailed last evening from the Lower Bay. The following vessels are in a condition to be dispatches in 24 hours, and are preparing as fast as possible:
| Name. | Description. | Speed. |
| 1. San Jacinto | Screw Sloop | 9 knots |
| 2. Shenandoah | Screw Sloop | never tried |
| 3. Seneca | Steam Gunboat | 10 knots |
| 4. Dacotah | Steam Gunboat | 12 knots |
The Seneca and Shenandoah are at Philadelphia, and the Dacotah has just arrived at Baltimore. Over a dozen craft could be added to the above in about two weeks; some of them, as the Gertrude, are very fast. Some hopes are entertained of the Adela turning out a rapid steamer, as she has the Morgan paddle wheel, and is said to be capable of going sixteen miles an hour. Besides all these there are twenty seven double-enders, of which order twenty have been afloat and waiting engines for several weeks. Had the machinists been up to time with these, a score more of regular men-of-war might have been added to the chase; as it is, none of them can be ready in time to be of any use.
As will be seen from the estimate of speed set forth, none of the vessels dispatched could overhaul a pirate running sixteen or eighteen miles an hour. Having this fact in view, Secretary Wells yesterday telegraphed to Rear Admiral Paulding, authorizing him to charter such steamers and sailing ships as he deemed best adapted for speed. The good fortune attending the Inc., the Restless, and Courier, all sailing vessels, which have, by rapid movements, overhauled and captured prizes, rendered it good policy to give our clippers a trial after the pirates.
The rumors which have been in circulation for some time, to the effect that a concerted attack would probably be made by rebel men-of-war on our small squadrons in the Mediterranean and the East Indies, having reached the authorities, it is said that four steamers are to proceed to the coast of Brazil, four to the Mediterranean, and four to the East Indies, for the purpose of reinforcing our fleets and protecting American commerce. The St. Louis and Constellation, in the Mediterranean, would be well able to protect themselves from any wooden vessels of their size and power, but the same security is not felt in regard to other squadrons. While little importance is attached to the statements that rebel iron clads from England were contemplating the project of a voyage "up the Strait," it is deemed as well to guard against such a contingency.
The iron-clad Passaic, having been completed at Hunter's Point, was towed to the Navy-Yard by the steam-tug Vanderbilt. The Roanoke did not go in commission.
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The result of the invasion if successful
The Philadelphia Inquirer, commenting on the invasion of that State, has a very warm sermon--"I told you would be so," being the text. It thanks Heaven that it never underrated the strength of the rebels — it never credited the reports about their being ragged and half starved, and tired of the war — and now, in spite of its warnings, here's the thing itself come at last. It draws the following very sad picture:If it is made apparent to the world that we cannot overthrow the rebellion that seeks to secure its end by "rendering certain the breaking up of the Federal Union," then we stand before the world shorn of all our national dignity. If twenty-one millions of men, with resources and facilities such as ours, cannot conquer a rebellions faction of five and a half millions of men, holding some four millions of slaves, then is our national banner trailed in the dust, and every American citizen humiliated in the eyes of the world.
Bold language for a New York paper.
The New York Freeman's Journal has an article on the manifold outrages committed by Lincoln on the rights (if they have any) of the citizens of the United States:‘ Is it not evident that the Lincoln Administration, despising the United States Constitution, which all its members swore to obey, are acting as if they were dispensed from all law save that of force? Are they not all scholars and followers of the sophist Seward, and acting on his "higher law?"
If so, what is the duty of law abiding freemen? We American citizens have sworn no obedience to men. Ours is "a Government of laws and not of men." Our rulers are our fellow-citizens — our public servants, not our masters. This is the fundamental plan and Constitution that the people of all the States, using the God-given right of forming a Government to suit them, have established. Our public servants are as much subject to the Constitution and laws as are the people. They have no more right to kidnap Vallandigham than we have to kidnap David Tod, Governor of Ohio, or Seward, or Lincoln. They have no more right to send bayonets to overawe the freemen of Indiana or New Jersey, constitutionally and peaceably assembled, than we have to dictate proclamations to Lincoln with a pistol at his ear.
Has the Lincoln Cabinet adopted the slang of the Richmond newspaper writers? Does the Administration make the dreadful mistake of taking the patience and forbearance of the Northern people for abject cowardice? It looks like it — but, if so, the hallucination is destined to a bloody awakening! We are law abiding. We will retreat from conflict, "even to the wall!" But, if we be pushed to the wall — If no choice be given us but to resist, or to yield to the Administration as slaves to masters — then the Administration will find that, even if our liberties be gone, it is not to such masters as they that the people will yield.
In the interest of justice, of good order, of social tranquility, we appeal to Lincoln and his surroundings. We do not appeal to their justice, for they are devoid of it. We do not appeal to their magnanimity, for they never had it. We, do not appeal to their common sense, for their conduct forbids it. We appeal to what we know exists — their fears. By their cowardly fears we appeal to them not to push the law abiding people of the North to the wall, in defence of rights we will never surrender to them! Woe to them, if the lawlessness of the Administration shall extend to the people!
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