March 8, 1861; The New York Herald
An early attack on Fort Sumter seems to be generally anticipated. Whether the administration will reinforce Major Anderson is not known. It was stated in Washington last night that Major Anderson had sent word to the government that it was useless to send to his assistance less than twenty thousand men. Gen. Beauregard, the officer despatched by the government of the Confederate States to take command at Charleston, has arrived at his post, and expresses perfect confidence that Sumter can be reduced.
The Louisiana State Convention yesterday in secret session passed an ordinance transferring to the government of the confederate States the sum of five hundred and thirty six thousand dollars, the amount of customs received and moneys seized by the State.
We have highly important news from Texas, which renders it probable that a conflict has already taken place in that State between the United States forces and those of the State of Texas. Galveston dates of the 26th ult. state that Capt. Nichols, commander of the State troops, had demanded of Capt. Hill, of the United States Army, the surrender of Fort Brown. Capt. Hill refused to entertain the proposition, called Capt. Nichols and his men traitors, and expressed his determination to defend the fort to the last extremity. Capt. Hill refused to obey any order of Gen. Twiggs, and had sent to Fort Ringgold for two hundred men. Troops were on the way from Galveston to reinforce the Texan army. Details of the matter will be found in another column of this paper.
We have received intelligence that Governor Brown, of Georgia, has released the bark Adjuster, of this city, which vessel was reprised for certain illegal seizures of property in this city by Police Superintendent Kennedy, in consequence of representations made to him by the British Consul at Savannah that the cargo she held belonged to the subjects of Great Britain.
The following is the Cabinet of the Southern confederacy, as at present constituted:
Secretary of State… Robert Toombs, of Ga.
Secretary of the Treasury… C. L. Memminger, of S. C.
Secretary of War… Leroy P. Walker, of Ala.
Secretary of the Navy… Stephen M. Mallory, of Fla.
Postmaster General… John H. Reagan, of Texas.
Attorney General… Judah P. Benjamin, of La.
The first formal meeting of the new Cabinet of President Lincoln was held yesterday. It lasted two hours, and various surmises were indulged in as to what were the momentous matters under consideration, and what were the results and determinations arrived at; but up to the time of our latest despatches we are not informed that anything positive as to their deliberations had transpired.
The diplomatic corps yesterday made their first formal visit to President Lincoln, in accordance with the custom on the accession of a new administration. Mr. Lincoln was addressed, on behalf of the body, by the representative of Portugal, and replied in a brief speech of welcome.
A number of the citizens of Washington and other friends of the distinguished Kentucky Senator, Mr. Crittenden, paid him the compliment last evening of a visit and serenade, in anticipation of his departure from the national capital, to retire to private life. Mr. Crittenden responded to his visitors in a genial and patriotic speech, which we publish this morning.
No official movement appears to have been made yesterday by the Commissioners in Washington from the Southern confederacy. It is said that an informal communication was made to the State Department by a distinguished Senator touching their mission.
The French manufacturers begin to feel the effect of the American crisis, and are restricting their operations and withdrawing their credits until affairs in this country become more settled.