March 14, 1861; The New York Herald
The news from Washington this morning is highly important. The Southern Commissioners are patiently waiting the development of the policy of the administration. It is understood that they will make no move until they learn whether the Southern forts are to be evacuated, and whether an attempt is to be made to collect the revenue of the Southern ports. Should the administration decide upon making an effort to collect the revenue and blockade the ports, the Southern confederacy will, it is understood, immediately assume an offensive attitude. In such a contingency they will, it is believed, without delay march upon the federal capital.
Our despatches from Washington state that the Cabinet will meet today, when a formal vote will be taken on the question of evacuating Fort Sumter. That the vote will be in the affirmative is beyond doubt.
The evacuation of Fort Sumter having been determined upon by President Lincoln, the United States steamer Crusader has been detailed to proceed from this city to Charleston and embark Major Anderson and the garrison under his command and convey them to some other port. The public interest will, therefore, for a time be directed to another quarter. This step, although agreed upon very reluctantly by President Lincoln and his advisers, has no doubt inspired the administration to retain possession of the other forts now in their possession at the South. Among them are Fort Jefferson, Tortugas; Fort Taylor, Key West; Fort Pickens, at Pensacola, and Fort Brown, on the Rio Grande, Texas. The latter fort was founded on the site of a temporary work erected during the Mexican war by Major Brown, who fell in its defence. Fort Jefferson and Fort Taylor, on the Florida keys, have recently been reinforced and placed in condition for one year’s siege. Fort Pickens has provisions for about thirty days. Deeming any facts connected with these works of interest to our readers at the present time, we publish in another part of today’s paper, a carefully prepared statement on the subject, and also some further particulars relative to the movements in New York harbor, and the fitting out of several vessels by the government.
A despatch from Savannah states that the report of the seizure of the stock of the Macon Railroad – held by Northern subscribers – by the Georgia authorities is devoid of truth.
In the United States Senate yesterday Mr. Douglas offered a resolution calling on the Secretary of War for information as to the fortifications in the seceded States, if it is necessary to occupy the same, and what force will be necessary for that purpose, &c. Messrs. Wilson and Mason objected, and the resolution lies over. Mr. Fessenden offered a resolution instructing the Secretary of the Senate to strike from the roll of the Senate the names of Senators from seceded States who have declared that they are no longer members of the Senate. Mr. Hunter and other objected to the consideration of the subject, and the resolution lies over. After an executive session the Senate adjourned.
It is reported that Messrs. Thomas Corwin and Cassius M. Clay have declined the missions to Mexico and Spain, to which they were nominated respectively by the President.