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APRIL, 1862.      DOUGLASS' MONTHLY.      629
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One of the oldest, soberest and most influential Senators remarked yesterday that Gen. McClellan with his 49 aids and 26 baggage wagons, had cost the country at least $2,000,000.  Another Senator as wise in finances and as cautious in policy as any member of the Upper House, said to day that he should place the total cost of wagons, staff and General at over, rather than under $2,000,000,an expenditure for which there was absolutely nothing to show except the Tax bill.

The Bridgeton New Jersey Pioneer learns that, at a meeting about four miles from that place, the following question was debated :——"Have the Southern States a reasonable right to secede ?"  It was voted upon by the audience, and decided in the affirmative——forty-two to six.  The meeting was largely attended many not voting on either side.  After voting in favor of secession, they retired from the building and gave cheers for the rebel Jeff. Davis.

President Lincoln has issued a War Order, dated March 11, in which it is

"Ordered, That the country west of the Department of the Potomac, and east of the Department of the Mississippi, be a military department to be called a Mountain Department, and that the same be commanded by Major General Fremont."

The British Parliament was formally opened on Thursday the 6th ult.  In reference to the Trent affair, the Queen used the following words——"That question has been satisfactorily settled by the restoration of the passengers to British protection, and by the disavowal by the United States government of the act of violence committed by their naval officer.  The friendly relations between Her Majesty and the President of the United States are therfore unimpaired."  In the same spirit Lord Palmerston said  that the British Government would continue its neutral course and that the distress in the manufacturing districts in England would not justify its interference with the blockade.

At the recent  engagement between the U. S. gunboats and a rebel battery on the Tennessee river, it is reported that the confederates lost about twenty killed, and two hundred wounded.  The enemy have fallen back three miles from the river.  The rebel force engaged in the fight was one thousand infantry, five hundred cavalry, and six pieces of artillery.

The village of Harper's Ferry is half burned, scorched and blackened by the hand of secession, and is almost deserted by its inhabitants.  Before General Banks came, it was said there were but six families in the town.  Even our men, who spent some time here last year, could hardly recognize it as the same place.

The Washington correspondent of the Dover Morning Star says :

"We have had a lecture from Gerrit Smith the philanthropist.  He maintains that the war as now conducted, is a war against the Constitution , the negro, freedom ,and God, that if we wish to succeed, we must make it a war against the rebels alone.  We must stop taking counsel of Kentucky.  This is a war for slavery ; and slavery had blinded the eyes of Kentucky.  If it were a whiskey insurrection we would not go to distillers for counsel.  If it were a war for polygamy, it  would not do
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to trust to much to the advice of Brigham Young.  If it were an anti-slavery insurrection, Kentucky would be qualified to judge  But as it was a pro-slavery insurrection, the Government should ask counsel of such clear eyed Abolitionists as William Lloyd Garrison  Wendell Phillips and Frederick Douglass.——In conclusion he exhorted the government to take counsel of the whole nation and of God.

The Richmond Dispatch  calls attention to mysterious writings on the wall indicating that Union conspirators are at work.  Among these wriings [sic] are the following :  'Attention, Union  men!  'Watch and wait !'  'The Union forever !'  'The day is dawning——the hour of deliverance approaches !'

It was these significant announcements that caused the arrest of John Minor Botts and twenty other citizens of wealth, character,and position, and the proclamation of martial law.

The Richmond Dispatch urges summary measures for checking the progress of treason, and advocates the arrest and execution of the conspirators.

Col. Corcoran and Col. Wilcox and other Federal prisoners have reached Richmond.——There was a great panic at Richmond, which was caused by the recent  defeats of the rebels.  The leading traitors exhibited the greatest trepidation.

The rebel newspapers down in Secessia are warmly complimenting Vallandigham for his speeches in Congress, and his opposition to the Lincoln administration.  The Breckinridge organs, North have the same opinion of the man, and the votes of their representatives in Congress are always found to coincide with his.  The race of dough faces is not yet extinct.

