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Evacuation of Fort Sumter.

In sadness we record the fact that, according to rumor, it has been deemed necessary to evacuate Fort Sumter and lower the AMERICAN FLAG in the presence of those who uphold the RATTLESNAKE FLAG! That this procedure on the part of the Government has been dictated by wisdom we may not doubt. The infamous treachery of Buchanan and his Cabinet has made this humiliating step necessary. Ships of war have been sent abroad — the money of the Government has been stolen — and treachery in all its forms has left this Government of the United States unable to reinforce a fort, or uphold its honor. The Cabinet of Mr. LINCOLN may have more light on this subject than we possess, and may be right in withdrawing Maj. ANDERSON and his brave men from the post where immortal honors have been won, and we trust that their course may be justified by the circumstances. But in any event the American People never will or can feel more degraded than when the Stars and Stripes are lowered in the presence of applauding traitors in Charleston.

For this act, however, we do not blame Mr. LINCOLN. He found a Government apparently without power to protect itself. ANDERSON is without provisions. His men and himself must soon suffer for bread. He cannot be reinforced without a great cost of money and blood. And besides, some South Carolina traitor might be killed, and this would precipitate all the border slave States out of the Union. Such a thing could not be thought of. No sensible person would allow Virginia to go to the devil without making a serious effort to check her. Mr. LINCOLN is a sensible man. — He withdraws Anderson from Sumter, and he reinforces Pickens and other Southern ports. He also stations a war-vessel off Charleston harbor to collect the revenue. He further contemplates calling a Congress together to pass laws to enable him to assert the authority of the United States Government. We earnestly hope that the noble and brave ANDERSON may be reinforced, and this hope and wish is shared by every true friend of the Union in Illinois, but if circumstances render it necessary to evacuate Fort Sumter we will have to submit to it with the best grace we can. That Mr. LINCOLN is a true friend of his country, and working, as he believes, for its best interests we cannot doubt. If the American flag is trailed in the dust by his order, it is because the treachery of his predecessor has made it imperatively necessary. If he cannot keep the stars and stripes flying over Sumter we believe it is his purpose to keep it flying over OUR COUNTRY.

Our latest dispatches states that Mr. LINCOLN has not yet given orders for the evacuation of Fort Sumter. Let us hope that he may not be compelled to issue any order of the kind.