The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-01-03

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The Washington correspondent of the
New York Herald thus sets forth the con.
diiion Of mind into which the Presdept
Cabinet and the South Carolina Commits.
sioners were thrown, by The news Of the
christmas night coup d stat Of Major An.
dcrson:
The confirmation Of the important in
telilgence spread with grea! rapidty and
created moro intense excitement than the
publication and circulation OF the FIRST re-.
port. 1t was the topic everywhere, and va
rious were the conjectures as 10 tho cause
that led 10 the event. "Had the Presi.
dent ordered the act 10 take place ia any
conungeucy?" was one inquiry. A call
upon Mr.. Buchanan settled that question
in the negative. "Had the Secretary of
War recommended i.?' Inquiry in the
proper quarter settled this nterrogatory
also in the negative. =" Had Gen. Scott
suggested or sanctioned il?" Investiga.
ton settled that If Gen. Scott had sug
g'sted it, it was the opinion that the pri.
vate advice Of an experienced soldier was
to be acted upon when certain cmergen.
cy arose. Had the South Carolina Com
missioners connivel at the movement for
the purpose of precpitating the action of
the government upon the subject Of their
mission? This interrogatory was set at
rest prremptorily hy visit to the resi-
donca Of thnaa Oanilamon
After al interesting interview with one
of them We learned that, so far from the
Commissioners apprehendihg any hostile
movement OF the kind, they wers utterly
astounted when the intelligence first
reached them. Before they left Charles.
ton for the seat Of government they had
the authority of the South Carolina dele
CATION in Congress for believing that the
government had given the most solemn
assurances that the forts should remain
as they were. in Statu quo ante 6eikum, un-
I'll the Commissioners had an interview
with the President, and had explained
their views 10 Congress through the medi-
uln OF the Executive. Under these assu-
RANGES the preparations which the citizans
of Charleston were making for their own
protection against the fire of the forts
were stayed. In fact, mutual agree.
ment was entered into, that nothing should
be done either to strengthen the fortifca
tions or to capture them by the citizans
pending the negotiations between the fed.
eral government and the Commissioners
When the fact of the, 10 them, nexpli-
cable conduct of Major Anderson ON
Christmas night last was communicated
TO them to-day, their Indignation may be
imagined. They pronounced it unhesi-
tatinglya breach Of faith on the part of
the government, violation OF the pledges
of the officers Of the station, and declared
that the transfer Of the troops to Fort
Sumter was conducted in a surreptitious
manor in defiance of those pledges
Moreover, they declared that unless the
whole affair were satisfactorily explained,
or the act disavowed by the government.
their negotiation should cease, even be-
fore the initiative steps had been taken,
and that they would return TO their homes
Immediately. without mrking an effort 10
accomplish anything of pacific charao-
ter. In edition. they said that unless
the act were repuliated, as the govern
ment of the United States had assumed
the responsibility of committing the overt
act against the sovereignty of their State,
and that, too, in defiance of Solemn
pledges. they could appeal to the people
Of the South fearless OF consf fquences. and
with the certainty that they would ba
sustained in abruptly breaking off negoti-
ations with failhless government.
II the act of Major Anderson is disavow-
ed, the Commissioners will remain to
treat with the Government, although sill
smarting under tire consequences OF what
they allege to be wanton breach Of faith
If otherwise, then war may be proclaimed
and the wors! prepared for.
There seems to be no doubt Of the fact
that troops have la!terly been smuggled
into Fort Moultre in considerable num-
bera in the garb of aborers. A party of
thirteen were detected by one of the
Charleston vigilants a short time since,
through the admission of one Of their
number. These were all reported as la.
borerS, when. by tina confession of one Of
their own number, they We're in reality
federal troops sent from the North to
menace the people Of South Carolina -
The discovery of this exasperated the
people of Charleston, and it may not be
impossible that some act may have been
committed by them which rendered the
sudden and unexpected movement of Ma
jor Anderson, warranted under the laws
of military strategy, as we'll as of self
preservation.
Two o'clock this afternoon was assign
ed by the President for an interview with
the Commissioners, but the startling news
from Charleston meantime arriving, the
meeting did not occur.
General Lane, Umted States Senator,
pronounces the course OF Major Ander-
son to have been without authority, and
unjusti6able, and furthermore, that he
should be Immediately casbiered or dis.
missed from the service
THE ALABAMA CONVENTION The Mont
pomery (Ala. y Confederation estimotaS