New York papers, issued after receiving intelligence of the fall of Sumter, now reached us, and both in their news and editorial columns indicated how suddenly that event had aroused the whole North. The voice of every journal was for war. The Herald, which one morning spoke bitterly against coercion, received a visit during the day from several thousand tumultuous citizens, who left it the alternative of running up the American flag or having its office torn down. By the presence of the police, and the intercession of leading Union men, its property was saved from destruction. In next morning's paper appeared one of its periodical and constitutional somersaults. Its four editorial articles all cried "War to the knife!"
The Rebels were greatly surprised, half appalled, and doubly exasperated at the unexpected change of all the northern papers which they had counted friendly to them; but they also shouted "War!" even louder than before.
At Goldsboro, where we stopped for supper, a small slab of marble, standing upon the mantel in the hotel office, had these words upon it:
"Sacred to the memory of A. Lincoln, who died of a broken neck, at Newburn, April 16, 1861."
An Inebriated Patriot.
Before the train started again, a young patriot, whose articulation was impeded by whisky, passed through it, asking:
"S'thr any --- ---- Yankee onth'strain? F'thr's a --- ---- Union man board these cars, Ic'nwhip him by ---. H'rahfr Jeff. Davis nth'southrncnfdrcy!" He afterward amused himself by firing his revolver from the car door. At the next station he stepped out upon the platform, and repeated:
"H'rah fr Jeff. Davis n'th'Southrn Confdrcy!" Another patriot among the bystanders at the station promptly responded:
"Good. Hurra for Jeff. Davis!"
"Yre th'man fr me," responded our passenger; "Come 'n' takeadrink. All fr Jeff. Davis here, ain't you?"