The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-14
the NATIONAL CRISIS.
THE SOUTHERN CONGRESS-

THE SOUTHERN CONGRESS-
y MONTGOMERY, March 12.-Nothing of public in
"a terest transpired in Congress to- day. recess
daily expected, and will certainly be taken durn
n the present week. President Cobb has sent to tn
/ several State Conventions certified copies of th
a permanent Constitution, and it is expected tha
Y Alabama will ratify it Wednesday. Vice Pre-
!; sident Stephens has gone to Charlottesville.
= DESPATCH
a MONTGOMERY, March l3.-The tariff act passed
by Congress, has been published 1t goes into ope-
S ration ON the lst of May. Compared with the
tariff act of the United States most of the 30 per
cent duties have been reduced to 25 per cent The
greater portion of the "a and 10 per cent duties
nave been reduced to Is per cent. There is large
ten per cent. schedule, and very small free list.
3 MISSOURI CONVENTION.
Sr. LOUIS, March 12.-The caucus here was oe
cuped to-day in discussing the amendments to the
majority report of the Committee on Federal Rela-
tons, but adjourned without anything of special
Importance transpiring.
THE VIRGINIA CONVENTION.
RICHMOND, March 13.-Mr. Summers speech in
Convention was the ablest of the session, and has
produced a profound effect. The Unionists con-
slider its arguments unanswerable There ia but
adopted. The adoption of the Peace Conference
propositions as the basis of adjustment is doubtful.
secessonists admit the impossibiity of adopt
ing an ordinance ofsesessiop, but say that Virginia
will ultimately secede unless her demands are
granted.
,, Ex-Presdent Tyler spoke ably to day against he
| Peace Conference propositions. Without conclud
ing the subject the Convention adjourned.
WASHINGTON ITEMS
WASHINGTON, March l3.-The principal officers
of the steamer Water WITCH at PHILADELPHIA. de-
tailed Tor special service, are Lieut. Commanding
Rinckendortf and Lieuts. J. L. Davis, Cushman and
Eastman, and A. o. Reed, Ma ster.
The steam soop-ofwar Pawnee is still off WASH
lngton Navy Yard with her officers and supplies on
board.
Workmen are engaged in putting in the machine
| ~ of the steamer Pensacola, which will not be
ready for sea for two or three months.
! Mark II. Cobb, of Pennsylvania has been an
pointed Disbursing Clerk of the War Department
in the place of John Potts, who has been promoted
to Chief Clerkship
The following are all the combinations made bv
the Senate to-day:-John G. Goodrich, Collector
at Boston; George w. Mcclellan, Second Assistant
Postmaster; Cen Dewitt, C. Littlejohn Consul at
Chapelle; Lucius G. Forbes Postmaster at Beleit
Wisconsin,; John j. Speed, Postmaster at Louis
yille, Kentucky; George Harrington, Assistant
secretary OF the Treasury; j. p. Baker, of Ne
| Draska, Agent for the Otoe and Menomnee Indians
| Inc PRESIDENT nominated to-day, Col Sumner as
Brgader General, vice General Twiggs in ac-
Gordance with the regular order of promotion;
James NJ. Edwards of Michipan Cnmmissiona1r
of the General Land Office; ex Congressman Snin
ner, Treasurer of the United States; Lieut. Talbot
Tor Postmaster, to occupy the rank of Assistant
| Adjutant-General.
The resolution introduced by Senator Douglas
to day was designed by obtaining a reply thereto,
to officially disclose the fact that there is no ade,
quate power, under existing laws, to retake and
hold the Southern forts now in possession of the
| seeded States; to show that proceeding to that
end would involve a large additional military
force and great expenditure Of money; and that |
therefore, the question of must be necessarily
postponed till next session of Congress.
Mclane Iilton, son of the late Captain Tilt0n !
has been appointed Second Lieutenant of Ma |
rnes.
The number of applicants for office has LARGELY |
increased this week. The examination for Clerk
ships is to be made more rigid and thorough than |
| heretofore.
report prevails that Mr. Corwin has declined
| the Mexican mission
FROM TEXAS
Governor Houston Refuses to RI CO gnize the |
State Convention, etc.
