The vital question now is, can a recourse to the policy marked out by Mr. Crittenden save the nation from the imminent danger in which it is now placed by the bad management and fatal policy of Mr. Lincoln? Can wisdom and statesmanship now save the ship of State from total wreck? We confess that there is much reason for doubt upon this point. Mr. Lincoln himself is so thoroughly committed to his policy that he cannot change it, and if he could, neither the South nor the North would place any confidence in his adhering to the new policy. If the country is to be saved from utter ruin there must be a change of policy and a change of rulers; without it success is impossible and the Union is gone forever. The election of Mr. Lincoln under the present circumstances would be the end not only of all hope for the safety of this Republic, but of republican forms of government, for no one who studies the history of the past can satisfy himself that republican institutions in the North or South can long survive the dissolution of the Union. The Confederate States have deliberately incorporated into their Constitution the fatal clause which will prove their ruin, and the North has submitted too tamely to the repeated violations of the old Constitution to induce any one to believe that it will prove any barrier to the ambitious projects of corrupt men.

The leading copperhead here is Mr. Hull, county auditor. I have just been introduced to him. He is very popular, influential, and one of the wealthiest men in the State. He has just returned from Washington, D. C. I am handling him most delicately, for I take him to be one of the best judges of human nature that I have ever met. He came here at an early day from Ohio, but was raised in Virginia. He traveled whom he gave much treasure. He spent much time with Val. in C. His business in Washington was to get permission to visit his son, who is in our Army. He refused to take the required oath and returned without seeing him. He says Pierce, Fillmore, Seymour, of McClellan will be nominated at Chicago. Says Val. is too young, but will get a cabinet appointment as Secretary of War when he can settle with Burnside. I am to see him to-morrow, and did not press him to-night. Whatever is going on here he is in fully. He knows personally almost every man in Congress, especially Senators.

The following from to-day Free Press will illustrate the position of Mayor Barker:

NOTE FROM MAYOR BARKER.

MAYOR'S OFFICE, Detroit, July 2, 1864.

The EDITOR OF THE DETROIT FREE PRESS:

I notice in the last issue of the Advertiser and Tribune an attempt to create a false impression and to array the trades union against the city government by falsely charging that I refused to permit the ire department of the city to join in the possession on the 4th of July. It is sufficient for me to say that the first I heard of the application was the gross charges in that paper that I had refused. On the contrary, I have no objection, if the department was willing, and it would be very gratifying to myself and the committee of the fire department to have them join in celebrating what we have left of our nation's independence.

K. C. BARKER,

Mayor.

Another leading "butternut" here is Mr. -Niles. I only saw him.

Formed the acquaintance of A. I. Ambler, of Chicago, Ill. He is a great traitor. He formerly practiced law at Batesville, Ark. He is now introducing a patent brake upon railroads. He will be in Saint Louis soon. He says he "never will bear arms against the South. " I see the name of Dr. John Bares, of Saint Louis, Mo., registered at the Russell House July 2. Who is he? May be some one may desire to know.

I shall leave here as soon as possible.

Very respectfully,

E. F. HOFFMAN.