THE WAR BEGUN. FORT SIJMPTER FALLEN. From the mass of telegraphic dispatches we give the following most important ones, which though sufficiently indicating the surren der of Fort Sumpter, are devoid of particniars : CHARLESTON, Friday, April 13,12:30 a. nr. War has at last begun. A terrible fight is nt this moment going on between Fort Sumter BDCJ the fortifications by which.it is surrounded. The issue was submitted to Major Ander son of surrendering, or of having a fire opened on him within a certain time. This he refused to do, and, at 4 o'clock this morning Fort Moultrie began the bombard ment by firing two guns. Fort Sumpter re turned the fire and a fierce canuonading has been kept up. CHARLESTON, Aprii 13—Night. Hostilities have for the present ceased, atrd the Tictorv belongs to South Carolina. With the display of the flag of truce on the ramparts of Sumter, at half-past one o'clock, the firing ceased, and unconditional surrender was made. The Caroiioians Lad uo idea that the fight was at an end so soon. After the flagstaff of Anderson was shot away, Col. Wigfall, aid to Gen. Beauregard, at his commander's request, went to Sumter with a white flag to offer assistance in extin guishing the flames. lie approached the burn ing fortress from Morris Island, and while the firing was raging on all sides, effected a land ing at Sumter. He approached a porthole aud was met by Maj. Anderson. The com mander of Fort Suuiter said he had just dis played a white flag, but tbe filing from the Carolina batteries was kept up, nevertheless. Col. Wigfall replied tliut Maj. Anderson must haul down the American flag; that no parley would be granted. Surrender or fight was the word. Maj. Anderson then hauled down his flag, and displayed only that of truce. All firing instantly ceased, and two others of Gen. Beauregard's staff, ex Senator Chest nut and ex-Gcv. Manning, came over in a boat and stipulated with the Major that his surrender should be unconditional for the pre sent, subject to the terms of Gen. Bcaure gard. Maj. Anderson was allowed to remain with his men in actual possession of the fort, while Messrs. Chestnut and Manning came over to the city, accompanied by a member of the Palmetto Guards, bearing the colors of his company. These were met at the pier by hundreds of citizens and as they marched up the street to the General's quarters the crowd was swelled to thousands. Shouts rent the air, and the wildest joy was maoifestcd on account of the welcome tidiugs. After the surrender a boat with an officer and ten men was sent from one of the ships in the ofikg to Gen. Simons, commanding on Morris Island, with a request that a merchant ship,or one of the vessels of tjie United States be al lowed to enter and take off the Commander and garrison of Fort Sumter. 2>ir. Simons replied that if no hostilities were attempted during that night,and no effort was made to reenforce or retake Fort Sumter-, he would give au answer at 9 o'clock on Sun day morning. The officer signified that he was satisfied with this and returned. This correspondent accompanied the officers of Gen']. Beauregard's staff on a visit to Fort Sumter. None but the officers were allowed to land, however. They went down in a steamer, and carried three fire engines for the purpose of putting out the flames. The fire, however, had been previous ly extinguished by the excrtious of Major Anderson and his men. The visitors reported that Maj. Anderson surrendered because his quarters and barracks were destroyed, and he had no hope of recn forccments. The fleet lay idly by dnring the 30 honrs of the bombardment and either could not or would not help him; besides, his men were prostrate from over exertion. There were but five of them hurt—four badly, and one, it is thought, mortally—but the rest were worn out. The explosions that were heard and seen from the city in the morning were caused by the bursting of loaded shells. These were ignited by the fire, and could not be removed quick enough. The fire in the barracks was caused by the quantities of hot shot poured in from Fort Moultrie. Within Fort Sumter, everything but the casements is an utter ruin. The whole thing looks like a blackened mass of ruins. Many of the guns are dismounted The side opposite the iron battery of Cnm roing's Point is the hardest dealt with. The rifled cannon from this place played great havoc with Fort Sumter. The wail looks like a honeycomb. Near the ton is a breach as big as a cart. The side oppisite Fort Moultrie is honeycombed extensively,as is that opposite the floating battery. Fort Moultrie is badly damaged. The offi cers' quarters and barracks are torn to pieces. The frame bouses on the island are riddled with shot in many instances, and whole sides ot houses are torn out. The fire in Fort Sumter was put out and re caught three times duriug the day. Dr. Crawford, Major Anderson's surgeon, is slightly wounded in the face. None of the Carolinians are injured. Major Anderson and alibis officers and men are yet in Fort Sumter. I approached near enough to the wall to see him bid adieu. In addition to this, conversations were had,which have been repeated to me. A boat was sent from the Fort to-night to officially notify the fleet at the bar that Major Anderson had surrendered. CHARLESTON, Snnday, Aprii 14. Negotiations were completed last night.