2

Affairs in St. Louis.

Our accounts from St. Louis indicate that Missouri is on the verge of a bloody and wasting strife. By our dispatches, and from the Republican and Democrat, of St. Louis, we have given accounts of the dreadful affairs on Friday, which still leaves a doubt as to which side was to blame for the sacrifice of life and limb. The affair of Saturday, we learn from the Republican, was brought on by the unprovoked firing upon a company of United States troops, by secessionists concealed in the houses on the line of the company's route.

We give to-day Capt. Lyon's official statement of Friday's affair; also, Gen. Harney's proclamation to the people, and the Republican's Jefferson City letter, showing the action of the secession conspirators in the legislature, who seized upon the news from St. Louis to enact the infamous laws which the Republican, a few days ago, pronounced as intended to deprive the people of their constitutional rights, and place them under a military despotism, which would and should be resisted to the bitter end. These laws have been passed, and, in effect, place the state, so far as its traitorous executive and legislature can do so, in opposition to the government of the Union, demanding of the people of the state an oath of allegiance to Missouri and to Missouri alone.

We have foreseen this shape of things for weeks past, and it is idle to attempt to disguise that fact that the official powers of Missouri have been making every effort, and essaying every dodge, to drag the state into treason, while they prated all the time of infringements on their rights.

They have been preparing despotic, unconstitutional laws, and mustering seditious forces, to overawe and subjugate the people. They have been stopped in their work, and what they now do they must do openly and with an avowed and unmistakable purpose.

From all we can gather of the bloody work of Friday, we are inclined to the belief, that the provocation by the mob was not sufficient to call for the bloody response which followed, in which an armed soldiery fired upon an unarmed crowd, embracing unoffending persons, men, women and children; but of the propriety of Capt. Lyons' course, in breaking up Camp Jackson, we have no doubt. The controlling powers of Missouri were preparing to put the state in rebellion to the national government. Frost's troops were in camp to obey their call, and it is simply idle to prate of forms when traitors' knives are at your throat, as to nice modes of procedure in preventing treason from getting the start of patriotism.

Gen. Harney's proclamation to the people of St. Louis, is in good temper and tone. We hope it will be heeded. Where it is not, we have faith in the man that he will do what is just and prudent in maintenance of the power of his government and the honor of his flag.