Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-07-09

4
independence. The seeding States are (:
Georgia, South Carolina,
Aiabama, Florida, =
Mississippi, ~ Louisiana.
As this interesting intelligence is some eigh
years later nesos than anything we have evel
been able to print, even in the latest edition
of our paper, We quote further particular.
In detail Et- a-s-
T. The Legislatures ofthese ahe above named,
States, were in session, with closed doors
until the termination Of Decembnr oath. Al
which time it was known, by Geographic des
patches, that Congress had separated, upon
an adjournment for ten days. Theu the com
mon resolutions and enactments of these
States just before adopted were first made
known to the public. All the Legislature
have declared for the immediate secession o.
their several States from the heretofore exist
ing Federal Union. and their being united in
new couftderacy. They have further con
Cured in ordering the election on January
18Th of members OF general Convention Of
the Seeding States, to be composed of one
member from each of the previous Congress
sional districts of each State-to assemble a
atlanta. IN Georgia. on The 20h. TO rdtJy tn.
declaration of secession. and to adopt the necessary
changes Of The former Federal Constitution, to snf
It 10 the changed circunsstQnces-an9t 10 order tn
elections necessary for the Federal GoUernnae,
s0htci may be agreed upon and established By ht
CoRcesstioa Of Seeding States. Further by the
Concurrence of the Legislatures OF all the
Seeding States. provisional Federal Ad-
miaistration was authorized, to rcise both
legislative and executive powers-indeed,
dictatorial powers-ior the short time OF its
existence. This body will be composed of all
4 tha is.fa Ea-1c and Ran "a
tives in Congress of these six States. with
the addition of four other members from
each OF these States, elected by their respec-
| tive Legislatures. This provisional govern
ment will continue in pOwercuntil supers. ded
by the General Convention. which will retain
| the like power until the Succeeding organi-
cation of the constituted government, and
Inauguration OF its administrators The
whole arrang cement will secure buth mature
and energetic action from the beginning and
/ throughout = 81 ~ EEts
We have not a doubt, now, continues the
Express, that we have here. in this romantic
| letter TO the London Times a substantial EN-
bodiment Of the feTerish dreams that are
fitting through certain Southern brains. The
programme is practical aud methOdical, and
if the whole truth were known. we should not
be at all surprised to learn that it has been
put forth at this peculiar conjuncture with a
view TO sound public sentiment at the South
on the question of an actual separation from
the North. Apart from this hypothesis, We
certainly cannot imagine any rational mo-
tive for "Eentilating2 so coid-bioOdcd pro-
position. in so eold-blooded a manner. -
But the secessionists of "IS6S," having ta-
ken the practical step towards breaking up
the Confederacy, had the sense, it seems. to
see that war to the knife with the Federal
Government must follow, aud so. to make
ready for the conflict, (the London Times
writer goes on to say):
The Notifications of the United States TO
project the ports and seaboard cities from ma
val attacks, have beer constructed on a gil
gantic plan, in remai kable disproportion to
the generally small number of the regular ar
myand the number of reflective garris1ns which
can be distributed among these many forts.
Thus, Fortress Monroe in Virginia, to be fully
manned, would require garrison of 500
men, or as numerous as the whole United
States army was for many years together.
From the want or men, must of these extern
sive and strong Notifications have for many
years been left without garrisOns, aud, in
some cases, without the smallest military
guard. The substitute, in such cases, would
be some trustworthy old sergeant, who, with
his family, resided in the fort. to take care
of it, as if private property. To this condi-
ton were the two forts surrounding Charles
ton harbor, Fort Moultrie, on Suilivan'sls-
land, six miles below the ci:y, and Fort Sum-
ter on the opposite (right) side. on an artiff-
cial islet. Castle Pinckney, on "a small is
land in the upper part OF the harbor, and
within easy cannon range of The water side
of Charleston, alone had garrison OF three
hundred regulars, and was in good condition
for defence, or for offence. Since the troub-
les between South Carolina and the Federal
power in JacksOn's administration, Castle
Pinckney had been kept garrisUned. not to
protect Charlc ston from naval al tack from the
ocean, but to serve as bride upon he city.
aud upon the State, of which Charleston is the
great commercial capital. and only consid-
cradle as The usual outlet of the trade and
navigation. 81 "a E.
In anticipation Of the events to be an
nOuncid on the evening of December 24ih,
the Governor of South Carolina had author
lied and ordered generally TO the command
ing militia officer in Charleston, to take. Sc
cret and proper measures to capture both
Forts MOultrie and Sumter on the night of
December 24Ih. To swear the single guardi-
In charge. and SD to take possession OF
require a considerable number. and of the
bet soldiers, all being entirely raw, 10 retain
possession, in defiance of any regular militia
~ and naval force of the United States that
could soon be brought to attack these forts. |
Hall dozen bold and trusty men, neighb0rs |
and friends of the guardian of Fort Sumter. |
made an appointment 10 visit him on The |
Christmas eve, and ospend some hours with |
him in the custom Try merry making of the |
th.a -. fha.l
possibility of their old friend resisting, and |
so incurring any bodily damage, the single |
guardian was arrested, and the fort taken /
possession OF. Nearly in The like manner |
and about the same early hour of The night. |
the possession of Fort MoulIrie was secured /
Many companies pf volunteer militia the |
best disciplined in Charleston, and also 9th
ers nearer 10 Fort Sumter, had been called |
ouIen duty at dark. As this procedure was |
not unusual at Christmas, and look place for |
the slightest rumor of instruction fand |
which false and foolish rumors came il lat |
ter wears almost as regularly as Christmas), |
the calling out of all these cOmpanies caused |
no alarm, and attracted but little notice.
For the officers and men of each company |
knew only of their own company being on |
duty. Thus twenty companies, including |
the corps of cadets OF The Stale Military |
Schnol. were separately sent off to Que or |
the other ofIhese two forts. The next mnrn |
ing by sunrise, they were held by these mil |
iiiu garrisons of $40 men each. They had |
learned, when taking charge of the d-fens. |
of the forts. 0fid greatly to their joy, that |
they had the honor TO be The first soldiers in |
the service of the now seeded and indepen
dent State of South Carolina. Care was ta-
kypto Strengthen both the garrisans and The
Notifications as soon az possible, and to reu-
der both safe from any probable attack.
*stH -
Many Southern people, doubtless. the En-