January 7, 1861, The New York Herald
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6., 1861
The President, in submitting the correspondence with the South Carolina Commissioners to Congress tomorrow, will accompany it with a special message, setting forth the condition of affairs in South Carolina and other Southern States that have and are still engaged in taking possession of property belonging to the United States and setting at defiance the federal laws. In submitting these facts to Congress he will leave to them to take such action in the matter as they may think proper, whether it be the enactment of a force bill or nay other measure which will meet the exigencies of the times.
It is generally believed that he will recommend something in the shape of a force bill. He will inform Congress as he did the Commissioners, that he intends to collect the revenue, execute the laws and defend the government property with all the power at his command.
The President’s Message will be accompanied by documents showing the position of Major Anderson, which, it is said, will reflect the greater credit upon that gallant officer than he has yet received. Nothing will do so much at this time toward allaying the tendency to treason, now so rampant, and uniting the people, without reference to party, of the Northern and border slave States in their adherence to the Union as the reported firm position that Mr. Buchanan will take in his Message tomorrow.
The Southern Senators and members have got an inkling of the contents of the Message, and are preparing for an onslaught upon the President. They intend to attack him after the manner of the South Carolina Commissioners in their communication, charging him with deception and falsehood, and will attempt to prove that he had given pledges to the people of South Carolina that the status which existed up to the time that Major Anderson changed his garrison should be rigidly maintained. They intend to read the reply of the Commissioners, which President Buchanan refused to receive and let it go on the journal as part of the correspondence.
The action of the Secretary of the navy in garrisoning Fort Washington with a company of marines is severely commented upon by the other men. They regard it as an indication on the part of the administration of the policy intended to be pursed towards the South generally.
The statement that Ben McCullough is engaged in recruiting volunteers in Maryland and Virginia for the purpose of making an attack upon this city, or to prevent the inauguration of Mr. Lincoln, is without shadow of foundation. He left here for Texas several weeks ago to attend to some private business. He is not expected here for several weeks to come.
Major Anderson is believed to have acted the part of a sagacious soldier. He was informed before he left for Charleston, that Fort Pinckney had a furnace for heating shot, which would enable him with a single company to defy all South Carolina, and reduce Charleston to ashes in case of attack. It was requisite, however, that he should hold Fort Moultrie with three companies more and two at Fort Sumter. With the small number of men under his command he did the wisest thing – what, as a soldier’s common sense exacted – in retiring to Fort Sumter, where he is comparatively safe, and with his own safety the chances of bloodshed are greatly diminished.