January 10, 1861, The New York Herald
The Star of the West arrived at Charleston yesterday forenoon, and the South Carolina troops at Morris Island and Fort Moultrie opened fire upon her. The steamer immediately put to sea. An officer from Fort Sumter, under a flag of truce, had an interview with the Governor and Council of South Carolina during the day, but the subject of the meeting had not transpired.
The Mississippi State Convention yesterday adopted the secession ordinance. Mississippi is therefore now out of the Union.
In Congress yesterday the special Message of the President on the crisis was received and read. The document is given in our report of the proceedings, and as it is the most important document ever transmitted by any Executive to the national Legislature, it will be attentively perused by our readers. A debate on the topics embraced in the Message will probably be opened today. Several propositions relating to the affairs of the nation were briefly referred to. The Pacific Railroad bill was taken up, and pending a motion to postpone the subject indefinitely, the Senate adjourned. In the House the President’s Message was referred to a special committee of five, with instructions to inquire whether any executive officers of the United States have been or are now treating or holding communication with any person or person for the transfer of forts and other property; whether any demand for their surrender has been made, and by whom, and what answer has been given; whether any officer or officers have entered into any pledge not to send reinforcements of troops to the harbor of Charleston, and if so, when, where, by whom and on what considerations; whether the Custom House, Post Office, and Arsenal at Charleston have been seized, by whom held in possession; whether any revenue cutter has been seized, and whether any efforts have been made to receive it. The committee have power to send for persons and papers and report from time to time such facts as may be required by the national honor, &c.
Our Washington despatches state that the opinion is prevalent at the capital that the secessionists had assumed control of the telegraph in order to prevent the transmission of government communications. Such, however, is not the fact, so far as Charleston is concerned, as a communication from the superintendent of the Telegraph at that point, which we publish in another column, clearly proves. He says the authorities of South Carolina have made no attempt whatever to exercise any control over the wires. There is a report, however, that a government dispatch, addressed to an officer at Pensacola, was intercepted at Mobile.
The House Select committee on the Crisis have adjourned until called together by the chairman. The chairman, Mr. Corwin, of Ohio, has been authorized to draw up the committee report to the House, embracing the various propositions that have been adopted, the principal one of which is the resolution offered by Mr. Adams, of Massachusetts, in favor of the admission of New Mexico as a State, with or without slavery, as her people may elect.
Certain parties belonging to our city military last evening held a meeting at the Mercer House, and took the initiatory steps for the formation of a regiment, to be called the ‘Union Volunteers’, pledged to defend the Union, and if necessary volunteer their services in its support. A report of the proceedings is given in another column.
Ex-Governor Morrill has been chosen by the Maine Legislature to the United States Senate in place of Mr. Hamlin, Vice President elect. Mr. Trumbull has been re-elected to the United States Senate by the Illinois Legislature.
The acceptance of the post of Secretary of State by Mr. Seward in Mr. Lincoln’s Cabinet is announced.