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The Impending War: Excitement at the National Capital – 2-3
Our Washington Correspondence – 3-4
The Virginia State Convention – 4
Latest from Charleston: The Floating Battery Placed in Position – 4-5
The War Excitement: State of Feeling among the People – 5-6
More War Vessels Wanted – 6
Capt. Mercer and the Powhatan – 6
Sailing of the Pawnee – 6
Editorial: The Policy of the Administration – 6
Editorial: New-York and the Union – 6
Editorial: “Bluster and Back Down” – 6-7
The Slave-Trade: The Mate of the Notorious Slave-Ship Montauk Arrested – 7

Between 1820-1850 there were clever politicians especially in Congress that knew how to frame compromises and dampen war fever. By 1855 there was a dearth of good leadership. What a tragedy ensued. If war had been avoided there was a good chance that the US would have eventually followed Britain, Russia and others and would have gradually abolished slavery.

Many thanks for the efforts of posting these materials. It demonstrates just how and why history tends to repeat. Personalities, motives and behavior patterns seem to be remarkably similar whatever the time and leads one to conclude that much of what happens is genetically hard wired .

"The War Excitement: State of Feeling among the People – 5-6"

"On the cars, in the ferry and steamboats, in the hotels and bar-rooms, knots of citizens gathered, and warmly discussed the movements of the Government, and paticularly the probable character of the late expeditions, their destinations, and the chances of success in provisioning or reinforcing Fort Sumpter.

"While there was here and there one who questioned the wisdom of the step, the mass of people expressed the most earnest wish for the success of the attempt, and nine out of ten men who said anything went in strongly for sustaining the Government of the country against all traitors, North or South."

"CAPT. MERCER AND THE POWHATAN"

"...The facts are as follows: He

left the ship at Staten Island by instructions from Washington.
These instructions directed the command of the ship to be given to Commodore Porter."

In those days a "Commodore" typically commanded a squadron or small fleet and outranked a ship's captain.

The key point to understand here is that, at the time, everyone understood pretty well what was happening, and nearly all -- even in NYC -- supported Pres. Lincol;n's efforts to resupply or reinforce Fort Sumter.

There was almost nothing secret about it.