The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-07-11
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT,
DELIVERED
THE EXTRAORDINARY SESSION, JULY
A, 1861.

THE EXTRAORDINARY SESSION, JULY
A, 1861.
Fellop Citizens Of the Senate ard House of Rep
resentatires:
Having been convened in extraordinary session,
as authorized by the Constitution, your attention
is not called to any ordinary subject of legsla-
ton.
At the beginning of the present Presidential
term. four months ago, the functions of the Fede-
raj government were found to be generally sIs-
pended within the several States of South Carroll
ma. Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and
Florida, excepting those only of the Postoffce
Department.
Within these States, all the forts, arsenals,
dockyards. custom houses, &C., including all the
movable and stationary property in and about
them, had been seized and held in open hostility
to this government, excepting only Forts Pickens,
Taylor and Jefferson, on and near the Florida
coast, and Fort Sumter, in Charleston Harbor.
The forts thus seized had been put in improved
condition, new ones had been built, and armed
forces had been organized and we're organizing,
all avowedly for the same hostile purposes. The
near those States were either besieged or menaced
by warke preparations, especially Fort Sumter.
which was nearly surrounded by we'll protected
hostile batteries, with guns equal in quality to the
best Of its own, and outnumbering the latter as
perhaps ten to one.
A disproportOnatc share of the Federal mus
kets and rifles had somehow found their way into
these States, aud had been seized to nse against
the government accumuatons of the public rev.
enue lying within them had been used for the same
object. The navy scattered in distant seas.
leaving but very small part of it within the inn
mediate reach Of the government. Officers of
the Federal army had resigned in great Lumbers,
and Of those resigned great portion had taken
up arms against the government
Simultaneously, and in connection with all this
the purpose to sever the Federal Union was openly
ayOwed. In accordance with this an ord nance had
been reported in each of these States, declaring
the States respectively to be separated from the
Federal Union. The formula for instituting a
combined government for these States has been
promulgated, and this illegal organization in the
character of the Confederate States" was already
asking recognition, aid and Intervention from for.
eign powers.
Finding that condition of things, and believing
it to be an imperative duty upon the incoming Ex-
ecutive to prevent, if possible, the consummation
of such attempts to destroy the Federal Union, a
choice of two things to that end became indispen-
sible. This choice was made, and was declared in
the inaugural address. The policy chosen looked
to the exhaustion of all peaceablc measures before
a resort to am stronger one. 1t sought only to
hold the public places and property not already
wre>ted from the government, and to collect the
revenue, relying for the rest on time. discussion
ana the ballot box. l promised the continuance
of the mails at governments expense to the very
people who were resisting the government, and
gave repeated pledges against any disturbance of
any of the people, or of any Of their rights. Of
all that which President might constitutionaliy
and jnstifiably do in such case, everything was
foreborne without which it was possible to Ike, the
gOverement on foot.
On the fifth of March, the present incumbcnt's
first full day in office, letter from Major Ander-
son, commanding at Fort Sumter, written on the
2Sth of February. and received at the War De-
partment on the 4th of March, was by that De-
plrtment placed in his hands. This letter ex-
pressed the professional opinion of the writer that
reinforcements could not be thrown in that fort in
time for his relief rendered necessary bv the lin
tied supply of provisions, and with view of hold
ing possession Of the same. with force of less
than 10000 welldsciplined men. This opinion
was concurred in by all the officers of his com.
mand, and their memoranda on the subject were
made enclosures of Major Anderson's letter. ! he
whole was Immediately laid before Lieut. Gen.
Scott, who at once concurred with Maj Anderson
in his decision. On reflection. however he took
full time in consulting with other officers of both
the army and navy, and, at the end of four days,
ca.se reluctantly but decidedly to the same conclu-
sion as before. He also stated, at the same time,
that no such sufficient force was then at the con-
troll of the government. could be raised and
brought to the ground within the time when the
provisions in the fort would be exhausted.
In apurely military point of view, this restrict
ed the administration to the mere matter of getting
the garrison safely out of t,e fort 1t was belle
ed. however. that TO SO abandon that situation
under the circumstances. would be utterly ruinou.
that the necessity under which il was to be done
would not be fully understood !; that by MANY it
would be construed as part Of a voluntary poll
cy ; that at home il would discourage the friends
OF the UniOn embolden its adversaries, and 90 far
to insure to the latter a recognition abroad and
that in fact, it would be our national destruction
This could not be allowed. Starvation was not
yet upon the garrison, and ere would be reached
Fort Pick ems m ght yet be reinforced. This last
would be clear indication of policy, and would
better enable the country to accept the evacuation
OF Fort Sumter as a military necessity.
An order was at once directed to be sent for the
landing of the troops from the steamship Brook
lyn into Fort Pickens This order could not 90
by land, but must take the sarer and slower route
by sea. The first return news from the order was
received just one week before the fall of Sumter
The news itself that the officer commanding
the Sabire, to which vessel the troops had been
transferred from tho Brooklyn. acting upon some
fsl-