Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-01-30

Interesting from Charleston, South Caro-
lima Preparations for Wnr-PFObability
Of nm Attack on Fort Sumter.
The Charleston Is. o. correspondent of
the New York EVening Pose writes on the
2lst thus:
Will Fort Sumter be attacked, and what
is the position of its garrison and gallant
eommander2 That is what New York and
the North are now inquiring. For the first,
| think yes, though | am not prepared to
guess when. The Government, pursuing its
peace in my time" policy toward the rev.
olutionists, yet unwilling to incur the odium
accruing to the giying-up of the fort into
their hands, has positively refused to order
the withdrawal Of Major Anderson. Aslong
as he remains there, 1. repeat, this is but a
revolution on paper. So South Carolina is
committed to attempt its capture. 1t may
suit her policy to delay the hour, presenting,
as she does, to the eyes of sympathetic
Southern States what they regard as the
spectacle of menaced and insulted sister,
thus melting their, till then, perhaps, doubt
full or tardy cooperation; but it must come.
1t can not be postponed, as Mr.. Buchanan
wishes, until the accession of Mr.. Lincoln,
who is here considered as pledged by antece-
dents, election apd disposition, to unmiti-
gated coercion; and the hour may arrive
very suddenly.
think / remark an under current of ex-
pectation on the subject which is at once
ominous and suggestive-an uneasy convic-
ton of an imminent and formidable neces-
sity. Men are shy Of over-much talking
about the matter, and the decision and mo.
rnent will evidently be kept close secrets
until they can be held no longer. When the
large Columbiads of the James Island bate
ries boom out, the city will know, and not
till then, that Fort Sumter is attacked. That
may happen tomorrow, or tonight; though
on such as this present-a dull, dfeary, per-
sistently rainy one following a dull, colo
day-I imagine the boasted aim of the ca
diets might prove but doubtful.
They are burning for action; only older
heads, hoping to attain their ends without
the effusion of fratricidal blood, restrain
them. believe, with all my depth of con-
viction, that the Secession leaders are heart
and soul desirous of avoiding what they be-
lieve to be solemn responsibility, which,
however, they look forward to and will &C.
cept as such. A minor desire to obtain Fort
Sumter undamaged may also influence them,
though have rarely heard it alleged.
The statement in the Mercury the other
day. an UDfounded one, that Anderson's men
were pTacticing with hand grenade, with a
view to calculating the distance to which
they might be effective, excited our young
blood considerably! The Majors patriotic,
soldler-llke and Christian sentiments may be
gathered from his brief letter to Dr. Lewis, of
Philadelphia, published i'm to-day's papers.
No one doubts that he will defend himself
resolutely; but, in that event it is not here
asserted that not one of the garrison would
be spared. God knows such an atrocity is
possible in war, but such threats and such
intentions would at present expose their ut
terer to deserved reprobation. l can not too
often repeat that this revolution is not in the
hands. of q mob, nor, apparently, likely to
lapse into them.
Major Anderson, it is said, and here credi-
ted, obtains provisions daily from Charleston
market; that l will not vouch for. / do not
believe that his garrison are exhausted with
labor, that they are living on uncooked food
or in mutiny, though for the two last rumors
there may be some slight foundation. In
contradiction of the first having plenty of
time to bring his men and fortress into as
effective condition as circumstances permit,
he has doubtless done so. An improved tone
in regard to speaking Of him is perceptble
in Charleston, and great stress is laid on the
fact that he is Southern man." ..- ..