— Major ANDERSON, with his command, will evacuate Fort Sumter this morning, and will embark ou board of the war vessels off our bar. Five of ANDERSON'S men are slightly woun ded. CHARLESTON, Sunday, April 14. The steamer Isabel is now steaming up, and will take Gerr. B-EACRROARDAO Sumter, which will be turned over by Major ANDERSON to the Confederate 3tates. ANDERSON and his commaud, it is reported, will proeeed to New York in the Isabel. CHARLESTON, Sunday, April, 14. Maj. ANDERSON and his men leave to-night in the steamer Isabel at 11 o'clock for New York. The fleet is still ousiJe. It was a thilling scene when Maj. ANDER SON and his men took thtir formal leave of Port S mater. &ctos from all Rations. —The editor of the Northwestern Farnrer, an ngricult-rral journal publUhed in lowa, has received no less than fifty subscribers from Georgia, the first he iias ever receive dfrom that part of the country. The people there are very anxious to get information respect ing the North with a view of removing thither. He has also received several letters from South Carolina on the same subject. There will he a large emigration from the gulf States to the Northwest this season. —Mr. Hassaurick, the new Minister to Ecquador, is said to have thanked the President for hav ing appointed him " to the highest place in Ms gift," which is nine thousand five hundred feet above the level of the ocean; that being the height of Quito, the capital in which he will reside. —The official census of the United States has just been completed, showing a total ot thirty one million, four hundred and twenty nine thousand, eight hundred and ninety one (31, 429, 891). Of these three millions, Pine hundred and fifty-one thousand eight hun dred and one are slaves. —Among recent deaths at the South is floticed that of an individual by the name ot St. Clair Morgan, who claimed the honor of having fired the first shot at the Star of the West, while that vessel was en deavoring to reinforce Port Sumter. He was killed in a duel by a Captain o'llarn,an officer ih Dragg's array. —The Louisville Journal says:—ln 185G we said luc time would come when any man who should oppose the re-Opening of the African slave trade would be denounced as an Abolitionist. Such a time came a year ago. In the last Presidential canvass we said the time would soon come when every man opposing the dis solution of the Union would be denounced as au Aboli tionist. Such a time has come now. —The name of the Lock ITaveti V. 9TURROCJC t \ EDIT*>RS TOWANDA-: Thursday Morning, April 18, 1861. JKa?" Martial law was declared in the res trict of Columbia on Monday. Numbers of volunteers were reporting themselves at the War Department. The Government having exhausted its forbearance is now about to enter upon the discharge of its duty with energy. In another column will be found the proclamation of the President calling cut a force of seventy-five thousand men cad 1 convening an extra session of Congress on the Fourth of July. The call for troops is enthusiastically icsponded too. JKS" Our Congressional District under the new Apportionment Bill is composed of the following counties : Bradford, Montour, Co lumbia, Sullivau and Wyoming counties, and Northumberland county, excepting Lower Ma hony township, (which is included in the 13th district.) The judges of this district will meet at the court house in Bloomsburg in the coun ty of Columbia. It is rcpo:ted from Pensacola that Fort Pickens has been reenforced, and another re port says that 400 men have been introduced. This news comes through secession sources, and cannot be entirely relied on, but it is probable. Though this number of men will not make up a full war garrison for the fort, it will at least enable the defense to make a more formidabla resistance than was made by the handful of men in Sumter. PENNSYLVANIA PREPARED —Gov. CURTIN, who is now in Washington has declared that the call upon this State will be responded to within forty-eight hours, and that the men may be in Washington by Wednesday evening. Since he has been in Washington lie has re ceived from the President of the board cf Phil adelphia Bank President?, a tender of the en tire sum of five hundred thousand dollars, voted bv the Stale, iu anticipation of its being provided for otherwise. One of the strongest of the banks also telegraphs Gov. CURTIN that he may draw at sight for any sum required to meet present necessities. PROBABLE ATTEMPT TO SEIZE WASHINGTON The Administration lias satifactorv information that the Confederate States have proposed, immediately after reducing Fort Sumter, to march on Washington with their army of twenty thousand men, for which they will have uothing else to do. Until recently, JEFFERSON DAVIS was disposed to postpone that step un till the secessiou of Virginia and Maryland was effected, hut as he despairs of that now, he believes that at the approach of his army those Siates will immediately unite their forces with his. Men who know those States well say he is in error. fiST" Senator Douglas called upon the Prcs idem on Sunday evcuing, and assured him that he was prepared to sustain the administration in the exercise of all its constitutional functions to preserve the Union, maintain the Gov ernment, and defend the Federal Capital.