March 12, 1861; The New York Herald
The latest official accounts from Fort Sumter state that the garrison is reduced to fifteen days provisions. The all important question of the day, therefore, is Shall Fort Sumter be reinforced or evacuated? Upon this question the Cabinet at Washington, and the republican Senators, held long and anxious deliberation yesterday, but arrived at no decision. As the question involved the alternative of peace or war, it has naturally caused an intense excitement throughout the country, and a solution of the difficulty is awaited with the greatest anxiety. While it would appear, from our reports from Washington, that the administration are inclined toward peace, there are also indications pointing very decidedly in a contrary direction. The vessels of the Home squadron, except the Macedonian, have been ordered to the various ports on the Atlantic. All the available troops, and large quantities of supplies are either on their way or in course of shipment to the south; and our despatches state that most ample preparations are going forward to put the government on a war footing.
The United States Senate yesterday were engaged in discussing the resolution providing for the expulsion of Senator Wigfall. The debate was very spirited, as will be seen by our report.
In another part of today’s paper may be found important report on the troubles of the nation, presented by committees to the State Conventions now in session in Virginia and Missouri. These States are willing, notwithstanding the failure of the Washington Peace Congress, to make another effort to prevent a complete separation of the free and slave States, and with this view Virginia proposes the holding of a conference of the border slave States at Frankfort, Ky. on the 27th of May, while Missouri proposes a similar conference at Nashville, Tenn., on the 15th of April.