The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-21

More Armaments and Ksinfsrccmsnts for
Forts In North Carslina and virxinia..-
Norfolk Desermlned upen as Base for
Northern Movements Against the Sousls.--
WashinUssn and Sc. Leuis Base for Land
Operations.
On the 18th inst, in the midst of the gen
eral jubilation over boldly asserted state
meht that President LIscoLS had ordered the
surrender of Fort Sumter, and would proba-
bly, determine upon the evacuation of Fort
Pickens, and other Southern forts, we pub
lished a letter from authority, than which
there Is none more reliable in the city of New
York, that fleet of Ave armed vessels, loaded
with men. provisions and munitions of war
was under orders to sail that night for the
South, said to be for Fort Sumter, but GER
tainly for some point on the Southern coast
We were requested to communicate the fact
by telegraph to the various Southern points
which we thought TO be menaced. OF course,
this intelligence was treated by those who
believe In ABRAHAM LINCOLN, as unfounded
and improbable. Every word OF 1t, however,
was afterwards confirmed by the public jour
mails Of New York, whilst, on the other hand,
to this hour, their own story that LINCOLN
has ordered the surrender of Fort Sumter, so
far from being confirmed, is now universally
contradicted. Such an order would, In any
event, be only what the Republicans nave
themselves styled it, military necessity,
for if not surrendered, Sumter will be starved
ont. but no such order has, up TO this date,
"Wednesday morning } been given. On the con-
trary, the New York Times, Black Republi-
can organ, of March 18th, speaks rs follows
.sThere il probably not a particle Of truth in
the report, 80 widely circulated, that orders have
been issued to Major Anderson to surrender
Port Sumter. Indeed, we have good reason. II
not au, horty, for saying that, IN spite of all that
has been said on the subject the proposition to
surrender that fort has not been considered,
euen made in The councils of the President at Wash
ington;
purpose to use the force at his command to hold,
occupy and possess the forts and other property
belonging to the United States. The only ques-
tion W hlch has been discussed in the Cabinet, so
be fulfilled. Instead OF proposing its sur
render, the President has called upon the proper
Departments for information as to the means Of
reinforcing it. He desires and intends to retain
1t. and will use all the means at his command,
Az resort to every measure which the law and
th6public good will sustain him in employing,
for the accomplishment Of that end. He desires
to reinforce Fort Sumter with both men and pro-
visions, and has taken the first step towards exc
military authorities for information as to the
force required for that purpose"
Having promised thus much, we now give
the following important information from the
same source to which we were indebted for
our former intelligence. 1t appals us to think
that such warnings as these may fall upon
dead and incrednlous ears:
NEW York, March Is.
81 learn from a reliable source that vessel is
now loading big guns and ammunition for Forts
CasweH and Johnson, in North Carolina, and that
within one week a strong force of regulur troops
will be sent to these points, to prevent their seiz
N by State anfhnrfias IT is further designed
by the Government, acting under the advice of
General SCoTT and General ToTTES, to garrison,
arm, and provision the forts in Virginia and North
Carolina for one years siege. Norfolk has been
determined upon the Northern punt appmi,'
or seaboard base for further movements against
the Confederated States. Key West will be the
rendezvous, from which the naval forces will
menace the Gulf coast. The basis for the land
operations have nos yet been determined upon;
but it is confidently supposed that Washington
will be the Northern point and st. Louis the
Southwestern Fort Pickens attracts the present
attention of the Cabinet and General ScoTT, and
a strong reinforcement will be sent there forth
with
Are the border States to be used as levers to
coerce the Confederated States? Are they will
ing to submit their own necks to the impend-
ing yoke? Most earnestly we invoke the adj
yocates of Delay not TO disregard these solemn
signs of the times. In this matter we know no
party; we have no interests but those which
are common with our fellow citizens of the
South no desire for anything but their well
fare and safety. Bnt, when it comes to this,
that we may not receive from New York even
a warning of danger by telegraph, but it must
be sent by letter, because the wires are under
military surveillance and when there is thus
disclosed to us the mos deliberate preparation
to coerce and subjugate the whole South, man
ming and provisioning forts in our own bor-
ders for years siege, and making our princi-
pal seaboard towns the base Ct operations
against the Southern Confederacy, is it not
time for the press to cry aloud, and for the
PEOPLE, if none else will defend them, to
take their salvation into their own handsg