The National crisis.
The Seizure of the Hospital Barracks at Norlands — Military Preparations in Florida--A New Fugitive Slave Law — Hoisting the Palmetto Flag in Massachusetts, &c.
A company of people at
Galveston, Texas, on the 17th, took 1,000 stand of arms, 250 six-shooters, and a lot of cavalry equipments, be longing to the United States Government, destined for
San Antonio.
Rev. C. W. Thomas, the well known author and Methodist divine, has resigned his commission as
Chaplain in the U. S. Navy, at
Pensacola, Fla., and returned to
Alabama.
The Montgomery Advertiser says, until some definite arrangement is made, letters intended for persons at or near
Pensacola should be directed to the post-office at
Warrenton,
Florida.
W.
M. Thomas, of
Greenville, proffers to be one of twenty to raise $10,000 for the benefit of the families of the poor men of the Greenville volunteers
The Right Rev. Bishop Rutledge, of the Diocese of
Florida, has deposited with the
State Treasurer a draft for $500 towards defraying the expenses of the
Government.
Hon. E. W. Fettus, the
Commissioner from
Alabama to
Mississippi, arrived in the city a few days since.
Hons.
A. F. Hopkins and
F. M. Gilmer, Jr., Commissioners from this State to
Virginia, reached the city yesterday.
These gentlemen are quite hopeful of the Old Dominion—
Montgomery (Ala.) Adv.
The Seizure of the Hospital barracks at New Orleans — letter of Secretary Dix to the Collector.
Washington Jan. 28.--Sir: I did not receive, until the 26th inst., yours of the 14th inst, informing me that the
United States barracks below the city of
New Orleans, which have for several months been occupied as a Marine Hospital, have been taken possession of in the name of the
State of Louisiana.
I found enclosed a copy of the letter of
Captain Bradford, of the First Louisiana Infantry, advising you that he had taken possession of the barracks, and that they would be required for the
Louisiana troops now being enlisted, and requesting you to immediately remove those patients who are convalescent, and as soon as in the opinion of the resident surgeon it may be practicable and humane, those also who are now confined to their beds.
He also states that the barracks contained two hundred and sixteen invalids and convalescent patients.
Looking on this transaction as an outrage on the public authority, I have no comment to make, but I cannot believe that a proceeding so discordant with the character of the people of the
United States, and so revolting to the civilization of the age, has had the sanction of the
Governor of the
State of Louisiana.
I sent a telegraphic dispatch to you yesterday, desiring you to remonstrate with him against the inhumanity of
Captain Bradford's order, and to ask him to revoke it, but if he should decline to interfere I instructed you in regard to the removal and treatment of the sick, and in that I trust that you will carry out my directions, not merely with economy, but with a careful regard to their helpless condition.
The barracks, it seems, were taken possession of on the 11th instant.
Capt. Bradford's letter is dated the 13th instant, and your's the 14th, though I had no information on the subject until the 26th. I infer from the newspaper paragraph you enclosed, which telegraphic advices in regard to the subject matter show to be of a later date than your letter, that the letter was not dispatched until the 21st or 23d instant.
I hope that I am mistaken, and the cause of the delay is to be found in some unexplained interruption of the mail.
I should otherwise have great reason to be dissatisfied that the information was not more promptly communicated.
From the tone of the newspaper paragraphs you enclosed, and from the seizure of the barracks in violation of the usages of humanity which in open war between contending nations, and even in the most revengeful civil conflicts between kindred races, have always held sacred from disturbance edifices dedicated to the care and comfort of the sick, I fear that no public property is likely to be respected.--You will, therefore, have no more money expended on the Revenue Cutter
Washington, now hauled up for repairs, until I can have the assurance that she will not be seized as soon as she is refitted, and taken into the service of those who are seeking to break up the
Union and overthrow the authority of the
Federal Government.
Reply of the Collector.