GALVESTON, March 1l.-Governor Houston has
refused to recognize the State Convention. He
considers that its functions terminated in submit
ting the secession ordinance to the people He
tells the convention that he and the Legislature
which meets on the 18th inst, will attend to public
| questions. He favors the holding of convention
to change the State Constitution, but opposes
Texas joining the Southern Confederacy The
convention, in reply, have passed an ordinance
claiming full sovereign powers, promising to con-
summate, as speedily possible, the connection of
Texas with the Confederate States.
The convention will at once require all officers of
the State to take an oath of allegiance to support
the new Government and carry out the convention
ordinances. 1t is reported that Clark will be put
in Governor Houston's place, if the latter refuses
10 take the OATH 1t is also reported that Governor
Houston is raising troops on his own account Elf.
teen hundred Texan troops are at and near Browns
vile.
BRAzos, March 6.-Arrangements have been made
for the Federal troops to leave as soon as means of
transportation shall be provided. The steamer
Daniel Webster is waiting outside
Secession Movement i'm Petersburg, Va
PETERSBURG, Va, March l3.-This city voted to-
day to instruct her delegates in the State Conven-
ton to vote for the passage of a secession ordi
nance. Fitty-one majority for instruction was
given. The polls are to be kept open tomorrow,
when the friends OF secession expect to greatly in
crease their majority. The secessionsts are para
ding the streets with music and flags. There is
great turnout of people. Messrs Pryor and Strong
fellow and others are making speeches.
| GEORGIA FORTS TRANSFERRED TO THE CONFEDERATE
STATES
SAVANNAH, March 13.-The State Convention has
formally transferred the forts arsenals arms and
munitions of war to the Confederate States.
An ordinance has also been passed appropriatng
SoOO,OO0 for the support of the government and
authorizing the Governor to issue per cent bonds
for that amount.
The report of the seizure by the State of North
ern stock in the Macon and Western Railway is de-
MED. The President Isaac Scott, states that there
is no foundation for the report.
THE MASSACHUSETTS PERSONAL LIBERTY BILL
BosroN, March 12.-The House to-day ordered to
a third reading the bill modifying the Personal
Liberty law which recently passed the Senate
Vote, 63 to ia.
THE MICHIGAN PERSONAL LIBERTY BILL.
DETROIT, March 1l.-After an animated debate,
the House has indefinitely postponed the considera-
tion of the bill for the repeal of the Personal Lber
ty law, by vote of 43 against "a.
ALABAMA nArIFIEs THE SOUTHERN CONSTITUTION.
MONTGOMERY, March l3.-The Alabama State
Convention, to-day, ratified the permanent Consti-
tuition. The vote 81 yeas, nays 5. General
Jamison, a leading Co-operationist, took a bold
position in favor of the ratification.
Jere Clemens has been appointed Major General
in the Alabama army.
[CoMMUNICATIoN.l
NORTH AND SOUTH FIRST PHASE or TIE
, IRREPRESSLBLE CONFLICT NOT YET COM
| PLETE
The attention of the whole country has been d.
rected for months with intense interest amount
ing to agony, to the condition of Fort Sumter and
the probable fate of its gallant commander. The
propositions of the Peace Conference and the
Presidents Inaugural have been laid before the
world, and have met with various and conflicting
constructions, and been received with conflicting
opinions and feelings The practical policy of the
present Administration in relation to the seeding
States has been waited for everywhere as the ONLY
clear development of the disputed character and
meaning of the Inaugural itself In relation to
= Fort Sumter, at least that policy, from the nfor-
nation before us, is settled for the present. 1t
S seems to be received with JOY and exultation by
the friends of Union and peace, as a final disposi-
: tion of the question of civil war. BY such it is
4 regarded as magnanimous measure of concilia-
tion, which will confirm the Border States in their
present relations to the Union, and remove from
the Gull States every preteX for hostile action or
the in nitatlon OF civil war; In their eyes, Peace
spreads her charms before US and courts the hand
: OF the Southern Coniederacy. If the leaders of
: the new revolution cannot we wooed successfully
n or won back to the Union, they will at least be
completely separated from the Border States An
opportunity will thus be afforded to tie dissentien
: portions OF the Gulf States communities to make
their voice heard, and sustained alike by the policy
of the general Government, and the universal
+ sympathy Of the border saveholding States to
arrest and crush what is called the reion of terror