, 1861-01-16

WIS not until late In the day that intelligence
arrived that both Of those points OF Federal
occupation and defence wero In the hands Ut
the toldlery Of the State OF A]abama. These
events will createa lively sensation throughout
tho country, md nc should, even By this time,
be IN receipt Of whatever edict prompt e.
erelsc Of Executive authority may illuminate in
relation to the high act Of sovereignty Of the
Governor Of the State: Without attempting
to foreshadow tho position which the Federal
Government may assume; We record tho belief
that It will be appalled, into utter lnactlon and
incertituds BY the magnitude Of the concerted
character OF this ignoring Of its empire Iii the
cotton States; for, at the same time it ID adj
yfaed Of the seizure Of its strongholds In Ala-
6um1, It WILL have news Of like import from
Georgia and perhaps from other States. The
strong array Of armed hostility to the policy
Of coercion thus presented, will, we may ven
tuzc to hope, deter It's attempt, and reduce tho
quarrel to tie treatings of diplomacy and
,peaceahle adjustment OF matters bctT cen the
Federal Governments Us 1t at present exist, and
the States which throw of Its authority This
worst has been dared and looked equarely In
the taco; the alternative is to be desired and
hoped and may be, VIC think, with reason.
Let every patriot, North and South, devote
himself to tho end that our accounts with the
federal Government be squared before its
powers pass into the hands Of tho next admin
tstration-. Before the end Of the month the
~VA4A4AeoiVACao Va &aS l1Nu3 commencement GL3le9
as may be should be US one body commission
ed by united authority, ,treating with the Gov
eminent at Washington. The alternative Of
war orpcace is forced upon the administration
and 1t must decide which shal1 be transmitted
to its successor.
coup detat and coup de g1.er7e, was quietly and
effectively carried out in this wise: Acting
under the Governors ortlera, ut eleven O'Clock
on Thursday night, the following companies
detailed for thst service embarked on q steam-
er for Fort Mor;nn:-thc Cadets, Capt Sands:
tue Fueilecrs, Capt. Emrick commanding; the
Independent Rifles, Capt Stikes, and the Ar
tjueEy, Capt. ketchum. Stcaming down the
bay they arrived at the fort about three
o'clock, and quietly occupied 1t, its only gar1i-
son being an ordnance sergeant and his iami-
" and laborcr or SO. Tha fort is now held
possession, about two hundred men being IN
der arms. The works arc being put III more
dcfcnsfbfe condition.
The detachment detailed for the seizure Of
the Mount Vernon United States Arsenal, To-
Gated cat foE;y.xe miles Up the river, consisted Of
Washington Light Infantry, Captain Gracie,
and the Gardcs Lafayette, Captain Rclloc. They
embarked about the same time AZ the detach-
ment for Fort Morgan. They arrived at the
Arsenal about day6reak, mud being provided
with ladders for tue purpose, escnladed the
walls Of the premises Ut three different points
simultaneously, aud formed around the armory
in tle centre. The garrison, consisting Of d
squad Of about thirteen sollficrs enl as many
government employees, Of course made no
resistance, being captured before they knew Of
the presence OF IN enemy. Had they not been
taken by surprise, however, aud had they been
50 disposed, they might have given some
trouble and shed some blood, as the arsenal is
dcfensiblc ngainst 1nusketry and their num-
beE was more than third Of that Of their as-
sa'lrnts. The arsenal contains 20, 900 stand Of
arms, 500 barrels {not kegs Of powder, SOC, GOO
rounds Of cartridges and other munitions It
is now held by thirty men Of the Washington
Light Infantry, who are having pleasant picnic
duty, We suspect.