— He said : "Let bygones be bygones. If your policy is only bold enough and decided enough, I will stand by you to the end. The Republi cans and members of all other parties express the greatest delight at this decided confirma tion of the conviction that the Northwest will also be found a unit in this momentous hour. Mr. DOUGLAS also expressed some chagrin at the rumor that Illinois is only to be called upon for three thousand men, as sho rffered more volunteers for the Mexican war, in pro portion, than any other State. THE COMMISSIONERS appointed by the Vir ginia Convention to wait upon the President and ascertain from him personally the policy which the Administration intend to pursue toward the Confederate States, called upon him on Saturday and executed the duty im posed upon him. The President in his answer which he communicated to them in writing, simply reaffirms the language of his Inaugural Address—that lis will "hold occupy and pos sess" the public property in the Southern Sta tes. In explanation, he further stated that this language was intended to apply to the period of his inauguration, but as the authori ties at Charleston had seen fit to make an un provoked assault upon Fort Sumter, lie now felt himself at liberty to repossess himself of that fortress. He also intimated that perhaps he might find it necessary to withdraw mail facilities from those States which had claimed to secede, although the fact of secession is not and will not be acknowledged. J@-The Free States, in the aggregate lose under the new apportionment, twelve members, and gain thirteen, leaving a clear gain of one. The Slave States lose twelve, and gain six, or a clear loss of six. Relatively, the North will staDd setew stronger in the Thirty-eighth Con. gress than in the present, which, considering the large increase in the apportionment, is a very great gain. In the present Congress, tbe Northern representation is 148, and the South ern 90. In the Thirty eighth CoDgress, the first under the new appointment, the Free States will have 146 representatives, and the Slave States 64 Message from the Governor. The followiug is the message of Governor Curtin, calling the attention of the Legisla ture to the defects of the militia system of the State, and recommending that the Legislature adopt immediate measures to remove such de fects. PENNSYLVANIA EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, ) Hurrisburg, April 9, 1861. j To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania : GENTLEMEN : As the period Gxed fo? the adjournment of the Legislature is rapidly approaching, I feel constrained by a sense ct duty to call your at tention to the condition of the military organi zation of the State. It is scarcely necessary to say more than that the militia system of the State, during a long period distinguished by the pursuits of peaceful industry exclusivaly, has become whol ly inefficient, and the interference of the Leg islature is required to remove its defects, and to render it useful and available to the public service. Many of our volunteer companies do not possess the number cf men required bv our militia law, and steps should be forthwith ta ken to supply these deficiencies. There are numerous companies, too, that are without the necessary arms ; and of the arms that are dis tributed, but few are provided with the more modern appliances to render them serviceable. I recommend, therefore, that the Legisla ture muke immediate provision for the removal of these capital defects ; that arms be pro cured and distributed to those of our citizm.s who may enter into the military service of the State ; and that steps be taken to change the guns already distributed, by the adoption of such well known and tried improvements as will render them effective in the event of their employment in actual service. In this connection I recommend the estab lishment of a Military Bureau at the capital ; and that the inilitia laws of the Common wealth be so modified and amended as to im part to the military organization of the State, the vitality and energy essential to its practi cal value and usefulness. Precautions, such as I have suggested, are wise and proper at all times, in a Government like ours ; hut special and momentous consid erations, arising from the condition o f public affairs outside of the limits, yet of incalculable consequence to the people, and demanding the gravest attention of the Legislature of Penn sylvania, invest the subject to which your ac tion is invited by this communication, with ex traordinary int'-rest and importance. We can not be insensible to the fact that serious jeal ousies and divisions distract the public mind, and that, in portions of this Union, the peace of the country, if not the safety of the Gov ernment itself, is