The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-03-12
Caucus or the Republican Sena-
tors On the Sszb5ect.
The Seraitencd Condition Of Major
AndersOn's Command.
Waraike Movements of tine Gov
ernxnent.
Concentration Of Troops and Ships Of
Wer on the Atlantic Cosst,
&c., &C., 90.
TEE QUESTION 'OF EvACUATING FORT
SUMTER.

TEE QUESTION 'OF EvACUATING FORT
SUMTER.
wAsflss-orl March IL 1851.
An official letter from Anderson, received Satur
ay says he had only teen days Subsistence and wood
ne question therefore risen with the administration
whether reinforcement shall be attempted the fort
abaDeoned The hster course. it % thought, will be
adopsed from inevitable necessity, by advice Ct Lieut..
General Scott.
The city has been in state Of intense excitement all
day by the rumor that Fort Sumter Is be evacuated
The radical republicans upon hear the rersr fly into
cursng before ssoerainng what the facts Some de-
clare The par ty ruined others dercsnce the cdminisra
tson saying IL % demoralized and dsgraced. One says
sReinforce Anderson He .s told that /. cannot be
done; that before the troops could reach him with pro-
VISIONS he would be compelled, under the ermy regcla
stons and by the dictates OF humanity 20 salute his flag
and march his cut OF the fort to cave them from
starvation another says, Nofy the people Of Charles
ton that government wiz send supply vessel there
and If she Ia nred into Major Anderson will shell the
city" The Of the salesman t, that is "Then
you take up quarrel you did not begin, ard rritate
people TO resist federal government and initiate civil
war;
So the discussion has been gc.rg al day. in almost
every knot Of people that have assembled anywhere.
The Cabinet had a meeting this afternoon, when the
sub ct Of Fort Sumter renewed The turning point
was that il isEow OF tho power Of tho government
70 reinforce place 10 Xaor Anderson
before he wiie compelled to surrender to general star
walton The question not now, as it wacweeks ago,
civil political one but is narrowed down to scientific
and military question.
The Cabinet was in session four hours, bat TO
decision aboatFort Sumter rrefsrrinsto postpone final
action next day. but that Major Ander
sons command will be ordered to abandon Fort Sumter
there is no doubt. is not yet settled how this win be
done but 1t s likely that the Brooklyn viii be ordered
to Charleston TO convey the troops away.
when tho Cabi,e; settles upon this course they will
undoubtedly decide also to blockade the harbor Of
Charleston and ether ports and collect the revenue II
this policy determined upon, extra session Of Con
eress will be Immediately called AT present, If troops
were needed for immediate service the President would
have no power to call upon the States for aid because
Congress passed no law authorizing HIM 20 do GO.
The administrator yet undecided as 20 the policy
10 he pursued In regard Fort Sumter and Fort Pkens
The radical republicans have entered their ssomn pro-
.est against abandoning the forts, and Mr.. Lincoln Is
afraid to take the responsibility Thoy are ende2voring
10 shk the matter and throw d apon the last admins
sration This will not Thcy should come boldly
Tor sard the responsibility and share the credit
cf restoring peace TO the country.
The republican Senator'S Immediately after tho ad-
Sournment held caucus ard remained in session for up
wards OF two hours II understood that the question
f evacustpg Fort Of The questions under
consideration There are large majority Of Senator'S
opposed to thst policy. They cay that would be re-
grded az back down from their position. 0,her Sena-
tors say they had better back down thousand times
than plunge the country irto civil war;
WASHINGTON, March Q, 1851.
Tho Cabinet again met at tTo p NJ. and remained in
session for nearly three hours. II is known that after
passing upon few appointments the question Of rein
forcing or abandopng Fort sumter up and was the
subject Of ghly animated discussion; but nothing po
tive has rauspred to the result Of the deliberations
"a however asserted by those likely to be bes; inform
cd tho subject that an evacuation VIII Dc determined
upon sooner or later
Mr. Chase is known bc firmly opposed to such step,
but VIII Ike his radical colleagues, probably give away
% the stubborn fact Of the impracticaby OF arenforce
ment with ne present military and financial means Of
the administration
The President himself is sad to chare under the
apparently Inevitable necessity OF evacuating much
any member e Cabinet, but disposed nevertheless TO
10 convinced Nv tbe conclusive demonstrations Of mill
srx auhoritice He with his constitutional advisers,
greatly breads the deeply dcmorczng effect OF retreat
uuor their party and the country at large
The Gloom and nortncatlon OF the republican politi
lanq now here 2 full force the humiliation involved
an the fnpendng withdrawal Of Major Anderson, - In
cscrihgbc they cay but tlo yet feel the more. They
arc orc willing TO day TO acknowledge the impossbty
90 realize eir favorte idea Of relieving tho invested
fo and batter down arch rebels OF Charleston. But
,boy arc az yet pared face the melancholy
b.bHy OF Gn ahandouent at an early date OF the last
stronghold Of efedc power In the State that pioneered
IN the causc of. They confess that the
odmn issraton could NOT possibly be placed IN worse
dilemma.
An cverrg paper here contained the positive announce
rsrt that sho President hsd issued order 10 evacuae
Fat srmtsr this morning This is n mistake. General
csroron to, severl gentleuen who purposey called on
hin a, noon that no such movement has been decided
upon
Tho evacuation oC Fcrt Sumter has been the absorbing
ouestio, IA every circle tonight Men until they
bear the facts senator Wade In favor Of planting ono
handod ousand ne TO engage the Qualifications about
Fort sumter in order 10 reinforce Major Anderson no
ccssary Tsddeus Stevens says he does not believe the
soy eboat provisions giving out Senator Sumner says,
"f0r this necessity, il IL exists the present adm nsTa
II TO, responsible. II ls part Of The legacy Of the Iaso
aempissrationtho domaosd drrcrs, "dsnnable inheri
tai ce'-of the Roman Law. Among the more conserva-
tive and tboughttu the idea Of tho withdrawal Of the
troops II received IA a wise policy.
Quite number Of Wall street men are on here, making
The In regard 10 Fort sumter the basis OF bulng
operations.
TIE CABINET IN a WAR CONFERENCE.-THE
SOUTHERN COMMISSIONERS, ETC.
WASHINGTON March n, 1851.
INC despatch sent you on Friday night in regard 10
abe Enforcement Of the forts you may depend upon az
perfectly reliable.