February 14, 1861; The New York Herald
The counting of the electoral votes for President and Vice President took place yesterday at Washington, when Abraham Lincoln was declared President and Hannibal Hamlin Vice President of the United States for four years from the 4th of March next. The following is the vote: –
Lincoln and Hamlin………………… 180
Breckinridge and Lane……………… 72
Bell and Everett…………………….. 39
Douglas and Johnson……………….. 12
Mr. Lincoln left Cincinnati yesterday morning for Columbus, where he arrived in the afternoon. On his arrival at Columbus he proceeded to the State House. He was welcomed in the House of Representatives by the Lieutenant Governor in a short address, to which Mr. Lincoln responded in a speech which is given elsewhere. While at Columbus Mr. Lincoln and family are the guests of Governor Dennison.
Affairs at the South still present the same aspect. Letters received from Fort Sumter state that the South Carolinians have erected an impregnable barrier of railroad iron on Cummings’ Point, at a point so near the fort as to enable them to do much mischief. Fort Moultrie has also been much strengthened. Lieut. Gillman, one of the officers in command of Fort Pickens, at Pensacola, arrived at Washington last evening. He states that the Brooklyn had not landed her supplies, Captain Slemmer having notified her commander that he had sufficient for three months. There were twelve hundred troops at Pensacola, eager to attack the fort, and it was apprehended that it would be taken before the Brooklyn could throw her troops into it.
The Virginia State Convention convened to decide on the course the Old Dominion shall pursue in the present crisis met at Richmond yesterday. The President of the Convention, on assuming the duties of his position, said that Virginia was in favor of the Union, but would insist on her rights as a condition of remaining in it.