The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-02-02
THE NATIONAL CRISIS.
From Charleston .. Important Correspond
ence--The Work on the South Carolin,
Batteries-.WhO Fought the Battles OF th,
Uni0n.-The Militia Bill In Congress. &c.

Six or eight Of the military companies
which went to Pensacola from Montgomery,
Ala, hastened to that city. There is no i'm i.
portant movement, therefore, likely to be
made at present at Fort Pickens
FROM CHARLESTON
The Charleston correspondent of the Balti-
more American gives that paper the follow
ing news:
AT the Arsenal the recruits of the standing
army are undergoing thorough training as
last as they enlist. They are retained here
and instructed into the art of war until a
company is formed, when the whole lot is
transferred to one OF the military posts In the
naroor, .I Where they become acquainted with
the pleasures of q soldiers life in the trench
es The most of the enlisted men are n Jolly,
hard set OF cases, and 1t is exceedingly diff
cult 10 res train them from drunkenness and
riot This fact is notorious that Mr. Cum
ningham, Colonel of the 18th Regiment,
brought the matter to the notice of the Legis-
lature last week, and liked to have embroiled
himself in personal difficulty with Lieut..
wagner, of company of enlis ted men, sta
toned at the Arsenal Mr.. Wagner, who is
also a Senator, denied that the troops were
beyond restraint iicentious, and drunken
Col. Cunningham, on the floor of the House
of Representatives, asserted that they were
Mr.. Wagner said it was a ''miss Ia tement' ;,
Col. Cunningham called for an explanation.
Lieut.. Wagner said he did not mean to i'm
Cunningham asked him to publish this fact
TO the world and say before the Senate
Mr.. Wagner complied and the personal diff
Guilty was settled but Col. Cunningham still
maintained that his statements were true,
and called for n committee of investigate
but the lateness of the hour precluded the ex-
animation of the numerous witnesses, SO the
matter continues over till the next session.
The programme laid down for the Southern
Congress is this First, Provisional Gov
ernment; second, treaties with the United
States and ''other foreign countries third,
decisive legislation in regard to the negro, and
fourthly, decision as to what States shall con-
stitute the Confederacy. In this latter sub
lect all concur that no free State shall be ad-
united, and II any State shall afterwards
abolish slavery she shall be excluded from the
Confederacy. I am informed that this will be
a point insisted upon by Carolina. Georgia
has already declared it to be her demand, and
the rest Of the seeding States will unite with
her on this.
Major Anderson, it is believed here, is adding
greatly TO the strength of his position. He has
dug mine under the causeway leading to the
gate of his ''donIon," and will blow up the
first company that attempts an escaiade. This
he can easily do without iniuring himself or
his fertilization. AT the points, however,
that bear upon Sumter, South Carolina still
continues to concentrate her forces and when
the struggle does come it will be terrible.
IMPORTANT CORRESPONDENTS BETWEEN THE MIN
IsrERs OF FOREIGN POWERS AND THE SECRETARY
OF STATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31.--It appears from Off
clal sources, that on the 9th of January, Mr.
Schleider wrote to the Secretary of State Mr.
Black, informing him that he had received a
letter from the Bremen Consul at Charleston,
stating that the consignee of the q Coperni-
Gus " had rendered duties at the Custom
House, which were refused, and from this the
Consul infers that the functionaries there are
acting no longer for the United States and
the Minister therefore asks how are the Bre-
men captains and consignees of goods import
ed from Bremen in Bremen vessels to any
port in South Carolina, to act in order to
avoid all violations of the revenue laws of the
United States Does the Government hold
itself responsible to the owners of goods now
stored in or which may hereafter be placed in
the United States bonded warehouses at
Charleston and in case of the discon tinuance
of the United States Custom House at
Charleston, will Bremen vessels be permitted
to proceed hence on their voyage without him
drance on the part of the United States au-
thorities?
Lord Lyons, under date of December 3lst,
acquaints the Secretary of State that he has
received letter from the British Consul at
Charleston, in which it Is stated that Sonth
Carolina has passed an ordinance declaring,
in effect, that the Custom Houses of the Uni
ted States in South Carolina are converted
into Custom Houses of that State, and that
the revenue laws adopted show how duties
are to be collec ted on account of that State
The Consul calls attention to several prac IT,
cal difficulties connected with the entry and
a any moment, and Lord Lyons reques IS the
Government to furnish him, without delay,
such information respecting its wishes and in
tentions as may enable him 10 give definite in
StructionS to the Consul, and to remove any
apprehension which may exist that the aboli-
tion de facto OF the United States Custom
Houses will be allowed to subject British YES
selvs OF commerce to loss, injury, or nconve-
nience.
MIR. Tassaro, the Spanish Minister on De-
cember 3lst, calls Secretary Blacks attention
to letter from the Spanish Consul at Charles
ton, relative to customs affairs in that city
Next Secretary Black is informed by Lord
Lyons, that South Carolina authorities have
removed the bnoys, Withdrawn the light ship,
etc, and requests that he cause the lights and
beacons to be replaced to warn vessels of their
danger, and, in conclusion, desire such infor-
nation as will allay anxiety of British SUBJ
jects.
Mr.. Schleider also complains, under date of
January Sth, that the lights in Charleston
harbor have been eXtinguished
Among the documents is also a letter from
ex-Judge Magrath dated from Executive
Department of South Carolina, saying that
the activity of the pilots will prevent any Sc
rious injury or inconvenience to commerce.
On the 10th instant Secretary Black repli ed
to Lord Lyons, and sent a copy of his letter
to Messrs. Schleider and Tassaro. He says
that he had laid Lord Lyons communication
before the President, who would deeply regret
that any injury should happen to the COM |
merce of foreign and friendly nations, and es-
pecially that British subjects at Charleston
should suffer by the anamolous state of things |
existing there. Secretary Black then quotes |
from the law to show that the jurisdiction OF
the Federal Government is to impose duties |
on goods imported into the limits of the Uni
ted States and collect duties, is exclusive
Whether the state of affairs now existing at |
Charleston will or will not be regarded as |
sufficient reason for not ting the penal |
ties incurred by British subjects, is a ques- !
ton, says the Secretary, which Lord Lyons |
will see no necessity for raising until it |
arises. Each ease will no doubt |
have its peculiarities, and Secretary Black re- |
grets that this consideration compels him to |
decline giving any assurances on the points |
The Treasury Depar tment, he |
says, will give public information as to the |
condition in which South Carolina has put |
the.coast.
THE WORK ON THE SOUTH CAROLINA BATTERIES.
A letter from Charleston gives an account |
Of the progress made in preparing the defences. |
II says: |
A word with regard to the forts or batteries |
now being prepared for the defence against |
Fort Sumter, and all hostile demons trations |
by the United States Government. As no |
boat was running regularly to those on the |
right hand side of the channel, to wit Fort |
ohnson, Cummings Point, etc, and, more |
over, permit to those places not being granted,
we could not visit them, but understood they |
were progressing with all possible speed at the |
several places and strongly fortifying them |
oy every available means, several hundred |
hands being employed thereon.
On Wednesday, however, we obtained |
permit to visit Fort Moultrie, and having done |
so found it under strict military discipline, |
and things progressing bravely-so much of |
he wall was commanded by Fort Sumter |
was being rapidly mounted with sand bag bat |
Ieries, from nine to ten feet in thickness, and
the same in depth, and was almost completed; |
Ill the guns were mounted but two, and those
were to be during the day. |
Mai. Ripley thought that in the course OF
lay or two he could Withstand q heavy batte-