Secretary Dix, in reply to his telegraphic dispatch, has received the following reply from Collector
Hatch:
New Orleans, Jan. 28.--The
Marine Hospital affair has been satisfactorily arranged.--The barracks are retained.
See my letter of the 21st.
Military preparations in Florida
The steamer
Joseph Whitney, from
Fort Winthrop,
Boston, arrived at
Fort Jefferson,
Tortugas, Florida, on the 18th, and landed
Major Arnold's company of artillery there.--This fortification extends over the whole surface of
Garden Key, and has an area of over thirteen acres. It is completely closed against surprise by escalade, though its armament is incomplete.
The first and second tiers, however, are finished, and the twelve outworks of bastions and curtains can mount three hundred and fifty guns.
The fort is further fortified by a wide ditch, reaching to the water, and protected by a strong counters carp.
The guns of the fort command the inner harbor, but the outer bay is beyond their longest range.
The whole armament of the fort, when complete, is 450 guns, and the garrison necessary for its defence is 1,000 men.
Capt. Meigs, of the engineer corps, is now in command of the fortress, and is in a position now, with
Arnold's reinforcement, to defend it against anything less than a regularly equipped besieging army.
Fort Taylor is a large, first class fortification, commanding the harbor of Key West and at its entrance.
It is complete except the barracks and a few platforms for the mounting of barbette ordnance.
The officer in command of this fort is
Captain John Brannan, of the First Artillery, United States Army, and he, with the force under his command, now constitute the garrison.
The fortress forms an irregular quadrangle, having three channel curtains.
It is three hundred yards off the beach, and on the southwest point of the island, and stands in a depth of seven or twelve feet of water.
The foundation is granite and the upper works are of brick.
The scarp walls have a solidity of eight feet, rising forty feet above the water level.
It is provided with three tiers--two of casemate and one of barbette, and mounts one hundred and twenty- eight ten-inch Columbiad guns on the seaward front, and forty-five heavy pieces towards the beach.
The armament is mostly mounted and prepared to stand a siege.
The garrison are abundantly supplied with ammunition, provisions, fuel, water and all other important stores.
With the assistance of the Navy this fort can be defended against any force that may assail it. It is regarded as the key of the
Gulf.
A New fugitive slave law
In the Senate, on Monday,
Mr. Douglas asked and obtained leave to introduce a bill amendatory of and supplemental to the acts of the 12th of February, 1793, and the 12th of September, 1860, in respect to the rendition of fugitives from justice and service
Section 1 provides that the demand by a Governor of a State or Territory for the surrender of a fugitive from justice shall be made upon a Judge of any Federal Court in the
State or Territory where the fugitive has taken refuge, instead of being made on the
Governor, as by the act of 1793, which was rendered nugatory by the decision of the Supreme Court of the
United States in the case of Prigg vs.
Pennsylvania.
It is also provided that the words ‘"treason, felony and other crimes"’ shall be construed to include all offences committed within and against the
State or Territory making the demand, whether the acts charged were criminal or not in the
State where the fugitive was found.
Section 2 provides for giving the fugitive slave a jury trial in the
State or Territory from which he fled.
Section 3 provides that when, through violence or intimidation, a fugitive slave shall not be recovered, the owner may bring suit for and recover the value in the Court of Claims, the amount to be paid from the United States Treasury, the
Solicitor thereof to bring suit, in the name of the
United States, against the county, city or municipality, where the recovery was prevented, for the amount paid for such fugitive.
Section 4 repeals all offensive parts of the act of 1850 in respect to harboring and protecting fugitives, and to the fees paid in case of rendition, and other obnoxious features
Section 5 repeals all laws inconsistent with this enactment.
The bill was read twice by unanimous consent, and referred to the Judiciary Committee.
The above bill was submitted to
Mr. Crittenden, and other distinguished
Senators, all of whom concur in its provisions.
The citizens of
Gloucester, Mass., were astonished Tuesday morning by seeing a Palmetto flag flying over
Fort Defiance.
The revenue cutter in the harbor sent a boat's crew ashore and cut it down,