endangered. Military organ izations of a formidable charaeter, and which seem not to be demanded by any existing pub lic exigency, have been formed iu certain of the States. On whatever pretexts these ex traordinary military preparations may have been made, no purpose that may contemplate resistance to the enforcement of the laws, will meet sympathy or encouragement from the peo ple cf this Commonwealth. Pennsylvania yields to uo State in her respect for, and her willingness to protect, by all needful guaran tees, the constitutional rights, flr.d constitu tional independence of her sister States, nor in fidelity to that constitutioua' Union whose uuexampled benefits have beeu .howcred alike upon herself and them. The most exalted public policy and the clear est obligations of true patriotism, therefore ad tnonish us, in the existing deplorable and dan gerous crisis of affairs, that our militia system should receive from the Legislature that prompt attention which public exigencies, cither of the State or the Nation, may appear to demand and which may seem, in your wisdom best adapted to preserve and secure to the people of Pennsylvania and the Union the blessing of peace and the integrity and stability of our unrivalled constitutional government. The government of this jrreat State was es tablished by its illustrious founder "in deeds of peace ; r ' our people have been trained and dis eiplined in those arts which lead to the promo tion of their own moral and physical develop ment and progress, and with the highest re gard for the rights of others, have always cul tivated fraternal relations with the people of all the States devoted to the Constitution and the Union, and always recognizing the spirit ol concession and compromise that underlies the foundation of the government. Pennsylvania offers no counsel, and takes no action in the nature of a menace ; her desire is for peace, and her object, the preservation of the person al and political rights of citizens, of States, and the supremacy of law and order. Animated by these sentiments, and indul ging an earnest hope of the speedy restoration of those harmonious and friendly relations be tween the various members of this Confeder acy which have brought our beloved country to a condition of unequalled power and pros perity, I commit the grave subject of this com munication to your deliberation. A G. CURTIX. A SECESSION NEWSPAPER IN PHILADELPHIA MOD BF.D. PHILADELPHIA, Monday, April 15. An excited crowd assembled this morning before the printing-office on the corner of Fourth and Chestnut streets, where the Pal mello Flag, a small advertising sheet, is pub lished. and threatened to demolish it. The proprietor displayed the American Flag and threw the objectionable papers from the win dow, also the Stars and Stripes, another pa per printed at the same office, restoring the crowd to good humor. The Police was pre sent. PHILADELPHIA. Monday, April 15—12 M. There is still much excitement about the Palmetto Flog office. The whole square is blocked up with people. The Mayor and Police have possession of the buiiding. A large American Aug is suspended across the street. Some damage has been done to the interior of the office by the mob. It would have been entirely torn out but for the interference of the Mayor. Mayor HENRY made a speech to the crowd. A dangerous mob feeling existed. The Bulletin announces that the Secretary of the Charelston Secession Convention, who moved the secession ordinance, is now in the city, at the house of a relative in the Tenth Ward. The crowd has moved down to the Argus office in Third-street, opposite the dock, order ing that the flag should be displayed. The police are protecting iT The President's Proclamation. By the President of Iht United States : A PROCLAMATION. WHF.RF.AS, The laws of the United States have been for some time past and now are op posed, and the execution thereof obstructed, in the States of South Carolina, Georgia, AI abnina, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, or by the powers vested in the Marshals by law ; Now, therefore, I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Pres ident of the United States, in virtue of the power iu me vested by the Constitution and the laws, have thought lit to rail forth, and here by do call forth, the Militia of the several States of the Union, to the aggregate number of 75,000 in order to suppress said combina tions, and to cause the laws to be duly exec cuted. The details for this object will be im mediately communicated to the State author ities through the War Department. I appeal to all loyal citizens to favor, facili tate. and aid this effort to maintain the honor, the integrity, and the existence of our Nation al Union and the perpetuity of popular go vernment, and to redress wrongs already long enough endured. I deem it proper to say, that the first ser vice assigned to the force hereby called forth, will probably be to repossess the forts, places and property which have been seized from the Union, and in every event, the utmost care will be observed, consistency with the objects aforesaid, to avoid any