rills. These young gentlemen, not being
removable, according to the Constitution, and exempted from conscription
by an act of Congress, volunteered some months ago for "local defense
and special service," never supposing that regular drilling would be
obligatory except when called into actual service by the direction of
the President, in the terms of an act of Congress, which provided that
such organizations were not to receive pay for military service, unless
summoned to the field by the President in an emergency. They receive no
pay now--but yet the impression prevails that this order has the
approbation of the President, as Gen. G. W. Custis Lee is one of his
special aids, with the rank and pay of a colonel of cavalry. As an aid
of the President, he signs himself colonel; as commander of the city
brigade, he signs himself brigadier-general, and has been so
commissioned by the President. How it can be compatible to hold both
positions and commissions, I do not understand--but perhaps the
President does, as he is well versed in the rules and regulations of the
service. Some of the clerks, it is said, regard the threat as
unauthorized by law, and will resist what they deem a usurpation, at the
hazard of suffering its penalties. I know not what the result will be,
but I fear "no good will come of it." They are all willing to fight,
when the enemy comes (a probable thing); but they dislike being _forced_
out to drill, under threats of "punishment." This measure will not add
to the popularity of Col. (or Gen.) Lee.

SEPTEMBER 11TH.--A dispatch from Raleigh informs us of a mob yesterday
in that city. Some soldiers broke into and partially destroyed the
office of the _Standard_, alleged to be a disloyal paper; after that,
and when the soldiers had been dispersed by a speech from Governor
Vance, the citizens broke into and partially destroyed the _Journal_, an
ultra-secession paper. These were likewise dispersed by a speech from
the Governor.

Gen. Whiting writes that the enemy is making demonstrations against
Lockwood's Folly, 23 miles from Wilmington. He says if 3000 were to pass
it, the forts and harbor would be lost, as he has but one regiment--and
it is employed on picket service. He says in ten nights the enemy can
come from Charleston--and that Wilmington was never so destitute of
troops since the beginning of the war, and yet it was never in such
great peril. It is the only port remaining--and to lose it after such