Litchfield enquirer., 1861-01-17
Mews of tae Meek.


 main by the steamer Nushri0e, which has arrived at Charleston from New York. Major Anderson had a visit on Friday from the South Carolina Secretaries of War and State, who went down to Fort Sumter under flag oftruce. Mr. Gourdin, member of the Secession Convention, also visit | ed the Fort on Saturday. The exac. object of these visits was not known in Charleston. and the most absurd rumors were afoat in reference to them. They resulted, however, in the departure l for Washington of Col. Hayne on the part of the i State, and Lieut. Hall on the part of Major An derson,- former, as was understood, with an 1 ultinsdtaean for the Government, and the latter for instructions. No intimation has been rcceiv- ed in Washington of the nature of their mission though, contrary to the spirit of the advices from Charleston: there is no probability that the Gov ernment will now readopt the temporizing policy. On the contrary, it is believed that the attempt to reinforce the garrison at Fort Sumter will soon be renewed, and with such appliances as must render success certain.
 THE STEAMSHIP {" Star of the Vest" Capt.
 
 troops and four officers, which had been dispatch ed hence for the reinforcement of tho garrison of ] Fort Sumpter, returned to New York on Saturday 1 morning after week absence and an intellectual effort to land the troops at their place of destina tion. 1twas with great difficulty that an entrance was effected into the harbor of Charleston on &C., count of the removal of the coast lights and ran- ges, and the displacement of buoys but when l the steamer had penetrated to within two miles Of the fort, she was fired upon from masked bat tery on Morris Island. Seventeen shots were discharged, apparently from an eighteen and an 1orty-tour pounder, two of which shots struck the vessel while others passed over her near the heads of the captain and pilot, and others came near hitting the machinery and disabling her. Capt. | McGowan then put about, and escaped from the | harbor without sustaining other serious injury, the ship touching twice in recrosing the Bar The troops have been rc-landed at their original quarters on Governors Island.
 1 CHAKLEsrES 1TENs.-A report that Anderson had shot two mu.inecrs and that one escaped to Charleston and was returned by the authorities, is all fudge.
 The South Carolina Legislature have passed resolution that any attempt of the federal govern ment to reinforce Fort Sumter will be taken as {, declaration of war-also, approving of the firing on the Star ofthe West. Aresoution was offered and withdrawn, enquiring of the Governor why work on the causeway between Fort Moultrie and the main land had been stopped. Resolutions were passed ordering the firing of fifteen rounds for each seceding state.
 New military companies are arriving from all parts of the State. The Governor sent message to the House detailing plans for guarding the coast-for the purchase of three small iron steam propellers of light draft, each with thirty-two sea- men, one to be stationed at Charleston Harbor. one at Beaufort, and one at Georgetown ;-also, to fortfy all inlets and mouths of rivers with re- doubts, and that boats be employed to keep up constant communication between them for pro- lection against the sudden invasion of lawless hands.
 WASHINGTON Letter Writer to the N. |. Herald says:
 | The general interpretation of Mir. Stewards speech is, that if not an abandonment of repub- lican principles, it is altogether too temporizing in the face of treason. is taken as a record for tine forthcoming Lincoln administration. Mr. Seward being about to enter the new Cabinet, and believing that the existing state of affairs can but result in war, he determined to offer, in behalf of the republican party of the country, | q liberal proposition to the South, and in doing so to yield as much as principles and conscience l would allow without humiliating the North or in ringing upon the principles of the Chicago plat 1 form. He thinks he has done neither of these. The effect of the speech of Mir. Seward upon all who listened to it, was marked. Some of his periods were delivered with the deepest feeling, and produced upon Senators and the spectators in the galleries the most intense sympathies with the orator. Old men and young wept like chill dren, and when Mir. Seward sat down, the galle- ries that had preserved the most profound si- ! lence during the delivery of the entire speech, 1 with one important exception, manifested it's appreciation by the most hearty applause. Mir. Crittenden thinks the speech is very good as far as it goes, but that it is not pacific enough to meet the demands of the times; but he {Mr. Crittenden1 expresses the opinion that it will do very well for Mir. Stewards first step towards re- conciliation. Senators Dixon of Connecticut, Baker of Oregon, Grimes of Iowa, and Anthony of Rhode Island, were the only Senators who went to Mir. Seward and congratulated him when he concluded. The Southern Senators hesitated to approach Mir. Seward and speak to him under such circumstances, fearing the fact. might be misinterpreted. All the Republican Senators, except those named above, assembled in knots of two, three and four, and commenced discuss ing the doctrines announced. Gov CURTIN of Pennsylvania, was maugura- ted on Tuesday morning. In his address he pledges himself to stand between the constitution and any encroachment instigased by fanatacism, folly, hatred or ambition.
 If any laws are infractive of the constitution I they should be repealed. He denies the right of secession, which cannot be permitted without con fessing the government failure, and says it is a doctrine that Pennsylvania never will subscribe to.
 He says it is the duty of the government to stop anarchy and enforce the laws, and that Penn svlvan;a will fithfnIlv support the government in