The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-03-21
From the n. .Y.Times.I
THE QUESTION OF FORT SUMTER

Four months ago it was in the rover
Of the Government at Washington to have
armed and kept every fortifcal;on it pos
sessed 10 the Souttsrh States. There
was unmislakable warning that tue pos.
session OF all OF Them would be the sub
jecI Of early controversy.
The Times traces the History of the
Affairs Of the iorts up to tie close of Bs,
chanan's Administration
Now. therefore. when tho disjointed,
broken. and almost hopeless fragments Of
Governm. pass Into the hands Of a new
Administration, and it looks anxiously a.
bout to find what may be saved and what
mus, be sacrificed, the question of Font
Sumter ASSUMES loading importance. -
Major Anderson announces thai the means
of resisting siege has diminished aim cat
to vanishing point. The late Admins
tration in apparent collusion with the in.
surgents. h.d permitted IN entire exhaus-
ton of his supplis. So perfect have the
arrangements Of the besiOgers become,
that the same military leaders who fore.
saw in October the need Of reinforce
men,s at Charleston, and pointed out the
ease with which they might he introduc.
ed, now declare that 10 reach and relieve
Major Anderson, an army Of twenty thou.
sand men, landed from feet OF trans
ports, and pitched battle, must be the
sanguinary instruments of his relief
But neither troops nor lfahsportations
have been provided by The late Admins
tration.
A month, two months. perhaps, mus
elspse before such an expedition could
depart, while the garrison is in no condi
ton, even in the absence of attack. TO holC
out for a fortnight. There is also every
reason to believe that an assault would in
s,anlly follow the announcement that tn,
garrison is not 10 be wilhdiawn. IT,,
batteries, including the floating monster
whose efficacy is so confidently rect onec
upon by the engineers who CONSTRUCTED
lit, await only the word of command t.
pour their FIRE into the devoted fort Gtl
Boauregard. the comm ander just selec e
10 conduct the assault, is an acComp'ishe
and experienced officer, who has se7l
much active service, and who, after
thorough inspection Of the defences an
means Of attack, declares the post can b
carried in forty.eight hours"
, In these circums ancCs, what is the du
" OF shs Government at Washington
Shall it persist in the attempt TO retain
position the untenableness of which
4 demonstrated by every military adviser
E BY every fact within its knowledge, an
d by the unwilling testimony of tile com
, msOder himself? In this utterly hopcle'
r enterprise, shaft it precipi,ate a civil cor
n tlict, the deplorable results of which wi
Q he not only the industrial and social rui
e ofthis generation, but an inheritance
g frud and bloodshed to It's successors?-
f When the Border States, with panriOl
moderation have Withdrawn all other col
dilions Of their abiding loyalty 10 the UT
{ ion, cave abstinence from coercion, sha
b we ALLEVIATE hem forever by this wnnlo
: and criminal pursuit Of an impraticao
j, point o! honor, the offspring of sections
or partizan pride? These are the que
II tiOns which engage the anxious attenllo
If of the new Cabinet, and engross It's delll
h erations. Upon the determination, II