devastation, any de struction of, or interference with property, or any disturbance of peaceful citizens in any pmt of the country ; and I hereby command the persons composing the combinations afore said, to disperse and retire peaceably to their respective abodes within tweuty days from this date. Deeming that the present condition of pub lie affairs presents an extraordinary occasion, I do, hereby, in virtue of the power in rne vested by the Constitution, convene both Houses of Congress. The Senators and Rep resentatives are therefore summoned to assem ble at their respective chambers at twelve o'clock, noon, on Thursday, the fourth day of July next, then and there to consider anil de termine such measures as, in their wisdom, the public safety and interest may seetn to de mand. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be fixed. Done at the City of Washington, this fif teenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty one, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-fifth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. WJI. II SEWARD, Secretary of State. The Apportionment Bill. The plan to divide the State into Congres sional Districts, in accordance with the returns of the late census, has been agreed upon by the Apportionment Committee, and will un doubtedly receive the sanction of the General Assembly. The different counties are distrib uted as follows : lsf District Philadelphia, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth m.d Eleventh Wards, with a population of Rib,ooo. •2 1. District Philadelphia, First, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Wards. Popula tion of 129,353. 31 District—Philadelphia, Twelfth, Thir teenth, Sixteenth, Seventeetn, Eighteenth and Nineteenth Wards. Population, 125,843 4th District—Philadelphia, Fourteenth, Fif teenth, Twentieth, Twenty fust and Twenty fourth Wards. Population, 127,864. sth District—Bucks county, part of Mont gomery, and the Twenty-fifth. Twenty-third and Twenty second Wards of Philadelphia.— Population, 129,958. Gtli District—Delaware. Cluster and Mont gomery counties, south of the Schuylkill.— Population, 115 047. 7th District —Berks and part of Montgom erv. Population, 143,819. Slh District—Lancaster, Population, 110,- 315. Oth District—Schuylkill and Lebanon.— Population, 121,346. 10th District—Lehigh, Pike, Monroe. Car bon and Northampton. Population, 136,615 11th District—Susquehanna, Wayne and Luzerne. Population, 159,281. 12th District—Bradford, Montour, Colum bia, Sullivan anil Wyoming counties, and the balance of Northumberland county not in cluded in the thirteenth district. 133,187. 13th District—Dauphin and Yok counties and Lower Mahouy township, in Northum berland co , not included in the 12th district. Population, 114,957. 14th District—Union, Snyder, Junintn, Perry and Cumberland counties. Population, 109,058. 15th District —Somerset, Bedford, Fulton, Franklin and Adams counties. Population, 132.792 IGtli District—Cambria, Blair, Hunting don and Mifflin counties. Population, 101,- 427. 17th District— Potter, Lycoming, Clinton and Centre counties. Population, 124,735. 18th District — Jefferson, Erie, Warren, McKean, Eik, Cameron, Forest and Clearfield counties. Population, 121,314 19th District—Crawford, Mercer, Venango and Clarion counties. Population, 135,050. 20th District Indiana, Westmoreland and Fayatte counties. Population, 127,382. 21st District —Allegheny county south of the Ohio and AlUgheny rivers. Population, 120,304 22nd District—Allegheny, north of the Ohio and Allegheny rivers, and Butler and Arm strong counties. Population, 123,807. 23d District—Lawrence, Beaver, Washing ton and Greene. Population, 123,287. ®ST" A private letter from a gentleman in Manchester, England, received in New York, says under date of March 27th : " What wir.h bad crops last summer in this country, disturb ed political affairs in the United States, over trading to India and China, ete., I have never seen commercial affairs in a worse condition than they urc in England at this time; there is a complete stagnation both in home trade and shipping; and where the first relief is to come from it is hard to determine—perhaps from the United States, as it did iu tlio panic of '57—'58." _ Adjutant Gen. Carrington, has issued orders for carrying into effect the militarv law of Ohio, which will concentrate 25,000 meß. The Militia Act. The following is the law adopted a t H • burg, for (he better organization of the'v!"* tia of the Commonwealth, and ia.- inducements and advantages directed > th" ' J - _- t Committee, appointed by the Executive I' x ,. witl he received up to ami including May , j Communications should be addressed to eilE' following tiersous .- W.M. COLDER.-1 a-. JOHN 1. IU niEKFOfiP JACOB MISH. JOHN II ZEIGI KB. iUrrtsburg. ■ AMOS K. KAPIV , .n. Northnmlerlan^^ pl6-7w. VTOTICE.—The stock subscribers I if Towranda Telegraph Company [ Ward Hone, in TO IVAN DA. on S.tTl 1 day of April iuat.. at 4 o'clock, p nt '° r ' I choosing a president. Secretary. Trea* ,rtr rectors. C F WELLESh*| JAMES MACKVRUA* C L. WAll' 1 . ♦5. F. MASON. M C. MERC KB. J £ :S4EL. I