Many contrabands from beyond Manassas have come within Gen. Sumner's lines, reporting great demoralization in the rebel army.——Gen. Sumner gave employment to as many as wished to stay, and passes to the rest to go to Washington.  He stated his determination to use his command in no case to return them

Since his appointment to the Mountain department was made public, Major General Fremont has been over run with visitors who come to congratulate him upon his restoration to command.  So great was the throng on Monday that he was kept up at a late hour at night receiving his friends.  Yesterday in order to complete his business in the city he was compelled to deny himself to every one
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GEN. LANE.——This letter explains recent occurrences in the department of Kansas :

LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, Feb. 26, 1862.

SIR :  There should be a perfect understanding between you, the local representatives of the people of Kansas, and your representatives in the National Congress.  To this end, I make the following statement:

On the 20th of January I left Washington, expecting to take command of a column designed to move in four separate bodies through this State southward.

It was understood by the Senate, and expected by the country, that a satisfactory arrangement would be made with Major-Gen. Hunter.  Such was my conviction.

I came to Kansas, therefore, intending to arrange matters with him ; to resign my seat in the Senate to you from whom I had received it, and then to notify the President of the acceptance of the commission of Brigadier General, which was not to issue until the receipt of such notification.

I made every effort which self-respect would
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permit to effect this arrangement with Major Hunter.  I failed.  The correspondence when published will prove, indeed, that I could not have served under him in any capacity, however subordinate without degradation.

I had no military ambition beyond that connected with this expedition.  I desired to surround the institution of slavery with free territory, and thus girdle the cause of the rebellion itself.  Without fault on my part, as I believe, I have been thwarted in this, the cherished hope of my life.

The sad yet simple duty only remains to announce to you, and through you to the people of Kansas, my purpose to return to my seat in the United States Senate——a purpose declared to the President through a telegram,of which the following is a copy :

All efforts to harmonize with Maj. General Hunter have failed.  I am compelled to decline the Brigadiership.  J. H. LANE.

I have nothing further to say.  I trust you will find me as ever faithful to the State and the country.  All I am and all I have shall now as heretofore, be devoted to them.

Wishing you health, happiness, and a safe return to your constituents,

I remain your friend and servant,
J. H. LANE.
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Dispatches from Cairo report that the rebels have evacuated Columbus.  Confirmation of the reported evacuation is furnished in the following rebel account from the Memphis Appeal :

"Gen. Polk issued orders yesterday (Feb. 18,) that the track of the Memphis and Ohio Railroad should be torn up, and the bridges burnt——which order was obeyed and by this time the work of destruction is complete on a great part of the road.

A rumor prevails on the streets this afternoon, that Polk was preparing to evacuate Columbus to-morrow, remove all the guns,&c. and demolish the fortifications.

The forces at New Madrid and Fort Pillow together with the Columbus troops, are to repair at once to Memphis, and make a stand——making an army of about 50,000 men.

We have the rumor in such form as to give it credit, that an order has been issued by Gen. Polk for the evacuation of Columbus, which movement is understood to be executed under the direction of Beauregard.  It is stated that preparations are being made for our army to fall back to Island No. 10, or Fort Pillow——a very necessary move, it seems to us, in view of the capture of Fort Donelson and the surrender of Nashville.  As Gen. Polk made a call two or three days since upon the planters along the Mississippi River for a thousand negroes, for the purpose of completing and strengthening the fortifications at Island No. 10, we were not unprepared for this intelligence.  Indeed, it has long since been perfectly palpable to us that Columbus must eventually be evacuated and our lines drawn in, so soon as the central column of our army under Gen. Johnston at Bowling Green gave way,or Forts Henry and Donelson fell into the enemy's hands.  The capture of these positions was tantamount to a successful flanking of both Bowling Green and Columbus,and hence it required no experienced military eye to foretell some of its more immediate consequences.  These reasons strengthen our conviction of the authenticity of the rumor.

Island No. 10 is a strong position, not far from Hickman, Kentucky, about 45 miles below Columbus, and 115 above Fort Pillow and 185 above Memphis.  It completely commands the Mississippi River for miles above, and can be so fortified with heavy guns as to be made impregnable against river attack.  As it is demonstrated in the late battles at Forts Henry and Donelson that the Union gun boats are not invulnerable to rifled cannon and heavy columbiads, the position is well chosen, and with the aid of a good land force can be maintained against the approach of Foote's flotilla.

It is true that Columbus is to be evacuated  It will require, we presume, several days for the execution of this order, as care should be taken than none of our munitions or ordnance are left behind.
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