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From Jacksonville.

JACKSONVILLE, April 16.

The news of the attack upon Fort Sumter has caused more excitement in this county than any other thing that ever occurred since the county was settled. A public meeting, without distinction of party, was called last night, and an immense crowd met in Strawn's Hall, and Col. McClernand, our member of congress, being present, was introduced to the meeting, and made a very eloquent speech, giving a history of the rise and progress of secession in the cotton states, and taking a stand on the side of the Union, and made a telling appeal to his democratic friends to stand by the Union and render their best aid to execute the laws of the country, without reference to the party divisions of the past.

After Col. McClernand closed his speech, Gen. M. McConnel was loudly called for, and he came forward and offered the following resolutions:

1. Resolved, That in the spirit, and for the object for which the Union of these states was formed by our fathers, the same must be preserved, and to this we pledge our lives our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

2. Resolved, That we desire to preserve this Union peaceably, if we can, but forcibly if we must, but in conformity to the constitution of the nation, the rights of the states, and the safety and liberty of the people.

Upon the reading of these resolutions, the burst of applause was tremendous. Mr. McConnel made a short speech in their favor, saying that he likened our situation in the present crisis, to a man who was suddenly aroused from his sleep, and found his house on fire. Was it wise in him to leave the house to burn, and go forth to seek the cause, or to find the incendiary, who applied the torch, or would it be his duty to call help and go to work and extinguish the flames, and seek out the evil-doer afterwards.

He said he was not there to critize the past or to speak of the men and the measures who caused the present state of things, but he was there to unite with anybody that would stand with him by the Union, and enforce the constitution and laws of his country, and if, after the crisis has passes, and we had a country and homes left, it would be time enough to seek out and punish the offenders.

The applause was great, and the chairman, Mr. McDonald, put the question upon the resolutions and they were passed unanimously. Not a man in that vast crowd cast a vote against them.

Messrs. Charles Fox, B. F. Bristow, and Dr. Edgar being called for by the audience, each came forward and made short and appropriate speeches, sustaining the principles of the resolutions, and the audience adjourned with three cheers for the Union.

A larger or more enthusiastic meeting was never convened in this county, upon so short a notice, and now to-day not a voice can be heard sustaining the factions and disunion parties either in the south or in the north.

MORGAN.