The American Civil War

—A meeting of the citizens of Pittsburgh, Pa., was held, to give expression to the public indignation created by the removal of ordnance to the Southern forts. General William Robinson presided. Resolutions were adopted, declaring loyalty to the Union, deprecating any interference with the shipment of arms under government orders, however inopportune or impolitic the order might appear; deploring the existing state of things in connection with the administration of important deportments of the public service, so as to have shaken confidence in the people of the free Slates; that, while Pennsylvania is on guard at the Federal capital, it is her special duty to look to the fidelity of her sons, and in that view call on the President as a citizen of this Commonwealth, to see that the public receive no detriment at his hands. It behooves the President to purge his cabinet of every man known to give aid and comfort to, or in any way countenancing the revolt of any State against the authority of the constitution and the laws of the Union.—Evening Post, Dec. 28.

—“Captain N. L. Coste, U. S. R. Service, in command of the cutter William Aiken, betrayed his vessel into the hands of the State authorities of South Carolina.

“The crew, on being notified of the position of Captain Coste, under the State ordinance concerning the customs, promptly volunteered to remain under his command as an officer of South Carolina under that ordinance.”

(See Statement of Lieutenant Underwood, N. Y. Times, Jan. 9, 1861.)

—A meeting was held this evening at Richmond, Va., to give expression of opinion on the present crisis. Several speeches were made, favoring prompt secession measures, and others advocating a resort to negotiation.—Herald, Dec. 29.

—The Governor of South Carolina is tendered the services of troops from Georgia, Alabama, and different portions of Carolina.

—Fort Moultrie was evacuated tonight. Previous to the evacuation, the guns were spiked and the carriages destroyed by fire. The troops have all been conveyed to Fort Sumter. Major Anderson states that he evacuated the fort in order to allay the discussion about that post, and at the same time strengthen his own position.—(Doc. 7.) The evacuation of the fort commenced a little after sundown. The men were ordered to hold themselves in readiness, with knapsacks packed, at a moment’s notice; but up to the moment of their leaving had no idea of abandoning the post. They were reviewed on parade, and were then ordered to two schooners lying in the vicinity, where they embarked, taking with them all the necessaries, stores, &c., requisite in their evacuation.

Several trips were made during the night, and a great part of the provisions and camp furniture were transported under cover of night. The brightness of the moon, however, afforded but slight concealment to their movements, and in one of the trips, Lieutenant Davis in command, a schooner full of soldiers and baggage passed directly under the bow of the guard-boat Nina. The officer who made the statement expressed himself to be ignorant whether the watch on board the Nina discovered the movement or not; at all events, he said, they did not signify any cognizance of the fact.—(Doc. 8.)—Charleston Mercury, Dec. 28.

—Messrs. Barnwell, Orr, and Adams, the Commissioners appointed by South Carolina to treat with the Federal Government, arrived in Washington to-day. This evening they have held a consultation with a few friends, among whom was Senator Wigfall, of Texas.—Boston Post, Dec. 27.

—In the Convention at Charleston, Mr. Rhett offered the following ordinance;

First.—That the Conventions of the seceding slaveholding States of the United States unite with South Carolina, and hold a Convention at Montgomery, Ala., for the purpose of forming a Southern Confederacy.

Second.—That the said seceding States appoint, by their respective Conventions or Legislatures, as many delegates as they have representatives in the present Congress of the United States, to the said Convention to be held at Montgomery; and that on the adoption of the Constitution of the Southern Confederacy, the vote shall be by States.

Third.—That whenever the terms of the Constitution shall be agreed upon by the said Convention, the same shall be submitted at as early a day as practicable to the Convention and Legislature of each State, respectively, so as to enable them to ratify or reject the said Constitution.

Fourth.—That in the opinion of South Carolina, the Constitution of the United States will form a suitable basis for the Confederacy of the Southern States withdrawing.

Fifth.—That the South Carolina Convention appoint by ballot eight delegates to represent South Carolina in the Convention for the formation of a Southern Confederacy.

Lastly.—That one Commissioner in each State be elected to call the attention of the people to this ordinance.

—The dispatches from Pittsburgh, that the arms in the arsenal there would not be allowed to be shipped, made a great sensation at Washington. The story was greatly enlarged. Northern men, including members of Congress, have telegraphed to the people to stand firm, and not allow the arsenals to be stripped of all arms.

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