The Daily Dispatch: February 1, 1861., [Electronic resource]

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From Charleston.

[special Correspondence of the Dispatch.] You need not rely at all upon any of the thousand and one rumors by telegraph and letters sent from this place concerning political affairs and complications of South Carolina. They are all guess work and vague reports. No one in this city, outside of the Governor and his Cabinet, knows what are the instructions to Col. Hayne, or whether he is instructed to demand Fort Sumter or not; and I now write hastily to say, nothing that has been or may be said, unless it be over the Governor's signature, can be relied on at all. All that I have said to you on the subject, has been the general impression of well-informed citizens and my own, and we know actually nothing, and in these times of excitement, it is best, I think, not to add unnecessary alarm and uneasiness.

I have two friends here, gentlemen heretofore antipodes in their belief as to the ultimate direction things would take, who now agree there will be no war. Both these gentlemen stand at the head of our bar as lawyers, men of sound, practical sense, men of discretion and prudence, of speech and action, both South Carolinians, and both deeply interested in all that concerns Carolina. One has held office under the General Government for years, and who looks at things through the eye of reason, and is slow ever to give an opinion not well matured. He says there will be no war. The other, in every respect his equal, more sanguine in temperament, possessing more ardor, and who until now has been impressed with the belief there would be a conflict, he now thinks differently.

I am thus particular, in order to allay any unnecessary alarm and uneasiness of many persons in your State, who are immediately interested in our affairs, either politically, pecuuiarily, or on account of friends residing here.

My own opinion is not worth a straw, compared with such gentlemen as alluded to, yet I may venture to give my own, and that is, there will be a conflict, either during Mr. Buchanan's administration, or soon after Mr. Lincoln is inaugurated.

The general feeling here is, that we would rather prefer the border States to form their own Confederacy, or remain in the ‘"blessed Union,"’ to act as a ‘"break- water,"’ or bulwark, to the Cotton States.

We Virginians, resident here, don't feel disposed to become aliens to our dear old Common wealth, yet, if it be for mutual good, be it so, but how that blessed old mother can remain in league with her bitterest enemies, I cannot imagine.

We are all quiet here, and the only thing that breaks the monotony, is the arrival of fresh troops daily. Our batteries are all now nearly complete, and formidable affairs they are.

Our fine ocean steamer ‘"Columbia,"’ Capt. Berry, which ran upon a bar last Thursday night, was got off yesterday without injury, after taking out all her cargo. Capt. Berry is the oldest Captain out of this port — has been running over our bars for twenty-five years, and this is the first time he ever got aground. It was owing to the main ship channel being obstructed, and taking a narrow — a strait channel. Yet we have plenty of water for any craft, and if they will take a pilot there is no danger. Virginics.